by Ann Marie

Both of these tapes, the Instructional and the Workout, are approximately 45 minutes in length although the boxes state the running time is 30 minutes.

In the Workout tape, Billy explains why he calls this workout "Impact." Think of the definition for Impact - where you have an impact on someone, it usually involves a change. This Impact workout is a change for us because now you have a target to focus the moves on rather than punching and kicking air. This workout takes Tae-Bo to a new level.

Billy calls the punching bag his "Tae-Bo Buddy" and his partner. It will teach you how to focus on every technique you learn in Tae-Bo so you don't injure yourself.

In the beginning of the tape before the instructional starts, Billy demonstrates how to put on the hand wraps. In this workout, if you're going to be hitting the bag, you will either need the hand wraps and the big, yellow boxing gloves (bag gloves) or the black gloves with the fingers exposed. Billy explains that when you hit the bag, you hit it with the first two knuckles of your hand, your index finger and the one after that.

The tape has a 5-minute warm-up and stretching session. All the instructors are in this workout. Billy takes you through various punching combinations, first punching air, then demonstrating the same punches by hitting the bag. The idea here is just to touch the bag, not try to kill it! Billy does hooks, jabs, crosses, upper-cuts, the 3-punch combo with knee-raise. Billy demonstrates the front kick, with and without the bag. There is a 5-minute cool-down and the tape ends.

This workout starts with 6 minutes of warm-up and stretching. A lot of the instructors are in this one along with Jasmine, Judie and Trevor and some other familiars from previous workouts.

The workout starts out with the 2-punch combos, then goes into the following moves using the bag:

• Low/high punch

• 3-punch combo with knee raise

• Upper-cuts from a horse-stance where you're really digging in

• Jumping jack + jabs

• A series of roundhouse kicks and jab combos and instruction on kicking the bag

• Step-in sidekicks

• Speed bag work (without the bag) Trevor bops himself in the face because of the big gloves!

• Several jabs with each arm working around the bag

• 2 punch combo + knee raise/hitting the bag

• Upper-cuts from a horse-stance where you're really digging in but this time you put your head up against the bag

• 3-punch combos

• double-time roundhouse kicks kicking the bag

In the next segment, Billy has you playing Peek-a-boo with the bag! It's mostly dips where you lunge from side to side and some footwork moves. Billy tries to hit you with the bag as you move from side to side to sharpen your reflexes and coordination. The last segment has a 2-minute "burn-out" of everyone doing various previously-learned combos with the bag. There's a 4-minute cool-down and the tape ends.

Soundtrack for the Workout: Get Ready For This, I'll be there, I Ran (Flock of Seagulls), On the Dark Side, Shake It, and Come to Me.