running a karate studio in Quincy, Massachusetts. He used components of his martial arts and boxing training.
The name is a combination of “tae” (as in taekwondo) and “bo” (as in boxing). Blanks opened a fitness center in Los Angeles to teach his new workout.
He later attracted celebrity clients such as Paula Abdul, and the popularity of the workout quickly grew, becoming a pop culture phenomenon after Blanks began releasing mass-marketed videos.
He sold over 1.5 million VHS tapes in his first year, and is reported to have grossed between $80 million and $130 million in sales.
“I was in my basement,” recalls Blanks. “I had just won the National Championships, and of course, I put on the Rocky theme song (laughs).
As soon as the song came on I started moving, kicking, and punching to the beat. Within 2-3 minutes I got cardiovascularly tired. I was one of the best fighters in the United States but I was not in good cardio shape!”
“I started combining karate moves, boxing moves, and calisthenics all together into a routine. I joined a ballet company because I didn’t know how to count music at the time.
I had a Russian instructor who taught me ballet and how to count music. Once I learned to count music, I started to create routines.”
What’s Next for Billy Blanks
In addition to creating a cookbook, having an online physical training platform, working with his son to produce online workout videos for the next generation, Billy is still a busy man.
He still makes appearances, does huge workouts for large groups of people and still shares fitness tips for everyone from the novice beginner to the seasoned pro.
“Don’t start out with an hour or 45-minute workout. Start with a 15-minute workout. Do that for a week or two.
And then