Whether you want to lose weight, increase strength, build muscle or improve flexibility, there is an exercise program for it. Tabata Workout Benefits, however, also include a shorter time needed for the quick workout, the effectiveness of obliterating fat, improving speed & endurance, and ramping up the post-workout calorie burn.
What is Tabata?
Tabata training is one of the most popular forms of HIIT (high-intensity interval training). The workout consists of eight rounds of ultra-high-intensity workouts in a specific interval: 20-seconds-on and 10-seconds-off. Although it only takes about four minutes to complete a Tabata circuit, your body will be pushed to its limits within that time. The workouts are short, but certainly not sweet!
Who Developed The Program?
Tabata training was created by a Japanese scientist named Dr. Izumi Tabata in 1996, with the help of his research team in Tokyo. They conducted research on one group of athletes who trained at a moderate-intensity level and a second group who trained at a high-intensity level. The first group worked out for an hour a day, five days a week for six weeks, while the second group worked out four days a week for six weeks – but each of their workouts only lasted four minutes and 20 seconds.
The results were that the first group showed hardly any increase in their anaerobic system, but increased their aerobic system. The second group, however, showed a lot more increase in both their aerobic and anaerobic systems. Dr. Tabata concluded that HIIT has more impact on both the aerobic and anaerobic systems. Not only is Tabata a much shorter workout, but it offers two benefits in one.
What Are The Tabata Workout Benefits?
• Quick and Effective Workout – The benefits of a Tabata program are numerous, not least of which is the fact that it’s a great workout when you’re short on time. Not many workouts can fit into a busy schedule.
• Obliterates Fat – Tabata is not only quick, but it’s also super effective. It’s an excellent catalyst for burning fat. It burns a lot of calories and provides one of the most effective aerobic and anaerobic full-body workouts.
• Improves Speed and Endurance – Incorporating this type of workout into your fitness regimen will improve your athletic performance in addition to producing fantastic results.
• Ramps up Post-Workout Calorie Burn – Tabata doubles your metabolic rate for a minimum of half an hour after the workout. The Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption effects of the workout are off the charts!
What Does a Sample Tabata Workout Program Look Like?
There are many pre-made circuits out there, but you can just as easily put together your own using movements such as lunges, thrusters, cleans, burpees, squats, push-ups and mountain climbers. This is a typical Tabata Workout:
• Push-ups – 4 minutes
• Burpees – 4 minutes
• Bodyweight Squats – 4 minutes
• Mountain Climbers – 4 minutes
Implementing Tabata Workouts into your Fitness Routine
Although each exercise in a Tabata workout only lasts about four minutes, it’s probably going to be the longest four minutes of your life! The structure of a Tabata workout program is easy to follow, it just requires that you go really hard at your workout for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest or low-intensity recovery. This means that you have to push yourself as hard as you can for those 20 seconds, and then take a break for the next 10 seconds – this makes one set. Complete at least 8 sets of each exercise and you’re done.
Sounds easy, right? Not really, if you’re not absolute toast after those first four minutes, you probably didn’t go hard enough! You can choose pretty much any exercise that you like, whether it’s squats, burpees, push-ups or whichever other exercises that work for the large muscle groups.
Technically, this workout should only be done with one movement, meaning that if you choose squats, or push-ups, or burpees, you should do it at maximum intensity for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, and repeat the cycle 8 more times. Some people choose to vary the exercises during a particular workout session. Others may opt to increase or decrease the number or intensity of rounds. This may not exactly count as Tabata protocol, but it can be very useful.
Why is the Tabata Protocol so Effective?
The reason why this HIIT workout is so effective lies in its 20-to-10 design which is challenging to your aerobic as well as anaerobic energy levels. This results in a vastly enhanced cardiovascular fitness performance. The ratio of 2:1 (workout-to-rest) means that your body has to perform without recovering fully. Once you’re in the second half of your Tabata workout, you will be working at your body’s maximum capacity.
The gist is that it incorporates a greater workload or intensity and hits a larger range of muscle groups in a shorter amount of time as compared to traditional cardio. Tabata forces you to work above your lactate threshold, which means that your workout will be extremely hard – but also extremely effective!
Any Risks with a Tabata Workout?
Tabata training is not recommended for beginners, and it’s better suited for someone who has been working out consistently and is comfortable with high-intensity exercise. There is also an increased risk for injury when performing exercises at a high-intensity for time.
Make sure that you do a thorough warm-up and that you can complete all the moves with proper form (which is extra challenging when you begin to tire out). Be sure and pick moves that are appropriate for your current level of fitness and remember, everything can be modified.