Sound awfully specific? Well, they didn\u2019t come up with it by accident.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tabata Training: A Brief History<\/h2>\n
Tabata was tasked in 1996 with analyzing the effectiveness of the Japanese speed skating team\u2019s training regimen. Their routine was originally developed by the team\u2019s coach, Irisawa Koichi.<\/p>\n
Tabata and his group of researchers concluded that the 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off protocol struck the best balance between the aerobic\u00a0advantages of\u00a0moderate-intensity exercise\u00a0and the\u00a0anaerobic\u00a0benefits of\u00a0high-intensity intervals.<\/p>\n
To test the theory, Tabata had two groups of speed skaters ride ergonomic cycles. The first trained at moderate intensity for one hour, five days a week for six weeks. The second group trained at high intensity for approximately four minutes, four days a week, and at moderate intensity for 30 minutes, one day a week, for six weeks.<\/p>\n
Tabata\u2019s team found that, while moderate-intensity training improved aerobic fitness (the body\u2019s ability to use oxygen to fuel movement), it had virtually no impact on anaerobic capacity (the body\u2019s ability to produce energy without oxygen, or in short bursts). Meanwhile, the high-intensity group saw increases in both, and actually enjoyed greater aerobic gains.<\/p>\n
Tabata training allows you to swap in a myriad of exercises that target large muscle groups \u2014 push-ups, burpees,\u00a0jump squats, kettlebell swings, etc. \u2014 not only increasing cardiovascular capacity (VO2 max) but also stimulating\u00a0muscle growth.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s how it works.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Benefits of Tabata Training<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
If you could microwave a workout down to a fifth of the time \u2014 the way you can, say, a bag of popcorn \u2014 you\u2019d do it, right? Tabata training promises to do just that, and (in some cases) delivers even better results.<\/p>\n
1. Nukes fat<\/h3>\n
You burn more calories per minute during Tabata training than with traditional\u00a0steady-state cardio, making it an effective weight loss workout. And, by exerting yourself at 80 percent or more of your maximum heart rate, you\u2019re putting your body at an oxygen deficit that it continues working to close long after your workout.<\/p>\n
This excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC, or the \u201cafterburn effect\u201d) can elevate your metabolism for 48 to 72 hours following a workout, burning bonus calories the whole time.<\/p>\n
2. Improves aerobic capacity<\/h3>\n
Moderate-intensity activity does this too, but Tabata is even more effective. In the landmark study, the Tabata protocol increased VO2 max an additional 40 percent above the moderate-intensity group. But the truly groundbreaking difference between the two intensities was found in our next benefit\u2026<\/p>\n
3. Boosts anaerobic capacity<\/h3>\n
Participants in the moderate-intensity group didn\u2019t register a difference at all in anaerobic capacity following their six weeks. Meanwhile, those in the Tabata group saw theirs improve a whopping 28 percent. So, the biggest advantage of Tabata may lie in its ability to train both energy systems simultaneously.<\/p>\n
4. Cuts training time<\/h3>\n
OK, so \u201ctrains both energy systems simultaneously\u201d probably won\u2019t make it onto a billboard for Tabata. That makes efficiency its marquee advantage.<\/p>\n
In the study, the moderate-intensity group worked out for a total of five hours per week. The Tabata group? About 46 minutes.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
What\u2019s the Difference Between Tabata and HIIT?<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\n
The same as the difference between a square and a rhombus; the former is the latter, but the latter isn\u2019t necessarily the former. The broader category \u201chigh-intensity interval training\u201d (into which Tabata falls) allows greater flexibility in structuring routines.<\/p>\n
Some HIIT workouts offer ratios of 1:2 that involve one minute of exercise at\u00a0approximately 80-85 percent\u00a0of VO2 max to two minutes of rest, while others invert the ratio for two minutes of exercise to one minute of rest. The duration and intensity of the intervals are what define the workout.<\/p>\n
Tabata training, on the other hand, strictly follows the ratio of 20 seconds:10 seconds for four minutes, reaching \u2014 in the case of the original study \u2014 up to 170 percent of VO2 max. If you\u2019re wondering how it\u2019s even possible to reach 170 percent of maximal oxygen consumption, Ulrik Wisl\u00f8ff at the Norwegian School of Science and Technology explained\u00a0to\u00a0Time\u00a0magazine:<\/p>\n
\u201cThe heart cannot pump enough blood to satisfy all the muscles\u201d during high-intensity exercise. The resulting oxygen deficit triggers a \u201ccascade of molecular responses in most organs of the body\u201d that yield greater performance improvements than steady-state or moderate-intensity endurance training.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s important to note, however, that most workouts\u00a0incorporating Tabata \u2014 including some BODi programs \u2014 repeat this four-minute set multiple times. And of course, you should exercise caution. A certain baseline of fitness\u00a0and a very thorough\u00a0warm-up are both mandatory before attempting such high-intensity exertion. But for those at an appropriate fitness level seeking crockpot fitness on a microwaveable schedule, the Tabata protocol delivers proven results.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tips on How to Get Started With Tabata Training<\/h2>\n
New to Tabata training? Keep these tips in mind to get results safely and steadily:<\/p>\n
- \n
- Less is more.<\/strong> Don\u2019t do Tabata workouts more than twice per week.<\/li>\n
- Stick with the ratio.\u00a0<\/strong>As you get stronger, you can make your workouts longer, but keep the 2:1 work-to-rest ratio. It works!<\/li>\n
- Pick a lane.\u00a0<\/strong>While almost any exercise can be included in a Tabata workout, you\u2019ll want to choose either strength or cardio training.<\/li>\n
- Lighter is better.<\/strong>\u00a0It\u2019s important to choose a lighter weight than you would use for conventional\u00a0strength training. You\u2019ll be getting very little rest, so don\u2019t be a hero.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Sample Tabata Workout<\/h2>\n
Ready to get started? Try this sample Tabata workout and don\u2019t hold back.<\/p>\n
Exercise 1:<\/strong>\u00a0Push-ups<\/p>\n
Exercise 2:<\/strong> Jump squats<\/p>\n
Exercise 3:<\/strong> Mountain climbers<\/p>\n
How to do it:<\/strong><\/h3>\n
- \n
- Perform the first exercise for 20 seconds, trying to do as many reps as possible, then rest\/recover for 10 seconds.<\/li>\n
- Then, perform the second exercise for 20 seconds, resting for another 10 seconds after.<\/li>\n
- Finally, perform the third exercise for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.<\/li>\n
- Repeat this sequence four times for a total of eight rounds.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Named for Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata who developed the method, Tabata training is a four-minute form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that follows a specific cadence: Perform 20 seconds of exercise at maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest or low-intensity recovery Repeat this cadence for a total of eight cycles Sound awfully […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2609,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[17,115],"class_list":["post-2608","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fitness","tag-fitness","tag-interval-training"],"blocksy_meta":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2608"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2610,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2608\/revisions\/2610"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2609"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2608"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2608"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/movewithnicole.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2608"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
- Stick with the ratio.\u00a0<\/strong>As you get stronger, you can make your workouts longer, but keep the 2:1 work-to-rest ratio. It works!<\/li>\n