An Intro to Tabata

If you follow fitness trends it is likely that you already have heard the word “Tabata”, but do you know what it is? Before you say that it is another “here today and gone tomorrow” fitness theory, you should know that it has actually been around for quite some time.

To keep it as simple and clear as possible – all Tabata workouts are designed to create maximum results by demanding short bursts of intense movement and effort. The ratio for most circuits and routines is a very simply 20/10. In other words you would do something like twenty seconds of full energy sprinting followed by ten seconds of jogging and recovery. Most circuits require eight segments of this kind and add up to only four minutes of exercise.

That is something that makes a lot of people roll their eyes and insist that you cannot get top of the line results when you do only four minutes of rigorous exercise, but the research proves such beliefs wrong. Well, at least partially so.

What has been determined is that anything that presents the body with true fatigue is going to help to trigger metabolic increases. This means higher amounts of fat burning. If you were to do just cardio exercise at this rigorous pace, it would actually tap into muscle to create energy. When you are actively using all of the muscle groups – as is required with Tabata – you preserve muscle to a much greater degree.

So, what we are suggesting is that someone who wants to get the best results from Tabata will want to do a bit of a lengthier routine and to “mix it up” a bit to ensure muscle preservation.

A good mixture might use the 20/10 ratio and exercises such as:

Weighted burpees – doing 8 reps

Cross Jumps – doing 8 reps

Pushups – doing 8 reps

Super Climbers – doing 8 reps

This would end up being sixteen full minutes of training, but further challenges could be incorporated. For instance, mule kicks could be added, plank hops might be used, jump rope exercise could increase heart rate, and even tuck jumps could be added.

As you can see, it is up to you to determine what to do with Tabata routines. You can choose the things that you are happiest doing and you just need to follow the typical ratios. Remember to go “all out” while doing them to get the best results.