You say To-may-to I say To-mah-to...

4 minutes to a better body? Are you for real?!

One word, 4 minutes, amazing results= TABATA

Okay I promise you this isn't one of those abs-circle-waste-of-time gadgets I’m talking about here.

I’m talking about an interval training protocol called TABATA!

Tabatas are basically this fast way to get an awesome fat loss workout in just 4 minutes and have better results than you would if you spent time running on the treadmill at the same speed like a lab rat.

The Tabata Protocol was created by Dr. Izumi Tabata at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. He was a real researcher in Japan and made a HUGE contribution to the fat loss world when he introduced tabatas into the fitness world! So how does this whole tabata thing work?  Well it’s basically an exercise circuit which you perform 20 seconds of intense work followed by 10 seconds of rest.  Repeat that for 8 rounds making it (4 min). Comprendo?  

Ok so the whole aim of this is to do exercises that are intense to get the benefits of this protocol. 

These are some of my favs:

• Squat jumps
• Stair Sprints
• Pushups
• Mountain Climbers

Even if its just you jumping around the room listening to the new Black eyed peas album. As long as you are getting your heart rate through the roof then your on the right track!

Don’t believe me?

As for the initial study, after 6 weeks of testing, Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity along with a 14% increase in V02Max. These results were witnessed by physically fit athletes. Tabata protocol has been shown to increase aerobic and anaerobic capacity while moderate intensity cardio only increases aerobic capacity

"The rate of increase in V02max is one of the highest ever reported." - Izumi Tabata, Japan

The short high intensity intervals result in a significant “after burn effect”  or EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption) in which your body continues burning calories for hours after you complete the workout.  This happens because you burn off all your glycogen (carbs) during the workout leaving only fat for your body to burn. 

So in conclusion !

   1. The Tabata protocol involves 4 minutes of maximal intensity effort for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second rest.  This is repeated for 8 sets.

   2. The high intensity results in a significant “after burn effect” that promotes your body to continue burning fat for hours after completion.

   3. Tabata improves both aerobic and anaerobic capacity, better than steady state cardio.

   4. Tabata can be done with ANY exercise that allows your maximum effort in short bursts.

   5. You should incorporate a warm up and cool down period.

   6.  A great way to end a workout if you still have a bit of energy to burn!

Watch the video below for an example of Tabata!