Tabata Workouts

Tabata workout programs have been credited with helping people to achieve fantastic fitness and weightloss results in a short amount of time.  This style of working out has become increasingly popular over the last couple of years. 

So what is Tabata?   

Basically, Tabata is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout that features various exercises for 4 minutes at a time.   

Tabata training was created by Dr. Izumi Tabata, a scientist, and his team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo.  Dr. Tabata and his team conducted research on two different groups of athletes.  One group was studied performing moderate intensity level exercise routines, while the other group trained at a high-intensity level.  The moderate intensity group worked out five days a week for a total of six weeks, for an hour at a time. The high-intensity group worked out four days a week for six weeks, doing a workout for 4 minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).

The results were that the high-intensity interval training  group had greater improvements in both their aerobic and anaerobic body systems, and experienced overall better health and fitness than the group who performed moderate workout routines.  

Sounds  great right?  Only 4 minutes of exercise to reach your fitness and weight goals!  Not so fast...yes, each exercise in a given Tabata workout is only four minutes, but it will feel like the longest, hardest 4 minutes of your life!

A typical Tabata program might look like this:

Workout hard for 20 seconds
Rest for 10 seconds
Do that for 8 rounds

You push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. 
This is one set. 

You'll complete eight sets of each exercise. 

You can do pretty much any exercise you wish. You can do squats, push-ups, burpees or any other exercise that works your large muscle groups. 

Here is an example of a Tabata workout:

- Push-ups (4 minutes) 
- Bodyweight Squats (4 minutes)
- Burpees (4 minutes)
- Bycicle Crunches (4 minutes)

Each exercise is performed for 20 seconds at a high-intensity, with as much effort as you can do.  You rest for 10 seconds, and after resting, you go back to doing the exercise.  So, to start you would do push-ups for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.  You keep doing that for a total of 4 minutes.  Once you complete eight sets of push-ups, you rest for one minute.   

Then, you move on to doing  4 minutes of the next exercixe, in this case - squats (resting in between each set for 10 seconds).  Once you finish eight sets of squats, rest for one minute, and then do the burpees.   After completing  your burpees set, finish your workout with the bycicle crunches.

It's also a good idea to do a cool down stretch and breathing exercise once you finish your workout.  This helps prevent cramping and improves flexibility.  

Benefits of Tabata Training 

1. Get Rid of Body Fat 
While Tabata intervals are short, they're are hard work, and very effective at conditioning your body and helping the body get rid of fat. This type of training puts stress on the body in a positive way. 

2. Increase you BMR

Your body increases its Basal Metbolic Rate (BMR) at a level that will  create a state of fat and calorie burb long after you stop your workout.  One recent study conducted by the University of Wisconsin found a 20-minute Tabata style workout helped paritipants burn 15 calories per minute, which is a very high rate.  Tabata helps your body increase maximal aerobic power by around 15 percent in as little as six weeks with regular workouts.

3. Improve Your Bone Density, Endurance and Strength
Tabata cardio exercises also help improve bone mass density, which helps with overall long term health.  Tabata can also increase Aerobic and Anaerobic Endurance.  Research has shown that, 4 minutes of Tabata 
performed at extreme intensity four times a week can improve your anaerobic capacity by as much as 28 percent.

4. Effective and Effecient Workouts

Tabata workouts are very intense, but are the most effecient, time saavy way to get the most out of your workouts.  Very little time is needed to get fantastic results.  You could do 28 minute workouts for 4 days a week and reach peak fitness, and lose weight.  As long as you stick to a good nutrition diet, and complete regular workouts, you can really lose weight and tone your muscles in less than 2 months time.

Great Tabata Apps:

ACTIVEx Tabata Workouts App

This app helps you make your own HIIT workouts with your favorite moves or do ready-made routines created by trainers.  

Features:
• Custom HIIT workouts 
• Spotify integration
• 30-Day Challenges to hit specific goals 
• In-app coaching
• Workout log
• Pre-loaded spin workouts with digital coaching, designed for multiple fitness levels

Sweat with Kayla Itsines

Sweat with the Kayla Itsines BBG (Bikini Body Guide) Program is one of the the world’s largest female fitness communities with millions of followers around the world.  This app requires a monthly subscription for use of the programs.  

Kayla Itsines is a very successful and highly motivating fitness trainer based out of Australia with a massive following of devoted women that love her fitness regime. 

She created the Sweat app, which features multiple trainers and programs. Women all over the world rave about the success they have reached with weightloss and fitness using this app.  

There are 3 Trainers and Training Programs to Choose From:

• Kayla Itsines’ BBG program includes high-intensity plyometric training using minimal space & equipment. Kayla has also developed BBG Stronger, a new weights-based program for gym goers..
• Sjana Elise Earp’s Yoga program includes vinyasa-style resistance flows and yin-based recovery flows to improve strength, flexibility and posture.
• Kelsey Wells’ post-pregnancy program includes resistance workouts designed to increase core strength and improve posture for new mums.

Features:
• 28 minute work outs
• No gym required.  Cardio and resistance training workouts you can do from home
• Professional nutrition and coaching. Choose from daily meal plans and menus including recipes that you can customize for standard, vegetarian, pescetarian, lacto-vegetarian, ovo-vegetarian and vegan eating preferences
• Motivational community support - Compare weekly progress pictures side-by-side privately, or share them with friends and BBG Community and stay accountable
• Over 300 pages of educational content to expand your knowledge on fitness, nutrition, weight loss and maintaining a healthy lifestyle
• Compete with other women in global female fitness challenges and compete with your friends and share your results with the BBG Community

Quick 4 Minute Workout - Tabata

Quick 4 Minute Workout is set up for the traditional Tabata-timed workout of eight rounds of 20 minutes of intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.  It's an easy to use, well designed app and it's FREE!

It's a perfect app for beginners to get started.

Features:

• The basic 4 Minute Workout routine

• Earn Achievements and stay motivated

In-app purchases:

• HD videos with exercises performed by a certified personal trainer
• Sound and voice cues to guide you through the exercise
• Track your body weight and workouts

HIIT Workout Timer

Free Tabata style workout app.

This simple to use app helps you track your work and rest periods during workouts. 

The timer app allows you to pick an overall time as well as program High/Low intensity interval and rest time between sets. 

Features: 

• Customizable sets, high/low intensity interval and rest for your own need 
• Play your song or playlist during your workout 
• Post your workout to Facebook or Twitter 
• Save settings as templates 

Try out a Tabat routine and reach your greatest level of health and fitness!