It’s nice when life is uncomplicated and you can spend 30 minutes to an hour working out, but sometimes your schedule intervenes and you have only 10 minutes to spare for a quick workout. No problem. You can get benefits in even this short amount of time by doing a special type a Tabata workout – but get ready to sweat!
The Magic of Tabata Training
Tabata is a style of training developed by Dr. Tabata, the head coach for a Japanese speed skating team. Little did Coach Tabata know that his super-short, high-intensity workout would be adopted by runners, bodybuilders and circuit trainers alike. What makes this method of training so popular? It’s short but effective. In fact, a full Tabata cycle lasts only 4 minutes, but some people cycle through two or three times as time permits.
How much benefit can you get in only 4 minutes? A lot according to this study. One group of athletes did an hour’s worth of moderate-intensity cardio on an exercise bike 5 days a week. Another group worked out 4 minutes a day using the Tabata protocol 4 days of the week. Surprisingly, the Tabata group experienced greater improvement in their V02 max than the group that did moderate-intensity cardio. Plus, they improved their anaerobic capacity as well, whereas the moderate-intensity exercises didn’t. The results speak for themselves.
Tabata Workouts: The World’s Shortest?
When you add in a 5-minute warm-up and a 2-minute cool-down, you can complete a full Tabata cycle in 11 minutes. Time permitting, you can do 2 or 3 Tabata cycles before cooling down and congratulating yourself on getting an intense, aerobic and anaerobic workout.
How does it work? After warming up, do 20 seconds of exercise (active phase) and rest for 10 seconds (recovery phase). Then repeat this for 8 cycles for a total of 4 minutes. You can do the same exercise for each active interval or alternate between several exercises. There’s really no restriction on the types of exercises you can do. You can even do “Tabatas” using a piece of equipment like an elliptical machine or treadmill. Or better yet, try my new XTrain Tabatacise workout video.
Some exercises you can do during the active intervals that require no equipment are burpees, jumping jacks, jump squats, mountain climbers, push-ups or skater’s, to name a few. You can choose all cardiovascular or plyometric exercises or alternate plyometric moves with a strength moves. For the most cardiovascular benefits, stick with strength moves that use large muscle groups.
The Challenge of Tabata Intervals
Don’t equate short with easy. To get the most benefits from a Tabata workout, you need to push yourself hard during the active intervals. Keep in mind, 10 seconds of recovery isn’t a lot. It’s just enough to make it possible for you to do the next active interval. If you’ve done mostly moderate-intensity cardio, you’ll likely find this workout to be considerably more challenging. That’s because it taps into your anaerobic energy system, and moderate-intensity cardio doesn’t improve that.
There are benefits to “going anaerobic.” Unlike moderate-intensity cardiovascular, you’ll accumulate an oxygen debt, meaning you’ll burn more calories after your workout, the so-called “after-burn” effect.
To get the full benefits, you’ll need to push yourself to about a “9” level on the perceived exertion chart, although you should only work out at that intensity if you’re healthy and have already achieved a high fitness level. It’s also important to do a full warm-up since you’ll be pushing your body hard.
The Bottom Line?
No time is no excuse for not getting a workout. Even if you have only 11 minutes to spare, you can improve your anaerobic and aerobic capacity and get a nice after-burn that bumps up your metabolism for hours afterward. Plus, there’s nothing that feels better than pushing your body this hard and feeling the endorphin rush after you’ve finished.
Tabata intervals are the perfect solution for time-pressed days when you only have moments to spare for working out. They’re also a good way to challenge your body differently when you’ve stopped seeing results with your regular routine. For a little variety, do a Tabata workout once or twice a week and see if it doesn’t shake up your routine.
References:
Essentials of Exercise Physiology. McArdle, Katch, and Katch. (2009)
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