TABATA: THE MIRACLE WORKOUT

Studies have shown that Tabata workouts are 5 times more effective than traditional cardio workouts. Because of its amazing benefits, some have called tabata a miracle workout. So what’s all the hype?

What is Tabata training  

Tabata is a form of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) designed to get your heart rate up in the anaerobic zone for short periods of time. For an exercise to qualify as Tabata is should be a four-minute workout comprising of 20 seconds of exercise at maximum effort, where you exercise as hard as you can, followed by 10 seconds of rest. This sequence should be repeated 8 times. The short but intense workout means you will get a tough workout in a just a few minutes.

The workout is named after a researcher, Izumi Tabata who discovered the amazing benefits to this type of training in 1996. He conducted a study comparing two groups of athletes. The first group did tabata workouts five days a week, for six weeks. The second group did longer workouts at a lower intensity. Results show that the first group of athletes who performed tabata workouts experienced increased metabolism and improved amount of energy produced during quick bursts of effort.

How to do a tabata workout

To perfom a Tabata workout you have to pick a cardio activity such as running, burpees or jumping rope. Perform the exercise at maximum effort and 100-percent intensity for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Repeat the circuit seven more times.

 The secret to the effectiveness of the tabata workout is in the intensity of the workout. You need to give the workout all your energy. Twenty seconds rest isn’t enough to allow you to fully recover, which makes tabata the best exercise for building endurance and getting you in shape.

Beginners should start with lighter interval training and gradually work their way up to higher levels of intensity. If you are a beginner you can complete each set of exercises below two or three times and increase the resting times to 20-30 seconds. As you get used to the workout and build stamina, you can gradually shorten the rest periods and increase the number of cycles and increase the intensity.

Get Moving and Sweating!

Now that you know mwhat tabata training is and how to do it. It’s time to get up and try one of these tabata workouts below to get you started on reaping the benefits of this type  of cardio.

Beginners’ Tabata Workout

1.     20 seconds Jumping jacks

10 seconds rest

2.     20 seconds mountain climbers

10 seconds rest

3.     20 seconds curtsy lunges

10 second rest

4.     20 seconds sumo squats

10 seconds rest

5.     20 seconds high knees

Advanced Tabata Workout

1.     20 seconds Mountain Climbers

Rest 10 seconds

2.     20 seconds Split squats 20 Seconds

Rest 10 seconds

3.     20 seconds Burpees

Rest 10 seconds

4.     20 seconds Jump Lunges

Rest 10 seconds

5.     20 seconds Squat Jumps

Benefits Of Tabata Training

Tabata workouts do more than help you get fit, the workouts also helps you burn more calories both during and after your workouts. The reason why tabata workouts are so effective is because of the work-to-rest ratio. Your body only gets 10 seconds of rest between each 20 second bursts of exercise.

Undoubtedly, Tabata is a great workout that offers more performance benefits in a shorter amount of time. It is an ideal form of cardio for people who want to stay fit but are short on time, people looking for a challenging and effective way to improve their fitness, or looking to mix up your training and make it more interesting.

Have you tried any tabata workouts? What other workouts have you tried/ would you like to add in your tabata workout? Let me know in the comments below!

Stay Healthy, Stay fit!