There is no tomorrow. Do it today.

I am a fan of Billy Blanks and always try his workouts. I was thrilled when I saw the Billy Blanks Tae Boe Amped box set. I think it's his best program. The bar is a lot easier to use than the stretchy bands in the Bootcamp series.

What is Tae Bo
Billy Blanks created these moves himself and calls the workout style Tae Bo. The Korean word Tae means foot and leg, bo is a shorten version of box. Billy explains Tae Bo as:

T-Total commitment to whatever you do
A-Awareness of yourself and the world
E-Excellence, the truest goal in anything you do
B-Body as a force for total change
O-Obedience to your will and your true desire for change

Billy Blanks
Most people probably know who Billy Blanks is. He is famous for being a marshal arts champion, an actor, motivational speaker and the creator of Tae Bo. There is a bonus section on the DVD's which Billy goes into great length about his history from where he came from as a young child to where he is today. He has a very motivational story to tell. Billy Blanks isn't the type of person that just got a lucky break, he's worked really hard for what he's achieved.

Learning Tae Bo
If you have never done Tae Bo before, begin with the instructional video which can be found on the bonus section of the DVD. Form is important and not doing the moves correctly could cause injury or decrease the effectiveness of the workout. The moves are also illustrated in the booklet. This is not a beginning workout so the constant instruction on form will not be covered in detail on the DVD.

Who this is for
This group of workouts would be great for anyone. I think men would like these workouts also as there is nothing feminine about the workout. The women working out in the background are well toned as a result of total fitness (no swimsuit models). The workout is challenging enough for males too.

If you've used an excuse in the past about how Billy's workouts are too hard on your knees you're out of excuses. There is very little leg kicking in these workout. Even if you skip all of the kicking moves you're going to have an awesome workout.

Included in the Box
The box set costs between $30-$40 and includes the following items:
3 pound Amplifier Bar
5 Workouts (1 case, 4 disc)
Success guide
Free 30-day VIP access to Billy's Online Club

Amplifier
The DVD set can be purchased separately but it's best to buy the set. The amplifier is a 3 pound bar which is used extensively with all the workouts. The bar doesn't feel heavy at all because of the distribution. It makes the moves a lot easier and helps quite a bit with form.

The DVD's
Disc 1 - Jump start cardio (total body slimming)
Disc 2 - Fat burning accelerator (fat burner)
Disc 3 - Full throttle (body toning)
Disc 4 - Core express 30-minute workout (target problem areas)
Disc 4 – Bonus 40-Minute Live in L.A.

The unique thing about Tae Bo is that it's not just repetitive exercising. Billy likes the viewers at home to count out the reps. This DVD set was sensational. I sweat through each one and felt wonderful afterward.

These workouts work every single muscle in the arm. I know, because my muscles are so exhausted when I'm done that I can't even wave. I did Full Throttle yesterday and I am paying for it today. I've never seen a workout video that has exhausted my arm muscles as much as this one. Keep in mind you're also holding 3 pounds. You'll also get a good core and leg workout that you're use to getting in any Billy Blanks workouts.

There's a lot going on in the workouts. You hear the music in the background, the group counting the reps, and Billy speaking all at the same time. Amping up the moves means going double time so sometimes it's hard to get feet moving and arms going in different directions. It's really good for working on coordination and getting your brain to think.

Billy is live in a room full of people working out in the bonus video. I don't really like that workout but the rest are great with plenty of replay value.

Moves
Half of the class uses the bar, the other half of the class just uses their hands. These are hard workouts so there's no shame in starting with your hands and working up to the bar.

Here are some of the basic moves:

Pile Driver – bar goes from over head to chin level.
See Saw – From waist height lift amplifier sideways over head in one direction, return and lift to the other direction.
Helicopter – Isolate abs by turning left and right. Amplifier remains over head.
Round House – Similar to punching from left to right across the body.
Hour Glass – Upper cut using the Amplifier in place of the fist
Reach & Pull - Start with amplifier above head and pull down to waist.
Side Kicks – kick to the side with the Amplifier used only as support.
Squat – Start with amplifier at waist level, squat while raising amplifier to shoulder height.

There are lots of other simple moves in the workouts in addition to the ones listed above. Just holding the bar and turning your wrist from side to side becomes work when Billy Amps it up. We're talking 64 reps of these moves people. You've got to be amped to get through the burn.

Success Guide
The success guide is a spiral booklet with lots of information. It starts out with an overview of the program and biography of Billy Blanks. There are jump start tips, a calendar, pose guide, 24/7 meal plan, dining out advice and with Billy approved items to choose if going to a fast food restaurant.

Eating
There is a menu in the book which is based on a 1,419 calorie diet. The menu sounds really good. If you want to follow the 8 day planner it may be best to hit the grocery store before you start the program. The Get Results Nowdiet is recommended to jump start weight. It's a balanced plan with lowered carbs, increased proteins. There's also a closer look at eating out with recommended choices and and suggestions on how to eyeball serving sizes. This information was put together by Sara Rybia. She is a registered dietitian and certified nutritionist.

Guaranteed Results
Billy says you'll feel the difference in 24 hours and see results in 7 days. I have actually lost 2 pounds on the scale and I physically feel better which is pretty amazing since it's only been a week. I reduced the amount of junk I ate but I did not do the 1200 calorie diet. It will take time to loose a serious amount of weight. I am sure that I'm burning more calories in Billy's workouts than I would exercising on my own or with other exercise videos.

How did he Billy Blanks & Shellie do?
I think this is Billy's best performance. This man is in his 50's but he has such a youthful glow and full of energy. He puts enthusiasm in every word he says. His communication and video recording was clear. He talks fast and moves fast.

Shellie, Billy's daughter, is amazing to watch as well. She's so focused and intense. She's always calling out the counts and encouraging the others.

Overall
You can tell by watching these DVD's that Billy Blanks and his daughter are doing what they love. These are not DVD's rolled out to cash in on a celebrities name. This is not the same old material repackaged either. These are totally new workouts.

I think the moves are a lot better than in previous workouts. I love the bar, it makes the workout a lot more fun and the moves easier to do than freestyle. I feel wonderful after working out.