Practicing Tae Bo® online offers the flexibility of practicing anywhere and anytime without the pressure or cost of working out at a gym. Tae Bo® online videos can be streamed or purchased. Tutorials, books, and audio guides also exist online to help students improve their practice. The format of Tae Bo® is highly cardiovascular, however, so video classes often provide more structure than written guides.
Tae Bo®, created by Billy Blanks, is a high-impact aerobic plan that combines aspects of Tae Kwon Do, ballet, and hip-hop dance, as well as boxing and Karate. The routines are challenging and are not generally meant for novice exercisers. Principles of Tae Bo® also focus on mental awareness of the physical body. Billy Blanks has registered the Tae Bo® name, but there are now other instructors and variations of his program.
Billy Blanks' original system of Tae Bo® includes an instructional workout, an eight-minute workout, and an advanced workout, although workout variations have increased. Tae Bo® online classes now follow various formats, such as a Bootcamp format, and have different foci, such as an advanced cardiovascular focus. It is important for participants to know their bodies and their limits to prevent injury. Disadvantages of working without an instructor include missing community support, the inability to ask questions or receive modifications, and a lack of assistance with postures, which could lead to injury.
Books also exist to help explain how to better complete the Tae Bo® exercises. Information includes the muscles activated in each position, the intensity level at various points in the workout, as well as mental and breathing techniques to accompany them. These more in-depth guides to each position can be helpful for people to theoretically learn more about the benefits or challenges of each position than they might in a classroom setting. This format is not usually conducive to an immediate fitness program, however, as exercises must first be studied and exercise order established.
Video tutorials and classes are also available online. As Tae Bo® is such a fast-paced workout, videos can provide a very interactive learning platform where users have the ability to pause or rewind exercises they need more time to perfect. Tae Bo® online videos range in quality and level, so instructors should be researched and difficulty levels understood. Video clips range from a few seconds to more than an hour, from free to not, and are available on different host sites. DVDs and video classes can also be purchased online.
Those looking for support but who still want the freedom of the Internet might consider joining Tae Bo® online clubs via social networking sites. Community sites can offer independent libraries of written information, meal plans, and additional health information. These vary in price and quality of information depending on the host site, however, so use caution when following advice on these sites.