Rating: Summary: What Tae Bo has Done for me- Coming from a Teenager Review: Tae Bo is an awesome workout (This coming from a 13 year old girl) I started doing Tae-Bo a few weeks ago, and In the first week, I saw PHYSICAL results. I'm the kind of girl that likes to do excersize video's when I'm not doing my 2 season's of sports. And in the past, I have tried multiple other video's that claim they are "total body", but fall short. As a teenager, I'm very self-concious about my appearance. I have a muscular frame, so as "weight" goes, I'm about 10 pounds overweight (I dont look it though)I use excersize for part of my confidence. I feel good because, even If I'm not losing weight, I am excersizing, and I know that's good for my body. With the past video's I have tried, my main problem is my muscular legs. They aren't as tiny as the other girls in my school, so I was hoping Tae-Bo would help me tighten them up so even if my legs arent as tiny as the next girls, they are tight and look good. And Tae-Bo is the only excersize program that has acheived that. It truly is the only excersize program that really WORKS to tighten muscles. In the first week, I noticed my inner part of my upper thighs were TIGHT for once. And I actually have muscle in my arms! (My mom has NO upper body strength and I inheireted that) Another thing that Tae-Bo does is keeps my heart rate up. I also run, to help me train for my sports, and I assumed that If I just did Tae-Bo, and not run, that when I started to run, I wouldn't be in shape and I would be all outta breath. But that is not so. Tae Bo keeps me at the same heart rate as JOGGING! It's great. So as I am working out and tightening muscles, Tae-Bo also helps me with my running. I gave it 4 starts instead of five because I haven't "lost weight" as the program claims. But I've only been doing the video's for a little less than a month. So a little word of advice: If you want to loose 50 lbs or whatever, this probably isn't the right program for you. But if you DO want to tighen and firm muscles so you LOOK better, this program is for you!
Rating: Summary: Enjoyable workout Review: I can't add much more than others have to this comment area, but ... This workout is tough! I spent weeks on just the beginner portion of the DVD. The pace is great, just when you think you can't go on, it changes. This is one of those that you can use over and over again, rather than once or twice before it ends up on the shelf.
Rating: Summary: NOT DVD QUALITY PICTURE, BUT GOOD WORKOUT Review: Picture Quality: I was very disappointed by the quality of the picture of these workouts. They are the same quality as the VHS (aside from the menu).Workout Quality: The workout itself is terrific though! I highly reccomend this for the avid exerciser. Advice: Purchase this video if you moderately exercise, or if you have the endurance to stick with it until you are in shape enough to do an entire routine. Its upbeat and energetic, not to mention quick. I also advise buyers of this tape to combine the basic and 8-minute workout for an intermediate level before moving to the advanced section. DO NOT purchase this video if you are easily discouraged, its difficult at first and will leave you discouraged since if you can't finish. Instead start with an easier regimine that you're sure you can finish. (I personally prefer step aerobics and aerobics since the videos generally have 3 segments for all levels of fitness). If you are looking to lose weight (and are in the 'obese' category), you may potentially have knee or back problems, therefore I would suggest Richard Simmons.
Rating: Summary: From a martial arts standpoint Review: I'm a TaeKwonDo instructor from the US living in Korea. I've been here for 6 years. I started doing the Tae-Bo DVD with my wife. She's not very athletically inclined so she thought this would be a good way to get in shape. I find it hard to believe some of complaints I've seen about this series. Who cares about the production quality or the fact that the music isn't something popular? The point of this series is to get a workout and I for one think it delivers. Some people complain about injuring themselves or about the moves being impossible to perform. I've also noticed some of those complain about the level of the workouts. Obviously, it's hard to ramp up from absolute beginner to professional athlete in just 4 tapes. As a martial arts instructor I would offer this advice. Start with the Instructional video. Do it all the way through. Practice the techniques. Do them on both sides. Use that as your workout for at least two weeks. Watch the way techniques are done and make sure you are doing them correctly. I would be willing to bet that people who injured themselves did so because of poor technique or trying to do too much, too quickly. By the end, you might want to do it twice through each day. Then step up to the beginner workout. If you find it difficult, put it on pause for a few minutes, catch your breath and then keep going. Actually, Mr. Blanks suggests that himself on the video. After you can comfortably do the Basic workout (at least 1 month after, probably more for older adults), add the 8-minute workout to it. I would suggest doing the 8-minute workout first, then the Basic. When you've adjusted to that, do the Basic workout twice in succession each day. Then, when you can do that comfortably, go to the Advanced workout. As a workout, I think it's excellent. From a self-defense standpoint, I wouldn't really recommend it. Of course there is some protection benefit from learning basic techniques and getting in shape but he teaches these techniques from a workout perspective not proper martial arts technique. As one example, he stresses that when you execute techniques you should tighten up various muscles. This creates more resistance and so gives a better workout. This also slows your techniques down. When practicing martial arts, you want to stay loose until the point of impact. This gives you more speed and ultimately more power. If you really want to learn self-defense, take a martial arts class and stick with it. As a last point and small pet peeve, Koreans actually pronounce TaeKwonDo just as it looks with Tae sounding like Day not Tie. I think this got confused with Thai kickboxing early on and just got spread that way. In summary, if you want good production quality, go sit on the couch and watch Titanic again. If you want to learn self-defense, go to a martial arts class. If you want an excellent series of workout videos, buy Tae-Bo.
Rating: Summary: The best workout Ive ever done.. Review: I had heard a lot about Tae-bo in the past, living near the world studio, but I had never truly believed what everyone said. I decided just recently that I was gaining weight even when I was working out in the gym, so I decided I would give this workout a try. I looked at all the customer reviews to make sure I had made the right decision, and now I am making my own review. It is everything everyone says it is. I was a skeptic, but now that I have done the workout and enjoyed it for a month, I can personally say to anyone wondering if it will work for them, IT WILL. It is great! It is fun, energizing, and no matter how much I do the same workout, i am never bored and always driping with sweat. Buy it! You can do it too!
Rating: Summary: too old for this Review: i used this video a couple of times, the instruction only. i am not too coordinated, and had some trouble. friends younger than my self love it and they use theirs faithfully. i am a walker.
Rating: Summary: Tae bo is great Review: This video just simply works. It is fun, I really do enjoy doing it and I really enjoyed losing the 15 pounds. I am totally satisfied with my weight now that my goals are achieved....and get this!!!! I lost all that weight in just 2 months(using the basic workout only and the floor exercises from the advanced cassette)....I am toned now and I feel great... Right now, I just purchased the tae bo live set of 4 cassettes because I want to learn new moves and fight to new music. I have never enjoyed any other exercising cassettes this much before. If you like kicking and punching and sweating...this is for you... You have my word....Great buy!!!! Good Luck!!!
Rating: Summary: Stick with it because it is definitely worth it Review: I knew some kickboxing techniques before I bought this pack (Kathy Smith's Kickboxing for one, which is amazing), so I only scanned the instructional tape. But if you have never done this before, then use the instructional tape a few times before progressing. The basic tape is a solid workout that helps develop the muscles you need to do the advanced tape. The advanced tape is a very strong workout. At first I thought his inspirational motivation was kind of hokey, but as the workout progressed, I really started to like it. During the floor work, which is very challenging, he really keeps me going. There is one exercise, however, that smarts and it feels like he talks forever. But I keep with it and have really seen my body become more developed and my balance is a lot stronger. My only complaint is that there is not any streching. In the advanced tape there is one strech after the leg work, which is definitely not sufficient. The tape ends with squats which are a great way to cool down, but then it just stops. I stretch on my own, because I feel that stretching is an integral part of exercising. Overall, this is a great workout. When I first started kickboxing workouts, I was frustrated because it took me a few times to get the moves and it took me even longer to get strong enough to really work the moves. But it is worth it. I feel stronger, more centered and definitely look stronger and more defined.
Rating: Summary: This is the series that started me working out... Review: Thank God for Tae Bo. I had already resigned myself to being a pudgy, unhealthy gal because I absolutely DESPISE the idea of working out in front of others. I got this set as a gift about a year and a half ago and it's made a ton of difference in my exercise routine. Now I actually have one! For starters, I should say I don't think this is a workout for everyone. My friends used this series on and off but didn't take to it as quickly or as enthusiastically as I did. If you're not into kickboxing or karate, this probably isn't the series for you. Some of my friends, for instance, preferred more straight up aerobic workouts, and others preferred workouts with more coordinated dance elements. So it's a personal choice if you want to do kickboxing. I would only suggest taking this up if you like kickboxing and/or karate. That said, if you have a martial arts background, this is the workout for you! Even if you don't have a martial arts background, but are interested in learning basic moves, this is a great series. Billy Blanks is the real deal. You can tell by his form that this guy knows his martial arts! This may explain why I like this series so much. I took karate for three years as a kid. Accordingly, I think I took to learning the moves in this workout more easily than most of my friends. I found the instructional video to be a total waste of time. My friends without martial arts backgrounds said it was helpful, but only worth watching once, maybe two times max. I did the basic workout for a couple of weeks, and then got bored and moved on to the advance. Some of my friends have never tackled the advance and continue to stick to the basic workout. It's hard to say whether the basic gives you a good workout or not. My friends say it does, but I don't feel like it does at all. Again, this may have to do with one's comfort level with the martial arts. I'm not sure. The bulk of my praise is reserved for the advance workout. This baby is an hour long and really kicks your butt, no matter what your fitness level! I got into the groove of doing the advance five times a week, and I swear I was never as fit as I was then. Of course, like all workouts, it gets monotonous after a while, so I don't do it as often as I used too. I mostly run now (about 15 miles a week), but every once in a while, I'll pull out my advance Tae Bo tape, and it still kicks my butt every time! It's ridiculously hard, but so incredibly worthwhile. I always wake up the next morning a little sore from doing the advance tae bo workout and I love it.
Rating: Summary: ADVANCE TAPE KICKS BUTT! Review: i actually give 4 1/2 stars! and all to the advance tape! all the others are a waste of money and time...to bad you can't buy them seperate. although, the basic workout does help you before you began the advance, it still is not necesary. i just had my second child 4 months ago and was REALLY OUT OF SHAPE. i have done the ADVANCE tae bo for about a month and already see results! the work out is HARD! but well worth the BURN! as billy says.... "IF YOU HAVE THE WILL...TAE BO IS THE WAY!"
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