Aside from that it’s pretty easy to recommend these DVDs as a good place for beginners! If you’re not familiar with how they work, it goes like this. Each DVD is made up 4-6 workouts based around some theme like kick-boxing, abs, legs, etc. Each workout is only 10 minutes long. You get to decide which workouts you do and in what order you do them.
10 minutes may not sound like much, but string 3 together and you have a 30minute, targeted workout that will definitely have you feeling a burn. Studies are showing that several small chunks of exercise are as effective as one single large chunk. So if you can’t seem to find the time to do a whole workout, make it a goal to work through the DVD over the course of a day!

Like any DVD cardio program, you’re going to get what you put into it. But the style and presentation is definitely geared more towards beginners than the hardcore cardio crowd. If you’re new to home fitness programs and want to dip your toe in before committing to an expensive set of DVDs, this is a good place to start. Or, if you’re looking for a simple, easy way to get off the couch and start a basic exercise program these are perfect for that too.

FYI: My personal favorite was the boot-camp DVD, since it had lots of kick-boxing elements and I felt was more of a all-around workout than some of the others.

While my wife and I were 3 weeks in Turbo Jam which I talk about in this review, my wife suggested we switch it up a bit and throw in some Taebo. I agreed thinking it would be a piece of cake since we were already in the cardio DVD groove. I was wrong, and we both got our butts kicked. Taebo is like a cardio workout turbo charged. You go fast and hard from beginning to end. It’s a lot of punches and kicks wrapped around a lot of martial arts movements.

To keep you moving Billy is very… er… motivational. It’s not uncommon for him to run up to the camera in the middle of the set and fill the screen with his face while pretending to judge your form and talk directly to you. It’s an odd effect, but strangely works after you get used to him doing it. Billy also will move around the group doing the workout motivating others and showing good examples. What I really appreciate is that you see people of all ages and fitness levels doing the workout, not just a bunch of personal trainers.

If I had one complaint, it’s that Billy seems to move around too much. I appreciate his attempts at motivation, but often it feels like he isn’t even doing the workout. On the whole though, these are some serious workouts, and if you feel like a challenge these are definite ways to go. Since most have been out for a while, the DVDs are pretty cheap whether new or used.