When Denise (my fabulous UFC Gym Trainer) says “We’re going to do Tabata today” I’m never sure whether to laugh or cry.
Tabata training is a high-intensity interval training workout, featuring exercises that last four minutes.
The Tabata protocol has tremendous fitness and weight-loss benefits. It is also a very short workout….therefore Tabata training can be attractive because it saves a lot of time for busy people like me.
Tabata Workout Example:
- Push Ups
- Squats
- Medicine Ball Slams
- Jumping Jacks
How to do it: Do 20 seconds of push ups, then rest 10 seconds. Do 20 seconds of squats, then rest 10 seconds. 20 seconds of medicine ball slams, and rest. 20 seconds of jumping jacks, and rest. And then do that whole cycle again – eight more times.
This would bring you to a total of approximately 16 minutes. Then if you are lucky enough to have Denise planning your workout…you get about a 1 minute break and then you move on to another Tabata workout with 4 entirely different exercises.
I’m currently addicted to the “Lose-It” app and when I entered in 50 minutes of Tabata last week my phone started buzzing with accolades, badges and confetti! What a fun way to pat myself on the back!
I wouldn’t want to do Tabata every time I workout, but Beth and I agree it is very fun to throw in Tabata into our workout routine. My favorite things about it are the fact that once we do a set we are DONE with those exercises for the day and get to move on to something entirely different for the next set. This is great when there’s an exercise thrown in that you don’t particularly enjoy. I also love that it is a short but very effective and intense workout where the time FLIES by!
