Dallas Mavericks host Mavs Fit Night featuring Billy Blanks and Eric the Trainer

Billy Blanks at MAVS FIT (Photo: Dominic Ceraldi)

 

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The Dallas Mavericks hosted MAVS FIT Night at the Mavs home game against the Houston Rockets.

The event featured creator of Tae Bo Fitness, Billy Blanks, and #1 Hollywood Physique Trainer, Eric the Trainer from Celebrity Sweat who helped motivate the crowd and led them in MAVS FIT exercises alongside the Dallas Mavericks Dancers, Mavs ManiAACs and Mascots.

The focus of MAVS FIT is to encourage fans to make healthy living a priority at any age through nutritious eating and regular exercise.

From January 17-25, the NBA is celebrating NBA FIT Week. Join us and Be Active, Eat Healthy and Play Together throughout the year! Learn more at fit.nba.com.

After the MAVS FIT workout at center court, Blanks and Eric the Trainer joined us for a few moments to chat about the big night:

PDC: How do you guys get involved with Mavs Fit?

ERIC THE TRAINER: We’ve always been huge Dallas sports fans. Dallas is a great city adn the NBA is one of our partners. We are determined to make everyone healthy and motivated, so they asked us to come, the answer was “Absolutely YES!”

PDC: What are your thoughts on the trendy fitness spots, for example Orange Theory or Soul Cycle-type places?

ERIC THE TRAINER: Billy and I agree that anything that you do to make your life better through fitness, through health, through circulation, exercise, diet, sleep, it’s the best thing you could ever do. Working out is the best anti-depressant in the universe and we are on a mission to make people healthy.

BILLY BLANKS: I agree, everybody needs to work out for themselves, so Orange Theory, Soul Cycle, whatever gets you up and off the couch is good.

PDC: How many other  NBA teams are you planning on doing a “fit night” with or have you done some already?

ERIC THE TRAINER: We are determined to do it with every NBA team, but we wanted to start with the Dallas Mavericks. Plus the Dallas area has so many great sports teams  and we love the food, the chefs, we love Dallas-based Gold’s Gym, it’s a great city.

BILLY BLANKS: And the chance to be involved with the Dallas Mavericks program and the chance to do something like and get it started has been great.

PDC: Do you guys have a favorite Dallas restaurant?

BILLY BLANKS: Asador, they have great steaks

ERIC THE TRAINER: hat is our favorite restaurant in Dallas! Food is great, the chef is great, his name is Dean James Max.

PDC: As far as other popular sports, would either of you ever get in the octagon?

ERIC THE TRAINER: We actually work with the UFC all the time, we have for years.

BILLY BLANKS: And I’m 62 years old, but I used to fight back in the good ol’ days, but if I was younger, I would definitely go in the octagon!

PDC: Talk a little about what you guys were doing out on the court before the game started.

BILLY BLANKS: I did some Tae Bo of today, because Tae Bo came out in the 90s, but i still do a little of that because it’s a basic combination of things. But now Eric and I have combined a few things like karate, boxing and calisthenics.

ERIC THE TRAINER: I made people stretch out there and do some squats. Really, we are just here to motivate the people of Dallas to be happier and healthier than would be otherwise.

PDC: How much fun was it to see the fans in the crowd get out of their seats and get into what you guys were doing?

ERIC THE TRAINER: It was amazing and there’s a lot of kids that love Billy Blanks, so it was cool to see the kids moving around.

BILLY BLANKS: It was so awesome just to be on that court. There’s millions of people all over the wold that watch NBA basketball, and we would love to give them all a nice workout.

PDC: Do you guys have a favorite all-time NBA players or players?

BILLY BLANKS: YEAH! Dirk Nowitzki, he is so good and still so good! He’s been out there a long time and to see him run up and down the court and just to see him play in person is great!

PDC: Looping back into the MAVS FIT theme of the night, for someone to be able to play 20 years in the NBA like Dirk has, there as to be some serious fitness involved.

ERIC THE TRAINER: The body really takes a beating in these NBA games, so guys like Dirk have to take care of themselves. Nutrition is also huge, getting enough and exercise is how you make it happen.

BILLY BLANKS: To be able to last and have that motivation for 20 years, get up everyday and still get out on the court is amazing.

PDC: For the cheerleaders and dancers who are on our site, what is something you would recommend for them fitness-wise?

ERIC THE TRAINER: Avoid carbonated beverages because carbonated beverages bring out cellulite in any women. it doesn’t matter what shape they are in.

BILLY BLANKS: I always tell people that cardio is very important too because it is good for your heart and stamina. Weight training is also very important.

PDC: Last question, Mr. Blanks, we’ve seen you in some major motion pictures like The Last Boy Scout, Kiss the Girls, Lionheart and Tango & Cash. With the news that Sylvester Stallone is going to make The Expendables 4, would be in the movie if he called?

BILLY BLANKS: I would LOVE to! LOVE to! I would do that movie in a second!

Celebrity Sweat is the #1 celebrity wellness brand that uses music and sports to motivate and inspire and features a behind-the-scenes look at how top athletes and celebrities train, focusing on the importance of balancing fitness and nutrition. 

For more training and food tips check out CSWEAT.com.