Finding time to hit the gym and complete a full workout during the week can be difficult. Often we have the best intentions, but are too busy or spend too long unsure of what to include in our session. Enter Tabata, the fat burning workout that takes just four minutes to complete and has been proven to be more effective than an hour of moderate exercise.
A full workout in just 4 minutes?
Tabata isn’t just a fad – it’s a scientifically proven method that has been used to train Olympic athletes. If you struggle to hit the gym between work on a busy day, Tabata could be the answer. The high-intensity workout helps you burn fat and improve your fitness in just a fraction of the time. Yes, that’s right.
8 x 20-second sets are all it takes to complete a rigorous workout, offering maximum benefit for minimal time. With such flexibility and efficiency, there’s no reason that Tabata shouldn’t become part of your workout routine.
How does it compare to other workouts?
Our fitness contributor and workout expert Greg Stark is familiar with Tabata and offered up some insights on this supposed ‘miracle’ workout.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) has become recognised as one of the most time effective ways to exercise, Tabata’s being one of the most commonly known forms.
It is based on the research by a Japanese doctor, Dr. Izumi Tabata in 1996. He compared one hour of moderate exercise 5 days a week (like most people do when they go to the gym), and a 20-second maximal work with a 10 seconds rest with 8 repeats 4 days a week.
Dr. Tabata surprisingly found that the 20s work to 10s rest protocol gave a 28% increase in fitness compared to the one hour protocol. So for a total of around 16 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week you get 28% better results than if you do 300 minutes a week of moderate exercise.”
What are the benefits of Tabata?
The benefits are numerous. Tabata is a compact and efficient interval based training workout and can be completed with a number of different exercises. It involves using all of the major muscle groups, which helps to provide a full body workout.
Tabata can be used for strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and even core strength work. Its flexibility and variety make it perfect for those who are short on time. If you want a full workout without spending hours slugging it at the gym, look no further than Tabata.
