Article found in "fitness markt europe" magazine june/july 2001


Tae-Bo: Finally in D [Germany]
Billy Blanks and Werner Pfitzenmeier (IFAA GmbH) in conversation
with fme editor Dirk Schüler (fitness markt europe)

Tae-Bo was a central theme in the news last year. Constantly, there were different reports, there were warning notices, and the fear was going around, that people were going to have to pay through the nose for this service. Now an agreement has been reached and the whole facts are presented below.

As already mentioned on the first two pages of news in this issue, an agreement was reached by IFAA, through its owner Werner Pfitzenmeier, and the American NCP Marketing Group Inc. and BG Star Productions Inc., which are responsible for marketing Billy Blanks’ Tae-Bo, on 10 May.
In order to obtain further information, "fme” editors met with Werner Pfitzenmeier and Billy Blanks at the "Sportpark Pfitzenmeier” in Mannheim.

In 1999, IFAA instructors Doro Müller and Frank Magnus traveled to the USA to attend Tae-Bo training courses and at the same time, to explain to the management that there were plans to bring Tae-Bo to Germany. According to them, an agreement had been reached with Billy Blanks with regard to a training concept for Germany. They claimed that this had also been confirmed in writing. In September, "fme” editors tried to obtain a copy of this alleged document from Doro Müller. Unfortunately, none was ever produced. In the meantime, it is clear that no such document ever existed. In a discussion with Billy Blanks, it was revealed that he did not even know who they were. "I am friendly person and if someone asks me to shake hands and to have a photograph taken with me, I’ll do so, " according to Blanks. It was later disclosed that the photo in question had been declared to be the typical photo taken after a contract had been signed.

After these facts were made public, IFAA parted company with these two, as the training institute had signed a declaration of discontinuance stating that they would refrain from using the Tae-Bo name; this also applied to trainers and instructors employed by IFAA. With this step, the IFAA and its owner Werner Pfitzenmeier were brought closer to the NCP Group, BG Star and Billy Blanks. During the initial negotiations, Pfitzenmeier made it clear that the European fitness industry was different from the American industry. He wanted German fitness studios to be allowed to use the name of Tae-Bo without having to pay license fees. After a training concept for the German market had been presented to the Americans, they were able to be convinced. On 10 May, they reached an agreement on the contract modalities, according to which IFAA received the exclusive rights to train Tae-Bo instructors for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

After this procedure, Billy Blanks traveled to Germany, together with his daughter and his manager. A planned two-day stay turned into eight days, during which he taught IFAA instructors and instructed them in the basic techniques of Tae-Bo. There are nine basic techniques for the hands and the feet: four punches (jab, cross, hook, upper cut) and five kicks (hook, front kick, round house kick, side kick and back kick). The whole body is trained through the simultaneous use of one’s arms and legs and the twisting of the upper and the lower body. Tae-Bo has developed from defensive and contact sport elements, to allow someone to defend himself against one or more attackers. The positions of the feet and the legs are very important. The precise performance of the movement is the basic prerequisite for effective training. Actually, Blanks doesn’t particularly like the term "training”, because he considers Tae-Bo to be an attitude towards life, i.e. a philosophy. "Tae-Bo is a lifestyle phenomenon” according to Blanks. His trainers, instructors and their assistants have already had this experience. On a large stage, which was erected on and covered the whole parking lot of the "Sportpark” facility in Mannheim, all of the participants perspired during a joint workout session with Billy Blanks and his daughter. The number of spectators alone demonstrates that Tae-Bo also has a lifestyle character in Germany which appeals to the masses.

"In the future, every studio may offer this trend in its facilities as long as it has the necessary quality features”, according to Pfitzenmeier. The main feature of this claim to quality is that the trainer must have participated in an IFAA course to become a Tae-Bo instructor. This training course lasts five weekends, including two days of examinations. This course costs DM 1,980 for IFAA members and DM 2,330 for non-IFAA members. It appears to be worthwhile in view of the fact that participants are permitted to use and advertise with the Tae-Bo name. DS


Photo captions:

Bill Blanks and Werner Pfitzenmeier symbolically shaking hands.

Werner Pfitzenmeier and Billy Blanks in conversation with fme editor Dirk Schüler.




A huge stage was erected in front of the "Sportpark Pfitzenmeier" in Mannheim for Blanks’ visit.




Billy Blanks with his daughter (yellow outfit) and the IFAA instructors and trainers.

Billy Blanks



Forty-five year old Blanks was a multiple contact-sport champion, and in the USA, he owns two fitness studios in which Tae-Bo is offered exclusively. Throughout the USA, there are only 16 certified Tae-Bo instructors plus 35 trainers, who all work in Blanks’ clubs. After Blanks’ marketing agency, BG Star/NCP Group launched the video cassettes on the market, a real wave of enthusiasm broke out in the USA, that no one had expected. In order to continue to keep Tae-Bo exclusive, Blanks did not issue any licenses to other studios. In his classes, he says he has 90 to 200 participants per course. He hopes that IFAA will create a training concept that is transferable to the USA. A regular exchange between the instructors is supposed to contribute to the integration of those Tae-Bo techniques, which are ready and waiting to be used, into the concept in the future. Blanks, who now regards Germany as his second home, believes that the Tae-Bo previously offered here in Germany was a ”nice” dance number in combination with music, but that it is not Tae-Bo. In order to correct this, he taught the instructors present the right techniques in order to ensure that his life’s work is disseminated correctly. Billy Blanks would like to have Tae-Bo become and remain a philosophy of life, even after his death. He is convinced that the attitude associated with Tae-Bo will help people to cope with stress in their everyday lives. DS