Tae Bo
Tae Bo is a fitness sport that combines elements from Asian martial arts such as karate , taekwondo or kickboxing with aerobics and is usually practiced in workouts with fast music. However, it is not itself a martial art or a self-defense technique, but pure fitness gymnastics.
The name is reminiscent of Asian martial arts, but is an acronym for the slogan of the inventor of Tae Bo, Billy Blanks , and stands for:
- T otal commitment to whatever you do (= full commitment to what you do)
- A Wareness of yourself and the world (= awareness of yourself and your environment)
- E xcellence, the true goal in anything you do (= perfection, the most important goal in everything you do )
- the B ody as a force for total change (= the body as the power for total change)
- O bedience to your will and your true desire for change (= obedience to your will and your true desire for change)
Karate champion Billy Blanks began marketing his program on videos and later DVDs in 1989. Tae-Bo courses are now being offered in fitness studios around the world with great success. The name is protected by trademark law. In Germany, the IFAA had the right to use the name until the end of 2015. There are many other institutions that offer similarly structured courses under other names (e.g. Thai-Fit, Thai Bo, Tai Bo, Toso X ).
Tae Bo is relatively easy to learn compared to martial arts, but it still requires a precise technique, which in turn means that Tae Bo is considered one of the most strenuous fitness sports when done correctly. In the training hours, eight simple techniques from martial arts are used and combined with additional techniques and motivating music. The techniques are carried out in a targeted and powerful way, so that you work with high body tension . The very intense workout (the rhythmic music can be up to 185 BPM fast) should improve circulation, muscle endurance and strength and mobility. The exercise units usually last just under an hour, but Blanks also offers “seven-minute total body workout videos”.
The techniques
Tae Bo consists of 16 different techniques, which are divided into 8 main and 8 secondary techniques. The main techniques consist of four punches (blows with the fists) and four kicks . Each technique has its own number. In training, these techniques can be combined with one another as desired to create a movement sequence.
The main techniques
Punches:
1. Jab → Offensive Jab
→ Leadleg Jab
→ Stationary Jab
2. Cross Punch
3. Hook
4. Uppercut
Kicks:
5. Frontkick
6. Roundhousekick
7. Sidekick
8. Backkick