Tae bo as self defense:

[Knifefighter]

While style is one of, if not the most important factors that will determine your chances of prevailing in a fight or self-defense situation, even a less effective style such as Tae Bo CAN be used effectively as a fighting/self-defense system.

There are certain styles that are better for fighting and/or self-defense than others, especially against another trained fighter. However, there are other things besides style that will contribute to a person's ability to fight/defend himself. One of these is self-confidence, which can potentially developed by taking tae bo classes. If a person believes that he can defend himself, he is more likely to act accordingly in a situation that requires it. While tae bo may not be the most effective method for developing fighting skills, the attitude that comes from just believing you are learning to fight will give you a big up if and when a physical altercation does occur. The person who has confidence in his abilities will tend to act in a manner that reflects the belief in those abilities and will fight harder and more aggressively than someone who doesn't have that same confidence.

The other advantage to be gained by taking Tae Bo classes is the conditioning that can be developed. Conditioning plays a big roll in a fight and Tae Bo's strongest point is the conditioning developed from consistent training. Tae Bo participants develop cardiovascular fitness, build muscular endurance, increase power, and even gain some strength. All of these can help in a fighting situation. Many Tae Bo practitioners are actually in better physical shape than some of those who practice other forms of martial arts that are thought to be better suited to developing skills for fighting/self-defense situation.

While Tae Bo may not the best choice for maximizing your fighting skills, it should not be dismissed out of hand.

[qeySuS]

plus you get to wear spandex!

Free thinkers are dangerous!

[Badger]

To make Tae-Bo an effective fighting art just add boxing & Muay Thai striking & bag work,Wrestling & BJJ for grappling & submissions,some weapons training from the Dog Brother MA and there you have it: Combat Tae-Bo!
Wow! can we market this?
;)

Badger

ü

The Machado Philosophy:
We respect everyone and every style of martial arts.We share what we know and are open to new ideas.Martial arts is not about
fighting,but about lifestyle.Harmony is our g oal,hard training is our way..ê`

[MIKSANSOO]

hey knife are you teaching it? not making fun, seriously. tae bo participants are probably more fit than most on this forum!! :D

"you can take my life, but not my confidence"
Jimmy H. Woo

[old jong]

I'm sure you are a great fishing lover!...

Les paroles s'envolent.
Les écrits restent!...

[HuangKaiVun]

Wonderfully stated, Knifefighter.

Better to have one or two Tae Bo moves that WORK than an entire encyclopedia of dead techniques.

[Jockwurst]

Finally knifefighter comes clean about the style he has REALLY studied all these years.

[MaFuYee]

... and angel dust will help you fly.

- I bet a funny thing about driving a car off a cliff is, while you're in midair, you still hit those brakes! Hey, better try the emergency brake!

[Crimson Phoenix]

Knife, please reassure me on this...someone fiddled with your account, right??

[Ralek]

He's making the analogy between tae bo and traditional kung fu. Both styles have you throw techniques into thin air and dance around and do wierd stances. Tae bo is trained exactly like traditional kung fu but they just use different techniques.

Both are not the best way to learn to fight. They actually are horrible ways to learn to fight. But he's saying that traditional kung fu or tae bo does have benefits such as fitness and self confidence.

I am the Grand Ultimate Fist

[shaolinboxer]

I know a couple folks who got into Tae Bo, then into real kickboxing, then into traditional MA.

There are many doors....

"She ain't got no muscles in her teeth."
- Cat

[Snake]

Actually, the Tae Bo classes at the gym that I workout at are taught a lot more like an aerobics class, and really don't resemble the training I do in kung fu at all. In fact, the instructors of the Tae Bo class don't even attempt to relate their movements to a self defense application as far as I can tell. It is all about the cardiovascular workout. However, I know a few people who have taken these classes who now feel like they can defend themselves better, despite the fact that they haven't applied the kicks and punches they have been doing. Are they in better shape? Sure! Are they better prepared to defend themselves? Not in the least.

Snake

[Ralek]

So snake. Your trying to say that your kung fu training is superior to tae bo? I disagree.

You throw you punches into thin air. Right? Well your saying that what makes you different than tae bo is you do applications. right? So your applications are blocking the straight punch you know is coming during 1 step sparring then waving your hand in front of his groin to simulate a groin attack. Right? That must make kung fu better than tae bo.

BJJ/boxing/wrestling are better than taebo/kungfu/ballet/squareDancing/ect. becuase the training is "not dead". You actually have to fight and work to get to a position while your oppeonent is trying to escape and take you out. in kung fu the training is "dead" yoru doing forms and fighting imaginary oppeonets. and your 1 step sparring is "dead" because no one is actually trying to fight or resist. their just throwing a technique then they stop and stand their like a dummy while you wave your fingers at their eyes and groin.

I am the Grand Ultimate Fist

[Snake]

First off, where in post do I say that kung fu training is superior to tae bo? Point that out to me? Thought so.

What I was saying is that the tae bo classes that I have seen at my gym do not work on self defense techniques at all. Period. It is just a different kind of aerobics class with kicking and punching in time to music. Now in my kung fu class we work on generating striking power and using the techniques that we learn to defend ourselves in real world situations. Why do you assume that all kung fu schools train in forms only or that we don't do contact sparring? Do you even have a clue about how kung fu styalists train? Oh! No, thats right, you don't actually train yourself. Not even in bjj/boxing/wrestling that you so vocally champion around here.

I know several women who are in tae bo classes (but not a single guy) and they love it. They have managed to get into better shape and have fantastic aerobic workouts, but they are not trained any better to defend themselves then they were before they took the class, mainly because they don't focus any attention on that aspect.

Snake

[HuangKaiVun]

I'll hurt you one day using traditional kung fu, Ralek.

Keep trolling.

[EARTH DRAGON]

I cant beleive i am responding to this post but here it goes, tae bo is aerobics it was desingned by billy blanks we used to trian together at the golden dragon here in buffalo when he moved to california he opened a hungar school and did some moveis then his buisness started to pick up but 95% of his clientel were men 19-35 and so he decided to add an aerobic class in the mornings taught by a LA fitness instructor named kim disman and he watched his profiet sky rocket. So he decided to combine shadow boxing routines with kicks from kung fu at an aerobic pace and expand his market to the general public that didnt want to do kung fu but also didnt want to do just aerobics so he maximaized his clientel by 200% and made lots of money doing it.
It has nothing to do with fighting or defense and just becuse the practictioners are in shape means nothing about fighting, just becuse you can jump rope for an hour does that mean you can block a punch?

http://www.kungfuUSA.net

[Ralek]

video game training is "not dead". It is "alive". You have to actually fight and work to KO your oppenent. Your opponenet doesn't just throw one punch and then stop and let you hit them like in kung fu. You have to go all out and actually use your strategies agaisnt the resisting computer.

Also kung fu sparring is a joke. It is like TKD sparring. Light contact sparring that's really shouldn't be done by anyone over the age of 12. Boxing/kickboxing sparring is hardcore with hard contact.

I am the Grand Ultimate Fist

[Knifefighter]

Just because you can stand in a low stance for an hour, does that mean you can fight?

[Buhma]

heheheh it's amazing isn't it. On the one hand, Kung Fu training methods give you the "strength" to be an excellent fighter. On the other hand, these same people say that being in shape doesn't account for fighting ability. Please choose a point. :p

<hr>
If ya ain't got the skills, I will take you out!

[JasBourne]

Tae-bo is a good conditioning aerobic workout, and lets you train your kicking speed. But that's about it. I see no fighting benefits other than the conditioning, sorry.

[Chang Style Novice]

MD Abel - Think carefully. It is not an either/or question. One need not have great strength to be an excellent fighter, but it doesn't hurt none to be strong.

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[DelicateSound]

...once again Ralek you have made a generalisation. A sad, useless waste of text space. Do you think that because you've seen a few Kung-Fu schools that you've seen them all.

At my class we do "kata work", blocking work (at full speed not in slo-mo, bag-work, circuit training, power routines, speed drills, active stretching, and both light and heavy sparring.

We do not place an emphasis on kata. It is comprehensive system.

Please don't generalise. I went to a f*ck awful BJJ class once. Does that mean that all BJJ is s*it?

He is the Grand Ultimate S h i t

[SifuAbel]

MD abel is Kungfoolz,

Tae bo conditioning is nice but i would hardly give it a martial art status. This is a troll post.

Are you immortal?

sifuabel@yahoo.
com