You may have heard the funny sounding workout, Tabata, but the workout with the funny name is no laughing matter! Named for its inventor, Dr. Izumi Tabata, Tabata promises a big calorie burn in a short workout. If you have four minutes to spare during your next trip to FitClub, think about adding a Tabata workout.
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What is Tabata?
Tabata is the process of performing twenty seconds of intense exercise, followed by ten seconds of rest, repeatedly, for a total of eight rounds, or four minutes. It’s the intense bout of exercise that allows the body to burn up to 13.5 calories per minute and to continue to burn calories for up to thirty minutes after the workout has been completed.
If you find yourself bored with your current training plan or stuck on a weight loss plateau, Tabata might be exactly what you need to mix it up and achieve your goals this year.
How to add Tabata to your workout?
Tabata is not only a short program to add to your training, but also an easy program to add. Tabata training can be added to any form of cardiovascular exercise or strength training that you already enjoy.
Take FitClub’s HIIT class. FitClub’s HIIT class is a forty-five minute class, built on Tabata principles and can give you instruction in how to perform the exercises. FitClub instructors add bursts of intensity to strength, stability, power, speed, endurance, agility, and flexibility to bump up the calorie burn in a short amount of time. In this FitClub class, you not only benefit from an extremely effective workout, but you also get to draw on the motivation of other participants to give it your best effort.
Jump on your favorite cardio machine and get intense. If you have been looking for a way to spice up your treadmill run, adding Tabata to your running program will break up the run mentally, and boost your calorie burn. Simply dedicate four minutes to completing twenty second sprints and ten seconds of rest at any point during your run.
Roll out a mat and grab the free weights. You can add free weights to Tabata to benefit from both cardiovascular and strength training. Choose a weight low enough that you can lift or curl the weight quickly for twenty seconds and alternate muscle groups to hit your whole body.
Mix it up. You aren’t just limited to four minutes. You can add a twenty minute Tabata workout to your training program to maximize calorie burn and give your mind a break. Alternating exercises every eight rounds allows you to hit more muscle groups, burn more calories, and move more quickly through your workout. While the choices are truly unlimited, popular Tabata exercises include mountain climbers, burpees, squats, jumping jacks, and pushups.
The options are endless!
Do you throw in Tabata to your workouts? What are your favorite Tabata exercises?
