In spring 2009, I was first introduced to this world-renowned workout called “tabata.” 

I was living in Greenville, South Carolina at the time, and happened upon a across the street from my apartment. You know, the Reebok-sponsored sport redefining “functional physical preparedness training.”

Its popularity has grown like wildfire, spreading to the creation of thousands and thousands of affiliate gyms across the world.

As an athlete, I’d been missing the ability to compete on a court… or field… or gym. THIS was the answer for me at the time.

Bring on the down-to-earth feel of working out in a warehouse, the challenging Olympic lifts, kettlebell movements, and my first real pull-up! Better yet, bring on the ability to race against my gym mates and the clock.

I’ll never forget my first introduction to one of the shortest and BEST methods of working out, though; the infamous 4-minute “tabata” (pronounced “ta-ba-ta”).

It was love at first workout, and regardless of where I’ve lived in the world since, I take this method with me wherever we go.

The “Tabata Protocol” Explained

The epic “Tabata Protocol” was developed by the head coach of the Japanese speed skating team, Mr. Irisawa Koichi.

He created a training technique involving exercise in short bursts of high intensity followed by short periods of rest. To validate the effectiveness of this routine, Coach Koichi asked the team’s head trainer at the time, Izumi Tabata, to research the efficacy of this routine consisting of:

– 20 seconds of exercise (maximum intensity) – 10 seconds of rest – 8 rounds for a total of 4 minutes

Tabata’s research confirmed that, indeed, this was a revolutionary way of training. In one of his paper’s he contributed to, “,“ which has been cited over 100 times in academic journals and referenced in popular textbooks, shows that:

“[it]…may tax both the anaerobic and aerobic energy releasing systems almost maximally” (Tabata, et. al, 1997).

You see, prior to the Tabata protocol, there were two types of known exercise: Low-intersity exercise for longer periods of time to improve endurance, and short, more intense exercises to improve anaerobic capacity (power, speed, strength).

The Tabata Protocol draws on the advantages of BOTH types of exercise (Interview, 2013)!

Another of Tabata’s studies proves that longer, moderate intensity exercise does not impact both aerobic and anaerobic capacity like the shorter, more intense bursts of the 4-minute Tabata Protocol (Tabata, et. al, 1996).

Translation? You can train BOTH your endurance and your muscles in just 4 minutes, and make greater metabolic gains than doing 60 minutes of moderate intensity endurance exercise.

Booyah!

Talk about an incredibly effective way of training for ALL athletes; not just speed skaters. But, the benefits of this kind of exercise reach far beyond with implications for the general public, too. Tabata and his colleagues have also found that “… in diabetic patients this kind of training increases glucotransporter 4 and glucose metabolism” (Interview, 2013).

Using the Tabata Protocol

Alright, now that I’ve got you amped up to do a tabata, here’s a disclaimer: Check with your doctor before changing your workout routine.

Equipment

The minimum requirement is your body weight and a timer! Here are some timer options:

• Online: If you’re working out at home, you can use this .
• : This compact interval timer can be programmed for any and all types of intervals.

B) Tabata Exercises: These can be done in the gym, in the park, or at home. Typically, I choose 4 – 5 different exercises, and perform a full Tabata Protocol with each (20 seconds at high intensity 10 seconds of rest 8 rounds = 4 minutes) with a bit of rest in between (1 – 2 minutes maximum).

However, if you’re a beginner, start with one round of tabata, and take ample rest in between as you work your way up to more rounds!

For example, today, I did 5 tabata exercises in a local park.

Each exercise below shows the FIRST 20-second interval of my routine. I then followed with the remaining 7 rounds of the Tabata Protocol.

NOTE: Please excuse the self-made videos. I’m also 18.5 weeks pregnant… hence the bump and slightly altered intensity!

1) Jumping Pull-Ups 

Not pictured. Find a pull-up bar that is within reach. Jump and pull your chin above the bar. Repeat as fast as possible until the 20 seconds is up.

2) Body Weight Squats

3) Plank Up-Downs (a variation of the push-up) 

4) Lunges 

5) Tricep Dips

With breaks in between, the whole workout took me less than 30 minutes! However, if you’re in a time crunch, remember that even ONE round – 4 minutes – has a maximum return on investment.

Your turn! Have you ever done a tabata workout? If so, what are your favorite movements?

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References

Tabata, I, Nishimura, K, Kouzaki, M, Hirai, Y, Ogita, F, Miyachi, M, Yamamoto, K. (1996). Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and ·VO2max. Medicine in Science Sports Exercise. Issue: Volume 28(10), October 1996, pp 1327-1330. 

Interview with the Founder of the World-Renowned Tabata Protocol. (2013). Ritsumeikan University. 

Tabata, I, Irisawa, K, Kouzaki, M, Nishimura, K, Ogita, F, Miyachi, M. (1997). Metabolic Profile of High Intensity Intermittent Exercises. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Mar;29(3):390-5.

 

Note: Jules’ Fuel uses affiliate links in some blog posts. If you make a purchase using one of these links, which costs the same either way, it’s a very, very small way to help me cover the cost of running this website. So, thanks!