Advanced Tae Bo® is a type of cardio kickboxing workout that combines principles of taekwondo, dance, and kickboxing to engage the entire body in the workout and to increase muscular strength and endurance. It was created by Billy Blanks in the early 1980s, and became a popular video workout routine in the late 1990s. According to Billy Blanks' website, Tae Bo® is a martial arts discipline unto itself. It remains an option for people who want to mix up their exercise routine with something a little different, or who want an introduction to cardio kickboxing at home.
There are different levels this art and Advanced Tae Bo® is one of the many iterations of the program. Other versions focus on different areas of the body or different skill levels. Instructional videos of different lengths are also available. It is recommended that someone who is just beginning this workout program should start with a basic or introductory level before progressing to advanced Tae Bo®. Some of the more advanced and most challenging Tae Bo® workouts are an hour long or more, but others are much shorter and offer a good workout in 20 minutes to half an hour.
The basic principles of Tae Bo® remain the same throughout the videos. They typically include a series of punches, kicks, knee raises, squats, lunges, and leg lifts performed in rapid succession. This is intended to improve the speed of the reflexes, as well as to improve self awareness for self defense purposes. Dance moves such as spins, twists, or sidesteps may be added to increase cardiovascular benefits and contribute to the aerobic nature of the workout. Floor exercises are also sometimes added in advanced Tae Bo® to increase the difficulty of the workout and target core muscles as well.
It is important to follow directions carefully, whether one is doing advanced Tae Bo® or a more basic version. This includes warming up sufficiently, staying hydrated, and being careful not to overextend the joints and put extra stress on them. A workout such as this can be a great way to get in shape, but it can also be an easy way to get an injury if one is not careful. In addition, it is important to be realistic about abilities, and not to move to advanced levels too early; consult a doctor before starting any type of new exercise program.