When I was growing up, my friends and I had an obsession with the martial arts. It seems that we ate, drank, and breathed those ancient combat styles. I can’t recall the number of Friday nights spent in front of a TV watching Sho Kosugi (the premier 80’s ninja) on TV flipping around working his mad ninja skills. We loved to watch Chuck Norris or Jean Claude van Damme give some bad guy(s) the beat down they had coming to them. Man, those were the good old days!
So naturally, when I found out there was a workout program that was similar to the fun we used to have growing up as kids I thought, this is an interesting concept. I had a couple of friends that got into the Tae Bo craze and continued to think…that sure is a neat way to get exercise, but never went any further than that.
We all know how persuasive the As Seen on TV exercise equipment commercials can be. Think of all of the times you have seen Tony Little on his Gazelle zipping away like he is getting ready to take off. He makes it so easy, and he wants you to believe you can do it to. This is the lie I got sucked into with the Tae Bo program. For those of you that are older, you will appreciate the fact that while the mind still knows exactly what it is supposed to do, the body has forgotten…no, it rebels against the thought of what you are about to put it through.
The DVDs were laid out very nicely, and Billy does a good job leading you through the warm-ups and stretches. He emphasizes the need for proper stretching (which I really liked). Then they kick it up a notch. I knew when I embarked on this endeavor that I was not the little martial artist I used to be, but I had no clue as to how far I had really fallen.
Knowing that I was not in the best of shape I picked the beginners program thinking…no problem, should be easy. Well, while I know it was easy for Billy and his crew, it was a challenge for me. Good clean fun, but a challenge. The workout is just that, a workout. If you are looking for something to do half-heartedly while you eat your Bon-Bons…this is not it. There are many As Seen on TV items out there in the marketplace, and I think that this is one of the better ones I have looked at (another is the Denise Austin video series).
The important thing is that as you sift through all of the As Seen on TV exercise equipment that is available out there that you seriously consider what type of workout and equipment best fit your body type and stamina levels.
Good luck, and stop back to tell us what you picked.