We’re always on the lookout for a workout that isn’t too much of an investment and still gives optimum results. The Tabata workout, something that people have been raving about recently, is one of them.

What is Tabata training?

It’s a form of a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) that has exercises that last for four minutes. It’s the brainchild of Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. The workouts are done with 20 second intervals done with maximum efforts and 10 second stages repeated 8 times. The 10 second intervals help your body keep moving before it actually recovers from the previous set and that makes this form of workout highly effective.

Tabata training consists of strength and aerobic exercises that work the entire body as opposed to just one particular set of muscles.

The exercises include warm ups—side shuffles, shoulder rotations etc. and gradually move on to cardio exercises like skater plyos and then into strength exercises like push-ups etc. There can also be combination exercises wherein you do sets of various workouts such as burpees, lunges, kettlebell squats etc. This can be extremely tiring but you have to push yourself to reap the maximum benefits.

 

Benefits

Tabata workout helps to cut fat because the Basal Metabolic Rate of your body increases during your workout period. This means that it helps the body burn fat faster and for a longer time post the workout.

It helps work the leg muscles, shoulders, arms, glutes and improves your core strength in as less as 4 minutes. You don’t even have to do it every day—performing a Tabata workout at least 4 times a week will be just enough. In addition to this, it also increases your metabolism and increases the ratio of body mass to fat.

Tabata workout also increases your body’s aerobic and anaerobic capacity. Aerobic capacity is the maximum oxygen uptake during an exercise and anaerobic capacity is the maximum energy produced during the absence of oxygen. A study by Dr. Tabata showed a 14 percent increase in aerobic and 28 percent increase in anaerobic capacity when performed 5 days a week for 6 weeks.

We’re thoroughly impressed by Tabata workouts and are definitely going to scout for an online tutorial to try this out. Would you?

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