Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • 2023 WSM
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Fasting
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • 2023 WSM
      • Arnold Classic
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Results
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Training

Simple Guide To Tabata (High-Intensity Interval Training)

What is the Tabata workout method and how to do it?

Matthew Magnante

Written by Matthew Magnante

Last Updated onAugust 13, 2019

Tabata Workouts

Tabata Workouts

Tabata is a style of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) which is much different than your typical gym workout which involves conventional weight training and cardio.

It’s super intense but if you want to significantly improve your aerobic and anaerobic capacity while building muscle and burning fat; then look no further.

Table of Contents Hide
  • What Is Tabata?
  • Benefits of Tabata Exercises
  • Safety Precautions
  • Constructing a Tabata Workout
  • Tabata example workout…
  • What About Training Frequency and Recovery?
  • Final Thoughts

What Is Tabata?

Tabata is a form of high-intensity interval training made popular by Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo; although, he didn’t actually create this program. Irisawa Koichi, who was the head coach of Japanese Olympic Skating, developed the training protocol.

Read also Full Body HIIT Workout!

He wanted to test the training protocol on some athletes and enlisted Tabata to determine whether or not it was effective.

Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir
Katrin Tanja Davidsdottir

It’s a fast-paced form of training which essentially offers all the benefits of fitness but each session is performed in a timed format.

Each workout is four minutes in total but you’ll do eight 20-second intervals of hardcore training with 10 seconds of rest in between each interval.

So, it’s pretty much a full-body workout performed in four minutes…

“Originally I thought this type of training was just for speed skaters or other highly motivated athletes because it is very painful and tiring,” said Izumi Tabata.

“However, I found that there were groups of people interested in building muscle and therefore doing short high-intensity exercises that trained their muscle, but not those exercises that improved their aerobic training.

When this regimen came along, they began to realize they could train both at the same time.”

There are many options with Tabata and we’ll explain them below…

Benefits of Tabata Exercises

Combining effective movements with intensity and short rest periods will result in gains! And that’s what Tabata is. It can also save you time and allow you to get a great workout in a very short period of time.

Benefits you can expect include…

Muscle growth

Muscle Growth
Muscle Growth

Hypertrophy (muscle growth) is one side effect of Tabata training. You’ll either do bodyweight training/plyometrics or weight training for each four-minute session. And resistance training is obviously conducive to gains in muscle.

As you progress you can increase the amount of weight used or you can turn up the intensity a bit more.

Improved endurance

Research shows Tabata style training (HIIT) to increase aerobic capacity similar to moderate-intensity continuous training, but HIIT also increases anaerobic capacity by about 28%. (1)

High-intensity training is a popular method in general because it really does burn a lot of calories while offering the benefit of stimulating the muscle in a very short period of time.

Fat/weight loss

The more calories you can burn, the more you’ll be likely to lose weight and/or burn fat. It takes approximately 3,500 calories burned to lose one pound and you’ll have to track your calories to ensure you’re meeting your requirements. (2)

Use our calorie calculator to determine your recommended daily caloric intake.

According to a study, 4 minutes of HIIT burns approximately 54kcals. But honestly, the amount you burn depends on your body weight and intensity during exercise. (3)

Safety Precautions

Only individuals who are healthy should do Tabata training. Very high-intensity workouts can have a negative effect on people who have heart issues and even those not used to such hardcore exercise.

If you’re healthy, just make sure to start slow until you’re training at full intensity.

Constructing a Tabata Workout

So to devise an effective workout for four minutes, you’ll have to choose a few exercises which are most convenient and which you can perform completely for the duration of the session.

You can choose to do weighted exercises or bodyweight movements and the number of exercises you choose to complete are completely up to you.

So, you can choose one exercise or many and the latter is preferred to train several muscle groups in a single workout. So, for instance, you can do push-ups, pull-ups, and leg lifts all in one four-minute workout.

But you can use as many exercises as you please in any style during the eight rounds.

Tabata example workout…

Each round will equal one minute. You’ll perform four rounds to equal four minutes in total.

Arnold Doing Pushups
Arnold Doing Pushups

Round 1:

  • Push-ups
  • Pull-ups

Do push-ups for 20 seconds then rest 10 seconds. Then do pull-ups for 20 seconds and rest 10 seconds. Alternate these two exercises until you’ve gone for four rounds. This will equal one minute.

Round 2:

  • Bodyweight squats
  • Bodyweight Lunges

Do squats for 20 seconds then rest 10 seconds. Then do lunges for 20 seconds and rest 10 seconds. Alternate these two exercises until you’ve done all four rounds.

Repeat rounds 1 and 2 to complete the four-minute routine.

What About Training Frequency and Recovery?

Arnold Recovery
Arnold Recovery

Treat Tabata training like you would any other routine. Do a workout two-three times per week and then rest 48-72 hours in between your sessions.  

Seeing as to how intense Tabata-style training is, you want to make sure you’re not overdoing it by training too frequently. Proper like a high carb meal before a workout is a good idea as well to ensure you have plenty of glycogen stores to fuel your intense sessions. (4)

Staying sufficiently hydrated is also essential for health and strength as just a few percent loss in body mass can decrease strength by 2%. (5)

Final Thoughts

Tabata is extremely effective when performed as it’s intended to be.

“People need to realize that to get into shape, to really reap the benefits of Tabata training, it’s the intensity part that gets you into shape, not the four minutes,” explained John Porcari, Ph.D., head of the Clinical Exercise Physiology Program at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse.

So, if you follow a training protocol similar to the one laid out above, you no doubt see great results. Or, you could adjust the routine to your preference.

Just make sure you’re in good health before attempting any intense training program, and always build up the intensity as opposed to jumping straight in.

Stay on top of the latest fitness news and updates by adding Fitness Volt to your Google News feed: Follow us on Google News You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube for even more content.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn
Categories: Training Workouts
Previous Post

Nate Diaz: UFC Wanted Me To ‘Get Out Of Here’ After McGregor Rematch

Next Post

2019 Mr Olympia: Complete & Final List Of Qualified Competitors

Matthew Magnante

Matthew Magnante

Matthew is an ACE (American Council On Exercise) certified fitness professional who has had a passion for fitness since elementary school and continues to research and learn how to build muscle effectively through training and diet. He also loves to help others to achieve their fitness goals and spread the knowledge where needed. Matthew's other passions include learning about mindfulness, strolling through nature, traveling, and always working to improve overall.

Related

Summer Beach Workout

The Summer Beach Workout to Get You Jacked

Most people head to the beach to laze around, take an easy dip and work on their suntan. But you’re...

Core Exercises For Beginners

10 Best Core Exercises For Beginners (Killer Workout Included)

Core exercises are like a tough-love friend; they push you to be your best self even though you sometimes hate...

HIIT Ab Workout

The Best HIIT Ab Workout: Get Ripped Abs in Record Time

Most people perform a few ab exercises at the end of their strength training session. It’s no surprise they are...

Cable HIIT Workout

Cable HIIT Workout for Burning Fat and Boosting Cardiovascular Health

HIIT workouts have risen in popularity in recent years because they enable you to get a lot of work done...

Dorian Yates High Intensity Training

Dorian Yates Shares High-Intensity Training Strategies: ‘Make it Harder for Your Body to Recover

Bodybuilding legend Dorian Yates was renowned for the intense training methods he used to win six Mr. Olympia titles. In...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

2023 Musclecontest Nevada State Pro Results

2023 Miami Muscle Beach Pro Results and Scorecards

Powerlifter Jade Jacob Breaks Two Unofficial Deadlift & Total IPF World Records In Training

Kali Muscle Claims to Eat 1 Meal a Day: ‘Everything We Learned is Fake’

Dorian Yates Gives Stem Cell Therapy Update: “Increased Energy & Shoulder Is Definitely Better”

Bob Cicherillo Calls Out Salty Fans Over Contest Results: “Leave Your Feelings at the Door!”

Reviews

Provitalize Review

Provitalize Review — The Best Probiotic Supplement?

Best Preacher Curl Benches

10 Best Preacher Curl Benches in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Ancheer Treadmills Review

6 Best Ancheer Treadmills in 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Fitness Volt

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more.

Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com

Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

Follow Us

Trending Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • At Home Workouts
  • Bodyweight Exercises
  • Best Pre-workout
  • Best Fat Burners
  • Bodybuilding Diet
  • Bicep Workouts
  • Triceps Workouts
  • Chest Exercises
  • Back Workouts
  • Leg Workouts
  • Front Squat Guide
  • Calf Workouts & Exercises
  • Forgotten Exercises
  • Jefferson Deadlift

Calculators

  • Calorie Burning Calculators
  • IF Calculator
  • TDEE Calculator
  • Calorie Calculator
  • Keto Calculator
  • RMR Calculator
  • Macronutrient Calculator
  • Creatine Calculator
  • Wilks Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • FFMI Calculator
  • IBW Calculator
  • LBM Calculator
  • Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calories Burned Swimming
  • Calories Per Meal Calculator

  • Food Nutrition Analysis
  • Carb Cycling Calculator
  • Weight Gain Calculator
  • Weight Loss Calculator
  • Calories Burned Calculator
  • Strength Standards
  • One Rep Max Calculator
  • Body Fat Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • Weight Loss Percentage
  • Treadmill Calorie Calculator
  • Body Surface Area Calculator
  • Running Pace Calculator
  • Bench Press Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Water Intake Calculator
  • Body Type Quiz
  • Steps to Miles Calculator
  • Calorie Deficit Calculator
  • Home
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • 2023 WSM
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
  • Training
  • Nutrition
  • Reviews
  • More
    • News
    • Arnold Classic
    • Mr. Olympia
    • Diet
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • Food Facts
    • Fitness Calculator

© Copyright 2010 - 2023 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.