I watched the instructional tape just to see what it was about. I have been doing some cardiokicking boxing at my gym so none of the moves were new to me. I felt pretty comfortable that I could do the tapes without further instruction.

The basic tape was not at all what I expected. I was a little disappointed because the workout was very short. I didn't get the good sweat that I had expected from Tae Bo. So, I added the 8 minute tape and that was a sufficient workout. The warmup and stretching at the beginning were very short as well. I did not however, twist my neck at the break neck speed that Billy Blanks was suggesting. I took into consideration that he is a martial arts expert not an aerobic instructor so I always exercised common sense when doing the various "exercises" of which I wasn't completely sure of their safety.

The advanced workout.......I felt like I had died and gone to (not heaven). This was the hardest exercise video I had ever done in my whole life and I loved it. I had to drag myself to the couch after I completed the hour long advanced workout. Again, some of the exercise had questionable safety, but overall it had my body feeling like I had really done something. I will only do the advanced workout from here on out. My ability to perform higher kicks and to maintain my balance for longer periods of time will be excellent measures of my improving physical condition. The only bad thing I can say about the advanced workout is that the morning after my body felt like I had been sleeping on a bed of rocks. My body hurt in places that I didn't even know I had muscles.

Instructor Comments:
Billy Blanks was a very good instructor for the most part. Sometimes his "speeches" were very motivating and kept me moving. At other times, especially during the floor work of the advanced tape, he got down right annoying. When I'm dying from the pain, I don't want to hear "I'm always watching you."...argghhhhhh. But all in all, he was very good. I think he would probably be more effective in a live class situation.

Yvette R.