When we have a very tight schedule due to work and family obligations, it is very possible that we skip a training session, which will cause us not to progress at the speed we would like and that we get discouraged by it.
Fortunately, although it may seem like science fiction, it is possible to get in shape in 4 minutes thanks to a training devised by the Japanese doctor Izumi Tabata and to which he gives his name. Get to know it, find out why it is so effective and with what exercises we can apply it.
What is the Tabata method?
If you’ve heard of interval training before, you’ve probably heard something about the Tabata method by now. This method consists of performing 20 seconds of high intensity exercises followed by 10 seconds of rest , repeating this sequence 8 times .
Therefore, the volume of exercises you do is very low but at the same time very intense, since you have to do them in just 4 minutes (breaks included).
For the Tabata workout to be effective, it is very important that the intervals are actually at such a high intensity that you can barely recover after the 10 second rest. Moreover, those who have never followed this training before should only be able to do 5-6 intervals the first sessions, until they can reach 8 the subsequent sessions.
What activities can I do with the Tabata method?
- Sprints running or cycling.
- Exercises with light bars or dumbbells : squats, thrusts …
- Exercises with body weight : pull-ups, dips, push-ups …
- Circuit training: burpees, mountain climbers, jumping jacks …
If you feel that you are not tired enough after training, think about raising the weight slightly, modifying the exercises or increasing their intensity: the goal is that at the end of the training you will not have the strength to do one more set.
Why does the Tabata work so well?
This training method is more effective than exercise performed at a constant pace since it increases aerobic and anaerobic capacity at the same time, which translates into more efficiency when practicing short and intense sports activities or long-term sports (Tabata et al., 1997).
The Tabata method is also great for boosting EPOC (Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption), which means continuing to burn calories even after finishing our routine.
But without a doubt, the main advantage of the Tabata is that it allows you to improve the following factors in just 4 minutes.
- Our cardiovascular capacity.
- Our VO2 max consumption.
- Muscle strength and endurance.
In fact, in a study it was found that the improvement in these factors was slightly greater in subjects who performed Tabata training compared to those who did a treadmill session at 85% of their maximum heart rate (McRae et al., 2012).
In this study, they carried out 4 weekly sessions of Tabata, but in the event that you are already following a bodybuilding or other sport routine, 1-2 sessions a week would be enough to provide your body with a different stimulus that forces it to do stronger and more resistant.
Therefore, we encourage you to introduce Tabata into your training, it will help you improve your athletic performance while having fun doing it.
References
- McRae, G., Payne, A., Zelt, j. G., Scribbans, TD, Jung, ME, Little, JP and Gurd, BJ (2012). Extremely low volume, whole-body aerobic-resistance training improves aerobic fitness and muscular endurance in females. Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism, 37 (6), 1124-1131.
- Tabata, I., irisawa, K., Kouzaki, M., Nishimura, K., Ogita, F. and Miychi, M. (1997). Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 29 (3), 390-395
