Product Details

• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Good Times Video
• VHS Release Date: October 7, 2003
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0000C0FBD
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #129,206 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolutely great, July 18, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo Cardio [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I'm a bona fide Tae Bo veteran. I've been doing it for 4-6 hours a week for years, and I'm very accustomed to the Tae Bo II Advanced Get Ripped workouts, which are definitely in the "VERY DIFFICULT" category.

I've read many Tae Bo enthusiasts referring to this program as "intermediate," and I think that's a little bit misleading. Yes, it is shorter (45 minutes) than the older workouts, and its pace is slower.

But Billy really knows what he's doing. If you do this workout CORRECTLY, it is actually extremely intense cardiovascular work, along with tremendous trunk/core muscle training.

What MOST Tae Bo-ers don't understand is that your form is of paramount importance. I've taken several accredited Tae Bo classes, and I don't think I've ever seen more than three or four people who were really doing the moves correctly.

Almost everyone I've ever seen do Tae Bo relies on momentum to execute the moves, especially the kicks. If you bounce your way through it, you'll work up a nice sweat, yes. But you're not going to be doing the workout properly, and your core (stomach, sides, back and rear) aren't going to gain strength.

Tae Bo Cardio FORCES you to focus more on your form. And believe me, working muscles intensely is FAR more draining that hopping up and down, allowing momentum to flail your legs out in an approximation of a kick.

(...) I've worked it into my regular routine.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Kinder, Gentler Billy and Shelly..., October 23, 2003

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo Cardio [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Let's face it, no matter HOW advanced you are, sometimes ya' just don't feel like a bone crunching workout! I've been doing Tae-Bo Advanced and Get Ripped for two years. While "Cardio" is not quite as challenging as the Advanced and Get Ripped series, it DID get my heart rate up.

Be aware that there are no floor excercises on this tape; ab work is minimal.

To keep my heart rate up between exercises, I tried the running in place moves from the advanced tapes instead of the "Butterfly" move. And, once I learned the new combinations, I went right into double-time rather than doing the first, slow repetitions.

Tae-Bo Cardio is decidedly mellower than the Advanced series-- I am pleased that Billly has listened to fans who find his yelling and Shelly's grunting distracting. Here, they tone it down.

This is a good companion video for anyone who does both Tae-Bo and Pilates, as I do. It's low impact but it STILL gets that heart rate up, so it goes well with the Pilates philosophy.

For those who rely exclusively on Tae-Bo, call it "Billy Light", and save it for those times when you're not in the mood for shouting.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun tape for intermediates....more "refined", November 14, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo Cardio [VHS] (VHS Tape)

I have been enthusiastically doing Tae Bo Basic tapes for quite a while. This tape is about the same intensity as the other Basic tapes that I've done, except the length of the workout is longer and the pauses between combinations are somewhat reduced. I like the increased variety of combinations, and the longer tai chi style cool down at the end is also well done.

In some ways Cardio is more "professional" than previous Tao Bo productions, in that the moves are more choreographed and the cueing more scripted. However, like a previous reviewer, one of the things I've liked about Tae Bo tapes is how clearly Billy and Shelly's enthusiastic personalities showed through, and to me they've sacrificed something of the chemistry of previous Tae Bo's. On the other hand, people who haven't liked the slightly out of control, over the top feel of previous Tae Bo's may like this one. Nonetheless, I have no regrets about having purchased Tae Bo Cardio and will certainly enjoy working out with it.