Billy Blanks Jr's Cardioke

Photo: meettheblanks.com

Who says workouts have to be work? Certainly not Billy Blanks Jr. This son of Tae Bo great Billy Blanks has kept a foot in the fitness industry his father had so much success in, but instead of kicking and punching, Billy Blanks Jr.'s feet are dancing.

Though he has a black belt in karate, Blanks' real love is dancing. He's been in music videos, and both he and his wife, Sharon Catherine Blanks, have performed on Broadway. That love of dance and music, combined with Blanks' background in fitness, has resulted in Cardioke.

When it comes to fitness, Blanks knows that people want to have a good time while working out. "If it's not fun, they'll never come back," said Blanks. Cardioke definitely lands squarely in the fun camp. Join in the fun, and you'll be doing cardio moves you can break down and take with you to the dance club. "People will go to a club and dance for hours at a time and they won't call it a workout," said Blanks. What's more, you'll also sing along while working out.

Photo: meettheblanks.com

Blanks knows that singing may seem daunting at first. But he explains that you don't sing through the whole workout. So why sing at all? It serves a dual purpose. "(People) have so much fun, the time just passes," said Blanks. "Moms do it with their kids and then the dads join in."

But beyond being fun and engaging, the karaoke aspect of the workout helps you learn to breathe in a new way. "People don't realize breathing is the most essential thing to exercise... and to life," said Blanks. As a singer, Blanks has had to learn to breathe from the diaphragm, and he teaches that technique in the workout. Blanks said Cardioke enthusiasts are often surprised at how long they can sustain a breath once they've mastered diaphramatic breathing.

You can preview Cardioke on Exercise TV. One thing you might notice is that the people in the video don't have rock-hard bodies and totally perfected dance moves. That's because Blanks didn't hire dancers or fitness professionals to be in his video. Instead, the participants are real fans of Cardioke -- people of all ages and all sizes.

And those real people seem to be having a lot of fun, which isn't much of a surprise considering the response Blanks has received. After spotlighting Cardioke on the "Ellen" show, more than 72,000 e-mails came pouring in. Most people were thanking him for coming up with a fun program. "It overwhelmed us," said Blanks fondly.

Though Blanks went in his own unique direction, he carries lessons from his father with him. "(He taught me) to fight hard, achieve what you want to achieve, and to work hard," he said.

Blanks also has a new dance workout called Dance With Me in the works.