Iowa State students have joined celebrities such as Sinbad, Carmen Electra, Brooke Shields and Shaquille O’Neal on the Tae-Bo bandwagon.

Tae-Bo, a workout combining self-defense, dancing and boxing, was founded by martial arts champion Billy Blanks. The exercise has jumped in popularity recently due to a frequently-aired infomercial and celebrity endorsements.

Several students living in Larch Hall’s Emerson House have been doing the exercise.

Starting this semester, between three to six students from Emerson have been banding together in the house den for a daily workout of Tae-Bo.

“I saw the infomercial, and it looked like fun,” said Kelly Mitchell, resident of Emerson House.

Mitchell, who is a sophomore in athletic training, said she enjoys the variety of workouts incorporated in the exercise.

“Aerobics seems repetitious, and this is new stuff,” she said.

Nikki Kimble, sophomore in psychology, said she has benefited from the exercise.

“I think it makes you feel good,” she said. “I think everyone feels stronger. You feel like you can defend yourself.”

J.J. Johnstone, coordinator of fitness programs for Recreation Services, has been teaching kickboxing classes for five years. She said she sees Tae-Bo as a lasting trend, even among males.

“Group fitness has attracted primarily females in the past. New trends are very attractive to both males and females,” Johnstone said.

Johnstone noted the many advantages of Tae-Bo.

“It is an anaerobic and aerobic exercise with a lot of variety,” she said. “It is mentally challenging and an intense physical challenge. It is very high energy without being choreographed.”

Johnstone said the Lied Recreation Athletic Center offers a kickboxing class similar to Tae-Bo.

“I think people should try out classes at Lied before they invest the money to see if they like the concept,” she said.

The free class is offered Mondays at 4:30 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 p.m. and Saturdays at 10 a.m. at the Rec Center.

Warren Franke, professor of health and human performance, said he thinks the Tae-Bo videos may be difficult for those who are not physically fit.

“Even introductory videos may be too much for people who are out of shape,” he said.

Franke’s advice to students is to have a physical assessment done at the Wellness Center in the Student Health Center. Faculty and staff can be assessed at the ISU Employee Wellness Program in Beyer Hall. Both the Wellness Center and the ISU Employee Wellness Program offer free services to students and faculty.

“If someone has risk factors or has been inactive for a long time they should consult a fitness professional before embarking on a fitness program,” Franke said.