Tabata Training – What’s It All About?
By the 4D Personal Trainer in Clapham
Pushed for time?
It seems that most people have much less time now than they used to. We rush to work, rush to eat, rush to get home …and even rush to get to bed! If you’re one of the many people with a hectic life and a schedule that doesn’t allow for lengthy gym sessions then Tabata training could be the winning workout for you. The best thing about Tabata is that you can adapt it so you can do it anywhere; park, gym, lounge, boardroom (make sure there isn’t a meeting!). Personal Trainers love it because it gets results fast!
What is Tabata?
Tabata was founded by a Japanese scientist named Izumi Tabata at a department of physiology in Japan. Izumi and his fellow scientists conducted a study to compare moderate intensity training with high intensity training (HIT). He carried out the tests on 2 groups of athletes; 1 of the groups used the moderate intensity interval training and the other using high intensity interval training (HIT).
The athletes in-group 1 were trained using moderate intensity workouts (70% intensity) for five days a week, for a total of six weeks, with each training session lasting an hour. Group two were trained using the high intensity workouts for 4 days a week for a total of six weeks, with each session lasting 4 minutes. The ratio of work to rest was: 20 seconds of intense training (170% intensity) and 10 seconds of rest.
Does it Really Work?
Group 1 had a significant increase in the aerobic system (cardiovascular system); however, the anaerobic system (muscles) gained little or no results at all. Group 2 showed much improvement, their aerobic systems increased much more than group ones, and their anaerobic systems increased by 28%!!! Not only did high intensity interval training have more of an impact on the aerobic systems; it had an impact on the anaerobic systems as well.
Other than the short time taken to carry out Tabata training and the amazing anaerobic increase, using Tabata will also fire up your metabolism during the workout and have an after effect (Afterburn or EPOC: excess post-exercise oxygen consumption), so long after your workout your body will continue to burn calories!
How to design your own Tabata workout
Before you start designing your Tabata, I recommend downloading the free App ‘Gymboss 2 Interval Timer’. This App allows you to set up the parameters you will need, and alerts you when to work and when to rest. If it is not possible for you to download this, then a clock will be a sterling substitute.
One basic Tabata looks like this is:
- 4 minutes long
- 20 seconds on
- 10 seconds off
- Repeated for a total of 8 rounds
You can literally include any exercise into a Tabata. Naturally, the more muscles you use, the more calories you will burn, so try to opt for integrated movements, such as; squat to shoulder press, lunge to bicep curls, dead-lift, burpees etc…
The key to Tabata is that you work at a HIGH intensity (while maintaining good form) for the entire 20 seconds, the first few sets might seem easy, but I assure you towards the end you will feel the Tabata burn!
You don’t just have to do one Tabata; some people do 5 sets of 8 rounds (5 Tabatas) or more – time permitting! You can also do super-sets, this is where you perform one exercise for 20 seconds, rest, then perform a different exercise for 20 seconds, and repeat for 8 rounds.
Below are two examples Tabata workouts for you to try!
4D Personal Trainer Body-weight Tabata combinations
Squats and push ups
Lunges and tricep dips
Bear crawls and side-to-side lunges
Burpees and mountain climbers
4D Personal Trainer Weights Tabata Combinations
Dumbbell squat to shoulder press and squat jumps
Barbell dead-lift and plyometric lunges
Barbell bench press and plyometric push-ups
Barbell bent over row and lying back hyper extensions
Have a play around with some of the combinations and create your own. More great Tabata workouts being posted soon!
