Whata is Tabata?

Well, Tabata is a super fun word to say (yep, I’m smiling like Will Ferrell in ELF).  Tabata. Tabata. Tabata.  Say it three times fast, click your heels together, and voila, YOU’VE GOT A SUPER BANGIN’ BOD!!!!!

Did it work?

No?!?!?

Maybe you should try again…

Ok, ok, Tabata doesn’t work quite like that.

How does it work?

Tabata is just one, in a list of 5.895 BILLION, workout styles.   Tabata also falls under a popular style you may have heard of before, high intensity interval training (aka- HIIT).

Tabata gets its super fun name from Dr. Izumi Tabata, a Japanese scientist.  He and a team of researchers discovered the benefits of this style of workout at the National Fitness Institute in Tokyo.

Dr. Tabata found that:

• 4 minutes of Tabata = 60 min jog (same # of calories burned)
• High-intensity exercise is more effective than moderate-intensity exercise at improving BOTH aerobic & anaerobic capacity.
• The body burns calories for up to 12 HOURS after a Tabata workout

Tabata, when done right, is INTENSE*!

*If you are new to this whole working out thing, don’t let that scare you away. You can still give Tabata a go…Just LISTEN to your body. 

How to Tabata…

To perform a true Tabata workout :

• 10 minute warm-up
  • This is IMPORTANT! Warm up those muscles.  Get those juices flowing.  Don’t skip this step!
• 20 sec of HIGH-INTENSITY movement
  • Seriously, HIGH-INTENSITY…SWEAT IT OUT!!! You got this!
• Follow with 10 second rest
  • It will be the shortest 10 seconds of your life!  I promise!
• Repeat for 8 rounds
  • As long as your body can handle it, just LISTEN to your body!! (I like to say that…have you noticed?)

Yep that’s it 4 minutes.  Just 4 minutes.  These should be the most intense 4 minutes of your life.  If not, go HARDER the next time!

Can’t make the 4 minutes?!?  Don’t sweat it…ok well, you aren’t going to be able to help the sweat, but it’s ok if you need to do 4 rounds, or 2 rounds for that matter. This workout style is TOUGH!!!!

How NOT to Tabata…

Although short, this workout is not meant to be easy. If it is easy, you are doing it WRONG!

Do NOT skip your warm up (For real, just DO IT….don’t get an injury b/c you are TOO TOUGH or TOO BUSY for a warm-up!).

True Tabata does NOT work with EVERY exercise.*   (Yes, you can do ANYTHING for 20 seconds…but you gotta make sure it’s INTENSE!  Depending on your ability, it may be hard to push certain exercises to the intensity you need to get true Tabata results.)

*Unless you’re that person I talked to earlier…the beginner, or the beginner-again (like me the 101^st time I went back to working out after a loooong hiatus).  For you, my friend, I have good news and bad news.  Good news!  If you haven’t been active pretty much ANY movement is gonna be intense for you!  Bad News!  If you haven’t been active pretty much ANY movement is gonna be intense for you! 😉

Now you know, so…

Get on it!!  Seriously, quick and efficient, Tabata is an awesome workout style to add to your fitness arsenal.

Not sure where to start?

To get you going here’s a list of Tabata-friendly exercises.

 Pick one and get started on some SUPA INTENSE 4 minutes!!

Need more?  Check out my infographic, 10 Tabata Tips.