The fitness program that combines martial arts and dance and was created by Billy Blanks is Tae Bo. It uses rapid punches, kicks, stances, and aerobic choreography as a fitness routine rather than as a system intended for combat or self-defense.
Billy Blanks developed Tae Bo from his background in taekwondo, karate, boxing, and other martial arts. The name is commonly explained as a blend of “tae,” referring to taekwondo, and “bo,” referring to boxing. The program became especially popular in the 1990s through heavily marketed workout videos and television infomercials.
Tae Bo is often confused with kickboxing classes because both may feature punches and kicks. Its defining identity, however, is the combination of martial-arts-inspired movements with dance-like aerobic sequencing. Tae Bo routines do not focus on throws, grappling, or ground fighting; their purpose is cardiovascular conditioning, muscular endurance, coordination, and general fitness.
The program became a major pop-culture fitness phenomenon. By 1999, an estimated 1.5 million sets of Tae Bo videos had been sold. Zumba also combines music and choreography, but it is primarily dance fitness rather than a Billy Blanks martial-arts workout.