Tabata: The Four Minute Fat Burning Workout

The gym workout could be monotonous so here’s Tabata to add some newness to your daily exercise routine. Discovered by Japanese scientist Dr Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Tabata training is something which can be tried by everyone. A style developed to train Olympic speed skaters.
Tabata workout is high-intensity interval training that lasts for four minutes but it’s likely to be one of the longest four minutes you’ve ever endured.
The structure of the exercise program is as follows:

• Work out hard for 20 seconds:
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Complete 8 rounds

Pushing yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and resting for 10 seconds is how it is performed. This is called one set and this comprises eight sets of each exercise.

Many variations of exercises can be added to the sets like you could do squats, push-ups, burpees or any other exercise that works on large muscle groups.

We generally tend to look for the most efficient way to get in a quality workout so we can get on with the rest of our day and not feel tired. The question comes, is it really possible to get an effective workout done in a short amount of time, like four minutes?

The answer might be a big yes if doing Tabata intervals. These workouts will give you a newfound respect for interval training and show you exactly why shorter doesn’t always equate to easier.
The formula for a Tabata workout is simple: 20 seconds of quick and maximum effort workout, followed by 10 seconds of rest. Again, just because it sounds simple and short, don’t make the mistake of thinking that it’s easier.

Purpose of this workout:

To pack as many repetitions as possible into 6 to 8 sets of 20-second work periods. When the sixth effort rolls around, muscles will be filled with lactic acid, making a simple exercise like lunges more difficult.

In Tabata workouts, full recovery between sets is never possible. Your heart rate should be at or near the maximum and you should be out of breath by the end of a four-minute session.

• Get Set to Sweat

Having no one specific workout or plan is the best. A Tabata protocol is a guideline for creating a high-intensity interval workout. It can be used almost any exercise as long as you adhere to the 20/10 work to rest ratio. This will allow you to keep your workouts fresh and interesting, as you can always change your exercises in order to try something new.

All you need to get started is a stopwatch or timer and a lot of willpower. Since exercises require efforts that are so hard, make sure to complete a dynamic warm-up before you begin.