Fit: Taking Tae Bo Out of the TV

FITNESS VIDEOS usually seem like they've been filmed in the land of make-believe, where smiling, spandex-clad people jokingly chide each other to do more reps as they show off perfect form. And they're led by a spunky teacher who inspires complete devotion.

Sound fantastical — or at least fantastic? See it come to life at Total U Fitness (517 H St. NE; 202-390-5131), a temple to Tae Bo, the martial arts-based sensation developed by Billy Blanks.

Bridget Smith, a Blanks protégé who's appeared in more than 20 of his videos, opened the studio last year to give the locals a live taste of programs like "Fat Burn Accelerator" and "Jump Start Cardio." "We have so much fun. I just get so excited when people walk through the doors," says Smith, in perfect fitness instructor-ese.

Smith's spirit is infectious, snaring regulars like Michelle Bailey, 40, who's lost 20 pounds since her first visit in May. "I always liked the videos, but I wasn't disciplined to do it on my own. But I'll come here every day," she says. "The atmosphere is just so nurturing. We laugh, but we get down to business."

The business, of course, is kicking and punching their way to better bodies. Smith starts each class by asking the students if they have a certain area they want to target (it's almost always the core), then leads a 15-minute introduction to proper technique. "Anyone that's new can learn the foundation, and for people who have been doing the videos, if they've been doing something wrong, this gives them a chance to correct it," she explains. "You have to squeeze your abs, breathe correctly, turn the right way."

Then she turns on the tunes — music featuring Blanks belting out motivational phrases like "We've got the victory" — and dives into the workout. Making sure to keep abs tight, everyone jabs the air repeatedly, mixing it up with quick combinations. To get more at the core, she might have students lean to one side and pull the opposite knee into the chest — many, many times. The legs get their due with squats and lots of imaginary jump-roping.

"I consider myself in good shape, but this class pushes me," says Erika Gary, 34. Although she dutifully did the Blanks tapes during the 1990s Tae Bo boom, she prefers the atmosphere of a class to her living room: "It's more exciting because it's live, in a room with a group of people."

Tori Willson, 39, could never get pumped up in front of her TV but keeps returning to Total U because she knows Smith can get her going, even on a sluggish day. "You can't imagine there's anything else to do, but she's always coming up with something," Willson says. And that makes Total U even better than any workout video fantasy.

Photo by Lawrence Luk for Express