Customer Reviews

Billy Blanks' Tae-Bo Cardio [VHS]

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

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.

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.

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.

This is the perfect daily workout for someone at Basic level who wants a break from the other tapes or a bit more exertion. The goal of this tape, as Billy says, is to test and develop aerobic endurance. What that means are more exercise moves with fewer reps than in other tapes, interspersed by a "butterfly step" that keeps both legs and arms moving. If you've never done Tae Bo, get the instructional video of the Live set and work on that first in order to become familiar with the moves.

I've done Tae Bo classic, Live and Get Ripped, and the moves in this tape are familiar, with a few twists. The cross-corner punching, roundhouse kicks, knee raise, front and back kicks, squats and speedbag are all here. The "music" isn't very tuneful (pulsing video game music, basically), but it gives the beat which is important for aerobic workout. A bonus for me is a thorough cool-down that emphasizes not just stretching, but muscle control and visualization, something Billy's tapes are getting better at developing.

All in all this has become my favorite Basic workout! I've definitely gotten my money's worth.

This tape is low impact and is great for Tae-Bo beginners who want to familiarize themselves with Tae-Bo moves and technique. It's also good for Tae-Bo enthusiasts who want an easier but heart pumping workout. It is suprisingly easier than his other tapes. The first time I did it I couldn't tell where the warm-up ended and the actual workout began! Billy also spends more time doing the moves as opposed to walking around the class. As always he is very motivational. I give it four out of five stars because it's a good tape and no matter what your fitness level you will enjoy it.

I just received this tape yesterday and so I tried it this morning. If you've done 1998's 8 minute Tae Bo and 1999's Tae Bo Advanced then the moves in this video will be familiar to you. However, this tape is slower paced than Tae Bo Advanced. It consists of a long warm up and a long cool down and all the moves are done in slow motion first followed by a fast pace. So, I did sweat and my heart rate did get up but it is easier than Tae Bo Advanced. It is geared towards beginners and intermediates like the other reviewers said. Nonetheless, I think it will add some spice and variety to my workouts.

I am a HUGE fan of Taebo and have been dying to get my hands on a new tape so I bought this immediately when it came out. Just like the previous reviewer, I was disappointed to find that it was really a level geared toward beginners/intermediate users, and is definitely way too slow paced and easy for advanced taebo-ers. I still gave it a good rating because it is a good tape, but I just wish they would have indicated on the tape which level it was targeted to.

What an awesome workout! You get the maximum benefits, your heart rate gets up, and you burn fat. I love it! If you want a good high energy, challenging workout, then Taebo Cardio is it! I love it so much, sometimes i do it two times in a day. If you don't already have it, get it!

I had always been interested in trying Billy Blanks' Tao-Bo series but had never gotten around to it. I bought this video and gave it a try and I totally loved it! The moves are challenging and you get a good workout without it being too exhausting. I finished feeling energized but also like I had really worked. Billy is very encouraging and really got me moving. I'm going to buy the older videos!

As someone who has been enjoying Tae-Bo for several years, I put Cardio into my video player this morning and looked forward to a heart-pumping 45 minutes. Unfortunately I soon realised this tape is geared towards beginners and moderate exercisers.
If you are just starting out this is an excellent workout for you. It will get your heart rate up sufficiently to burn fat and the moves are relatively easy to follow. Also, quite a bit of time is spent warming up and cooling down (The actual cardio stuff only lasts for about 20-25 minutes).
If you are an advanced Tae-Bo veteran or are quite fit, this workout will probably not challenge you much.
I do want to take this opportunity to sing the praises of Tae-Bo as a workout in general. Not only is it extremely enjoyable but it really works. You want a flat tummy? You've come to the right place!