My Tae Bo Workout With Billy Blanks

Me with Billy Blanks after a great Tae Bo workout

What??? This is amazing! I "grew up" on Billy Blanks!!


That was my reaction when I received an email from Harrison Wise on Wednesday. Billy Blanks would be teaching a kickboxing workout at the dojo Wise attends. A live Tae Bo workout!! Last year, I attended Harrison Wise's Pleasure & Pain Kickboxing Boot Camp class. I'm so grateful he remembered and shared the news with me.


Anyone who's known me for longer than 5 years, knows how much I love Tae Bo and how the workout and Billy Blanks has shaped my outlook on health, fitness and working out. I was a freshman in college when Tae Bo went mainstream. My mother ordered the tapes, but I claimed them for myself. My workouts were comprised of Tae Bo and weights. When the Tae Bo Live! series came out, she ordered the subscription for me -- a new advanced workout every month!


At the same time I was working towards my Sports Sciences degree and Athletic Training certification and was taking courses in Biomechanics & Kinesiology, Exercise Physiology, Principles of Athletic Training, Adapted Physical Education and Sports Psychology, I was also learning from Tae Bo and was applying the body awareness, willpower and positive visualization from one to the other.

Clench

I had a pretty great workout last night. Great post-workout shower. Then meditated for 10 measly minutes. I haven't been able to get back to 20+ minute meditation sessions for about a month.

There's a knot on the left side of my back - rhomboids and lower trap. It hurts. I know part of it is due to structural issues but it's also due to stress.

During my recent meditation(s), I repeatedly have to drop my bottom jaw, releasing the tension. Sometimes I realize how tight I'm gripping my stones. No bueno. I'm not sure if I'm a tooth-grinder at night, but sometimes as I'm drifting off to sleep, I notice my fists are clenched. Even in sleep, there are moments when I'm not relaxed.

The next time you're waiting for the train or in line at Starbucks take a moment to become aware of the level of tension in your body. Are you fists clenched? Shoulders touching your ears? Jaw tight? Ass checks clenching a piece of thread? Toes forming a fist in your shoes? When your cell phone rings or vibrates make note of your physical reaction. Ringtones are an attempt to sugarcoat the intrusion to our lives.