An incredible statement?

If someone told you there was a training method that could dramatically improve your aerobic fitness, anaerobic fitness and help you lose body fat while exercising in less than 5 minutes, you would probably think they were a scammer and tell you blatant lies. or just crazy!

Incredibly, such a method exists and is called the Tabata Method.

Dr. who?

The Tabata Method is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, a sports scientist at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan, and is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) protocol that has been used successfully by the team Japanese Olympic speed skating team among others to improve aerobic and anaerobic conditioning through very short training sessions.

During his 1997 study, Dr. Tabata compared the effects of longer, lower intensity exercise with short bouts of very high intensity exercise. Using a unique method of interval training, athletes in the study increased their aerobic fitness by 14% and their anaerobic fitness by 28% in just 8 weeks! It’s worth noting that the subjects Dr. Tabata used for the tests were already accomplished athletes and not just beginners, which makes this study all the more surprising. Even more incredible is the fact that the actual total training time per week was an incredible 30 minutes.

What is the Tabata Method?

The Tabata method involves performing 8 to 10 sets of 20 seconds of very high-intensity exercise separated by 10-second recovery periods, giving a total workout time of 4 to 5 minutes. The caveat of the Tabata Method is that all intervals must be performed at 100% intensity, absolute effort. You have to strive to get as much work done in each 20 second interval as possible and try to maintain that work rate during sets of 8 to 10. The old adage that you can train long and easy or short and hard has never been true! been truer than when describing the Tabata Method! As with any type of exercise, the Tabata Method should be preceded by a proper warm-up of 5-10 minutes and followed by a cool-down of similar duration. In general, the session could take as little as 15 minutes…perfect for anyone who is short on time but still wants to get great results from their workout.

All this and fat loss too?

Traditionalists may scoff at the idea of ​​workouts that promise “5-minute fat loss,” but the Tabata Method can deliver where many slow, steady workouts fail. This is due to a phenomenon called Excessive Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption or EPOC, which is sometimes called Oxygen Debt… When you do Tabata or any other HIIT, a lot of lactic acid is produced. This buildup must be removed upon cessation of exercise and, in very simple terms, the aerobic system is responsible for removing lactic acid from the blood. The aerobic system kicks into high gear for an extended period after exercise stops in an effort to “flush out” lactic acid. This means that metabolism (the rate at which we burn energy) remains elevated for several hours after we’ve packed up our exercise gear and gone home. It is not uncommon to feel hotter than normal, have an elevated resting heart rate, and increased respiratory rate for several hours after a hard Tabata Method workout, all indicators of elevated metabolism and therefore increased energy expenditure. calories while at rest. The primary fuel for the aerobic system is fat, so we end up burning high amounts of fat after exercise, essentially getting two workouts for the price of one! As you can see, the Tabata Method is not only time efficient while you’re at it, but it also continues to deliver results in the hours after you exercise.

Choice exercises…

In his study, Dr. Tabata used a mechanically braked cycle ergometer regardless of many exercise modalities. technically, he can perform the exercise under stress when very fatigued. Multi-joint exercises are the best, as they stress multiple muscle groups simultaneously and put more demands on your cardiorespiratory system, giving you the most performance. In many cases, all he needs is a clock with a second and he’s ready for a Tabata Method workout. If he becomes a true Tabata aficionado, it may be worth purchasing an interval timer that can be programmed specifically for his workouts, leaving his mind free to focus on his workout. Visit http://www.gymboss.com for an excellent timer that is ideal for Tabata training.

My TOP SIX Tabata Exercises

1) Prisoner Squats – A Classic Exercise – Prisoner squats are a great “entry level” Tabata exercise due to their ease of execution, lack of any required equipment, and the fact that you can easily keep track of the clock while pumping. the repetitions. . Keep your hands clasped behind your head (without pulling on your neck) and keep your chest up. Make sure your heels stay down and feel free to walk in place between sets to try and keep lactic acid at bay. To increase the demands of this exercise, consider wearing a weighted vest.

2) Burpees – You can’t beat the burpee exercise for total body conditioning! Modify them to meet your individual fitness needs by performing the version that suits you best! To perform a burpee a) crouch down so your hands touch the ground, b) jump your legs back, c) jump back, and then d) stand up. To increase the intensity of this exercise, a push-up can be performed when the legs have been jumped back and a jump from the ground can be added instead of just standing up. Keep your abs tight to protect your back by making sure your spine never sags.

3) Skipping: If you’re a good skipper, this low-tech exercise offers a new twist on traditional rope work. The best jumping styles for the Tabata Method are knee sprints and double jumps (two turns of rope per jump). Be sure to wear good shock-absorbing shoes and use a spring-loaded surface to minimize the risk of lower extremity injury.

4) Sprinting: It can be done on a running track, a grassy playing field, a beach, or even on a deserted stretch of road. Sprint for 20 seconds, walk for 10 seconds, repeat 8-10 sets. Simple but highly effective! Avoid setting your own pace and expect to find that the last few sets are really tough… your sprints may come down to a wobbly sprint at the end!

5) Thrusters – A full body exercise that rivals even the mighty burpee! Thrusters can be performed with a barbell, a pair of dumbbells, a medicine ball, or even a sandbag. From a deep “front squat” (deeper than pictured by aiming at 90 degrees at the knees), lift yourself up and, using the momentum of your legs, simultaneously press the load overhead before reversing the movement and returning to the position. initial. Try to establish a rhythm and stick to it!

6) Rowing ergometer: A rowing machine with a programmable timer is a great option for Tabata Method training. Try to maintain the distance covered from one set to the next or take an average of the 8 to 10 sets completed and try to beat it each time the workout is repeated. Make sure your rowing technique is solid to avoid potential lower back injuries.

In this video you will see me demonstrating the Tabata protocol with a mallet http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hy2GoH2B3s8

When One Tabata is not enough…

In isolation, the Tabata Method offers efficient and effective training, but the fun really begins when the exercises are combined in pairs or groups. The options are literally endless for designing your own hybrid Tabata workouts that will keep your fitness improving for years to come…

Tabata Supersets – Select two suitable exercises and alternate between them for a 10-minute workout that will really get the job done. My personal favorite is jumping along with burpees. Do jumping jacks (runs with your knees up) for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, followed by burpees for 20 seconds, and so on. Repeat the pairing for 10 sets for a short, effective workout.

Tabata Bunches – choose 3, 4, 5 or even 6 exercises and perform each one with the Tabata method. Rest 1 minute between exercises and work your way down the list. Try to select exercises that overlap as little as possible to avoid overloading your muscles to the point that you can’t continue. When performing a large group of 4-6 exercises, it is quite acceptable to include a couple of “easier” exercises in the sequence to slightly reduce the intensity, for example Tabata crunches, push-ups or step-ups offer a brief respite from burpees or thrusters. .

Example of a Tabata Group Perform 8 to 10 sets of each exercise before moving on to the next. Allow 1 minute of recovery between each exercise. Total time = 24 minutes.

1 burpee

2 jumping

3 prisoner squats

4 sit-ups

5 thrusters

Tabata Circuits – Tabata Circuits are very similar to the Tabata Cluster method except that the exercises are performed vertically instead of horizontally. Work through the list by performing each exercise in turns for 20 seconds using the 10-second rest interval to move on to the next station…

Tabata Circuit Example Perform 1 set of 20 seconds of each exercise in the sequence, using the 10-second rest interval to move to the next station. Complete 8 – 10 laps of the circuit without stopping for a total of 24 – 30 minutes of work.

1 jumping

2 push-ups

3 push squats

4 sit-ups

5 burpees

6 lunges

the recap

The Tabata Method offers any fitness enthusiast an extremely versatile and effective addition to their exercise arsenal that, while challenging to perform, offers a wide range of benefits when used regularly. Don’t be fooled by the short duration of the workout: training Tabata style will get the job done in record time.