The ‘90s Workout Tae Bo Is Back, Thanks to TikTok
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The Trend: Tae Bo — Billy Blanks’ high-kick cardio workout from the ‘90s VHS era — is back in, thanks to TikTok. Creators (mainly millennials showing off glory-day favorites) have been posting clips following along to Blanks’ old routines, and they’ve gone viral, with one popular video declaring “the girls are bringing Tae Bo back.”
What People Are Saying: Fans are loving Tae Bo both for the nostalgia and the workout. Millennials are reliving their youth, while Gen-Zers are finding Blanks’ YouTube channel for the first time and learning the workouts are actually hard. Comments seem to be mostly variations of “Billy Blanks does not play.” _The New York Times_ reports that Blanks (now in his 70s) is chiming in, uploading short routines and going live with a new era of fans. Even Blanks notes the high-impact workout style isn’t great for everyone, though, and encourages modifications.
What to Know: Tae Bo pairs taekwondo and boxing with aerobics-style cardio, working your arms, legs, abs, and glutes. There’s no peer-reviewed Tae Bo trial out there, but the different workout components are well studied. In general, it’s just a fun, modifiable way to get a sweat in. Plus, the soundtrack is a whole vibe.
