You?ve seen the late-night infomercials, the celebrity testimonials, the sweat-drenched devotees.
Now it?s time to tango with the master.
Fitness celebrity Billy Blanks will bring his workout craze Tae Bo, a mix of martial arts, dance and boxing, to the Columbia Association?s Supreme Sports Club on Saturday.
“There is nobody like this guy. This guy is the real deal,” said Kathy Grad, a certified Billy Blanks Tae Bo instructor.
Almost 500 people have signed up to train with Blanks, who broke onto the national scene in the 1990s. Soon he was appearing on television, showcasing his high-energy exercise, complete with round-house kicks, jabs and motivational speeches. Classes started popping up in gyms nationwide.
“I will just say in Howard County, it?s a rage. It?s absolutely growing and growing,” Grad said.
Grad started teaching Tae Bo for the Columbia Association about four years ago. Since then, she?s had to move the class to a basketball court to accommodate the 100 participants who pack her Saturday morning classes.
The benefits of practicing Tae Bo are spiritual and physical, Grad said. “After one class, you are going to feel immediately in touch with your body and in touch with your mind.”
Weight loss, especially in the abdominal area, also comes with regular practice of the exercise.
Since Grad trained with Blanks four years ago, she?s been trying to get him to come to Columbia. This year, he agreed.
“… When people get to meet him, they will see that Billy Blanks is the most normal, good-hearted person. He is going to take them to the next level of fitness,” Grad said.
Blanks is the first celebrity to visit a Columbia Association sports club, but “our sports and fitness division is always looking for opportunities to keep CA in the forefront of the fitness industry,” said Karen Hawkins, a Columbia Association spokeswoman.
