By Bill Waltzek – CPT
Tabata training has been all the rage over the past few years but how effective is it?
A recent study from Auburn University looked at the Tabata protocol of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest for 8 total rounds. What they found was that type of high intensity training burned 13.5 calories per minute. This is an astonishing number if you are looking to burn major calories and are short on time.
The Study led by Michele Olson, PHD, FACSM, Professor of exercise science at the university stated that at 30 minutes each participant’s metabolic rate was double what it had been before the workout.
“This particular style of interval training has profound effects even on short-term, post exercise metabolism,” Olson explained. “It would take five times the amount of typical cardio exercise, like a 20-minute brisk walk, to shed the same number of calories that are burned in a 4-minute Tabata.
You can create a tabata out of any exercise but you will get a better workout using full body movements. Just start slow and work up to more intense exercises as your fitness level improves.
Want to give Tabatas a try? At ForwardFit we usually throw Tabatas at the end of the workout as a finisher. Find a good timer and get going.
Give these following Tabata protocols a try in your next workout:
- Burpees
- Mountain Climbers
- Squat Jumps
- Sprints
Want to try a Kettlebell Tabata? I posted this workout back in February of 2012 and it is still a good one.
Kettlebell Tabata Workout:
(Tabata is 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest for 8 rounds)
Perform a Tabata on each of the three exercises below. 8 rounds then rest one minute. After rest move to the next exercise.
Kettlebell Swings – 8 rounds
Kettlebell Snatches – 8 rounds
Kettlebell Burpee to Clean – 8 rounds