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 4 minutes of fat-burning brutality: Tabata workouts

If I told you that you could significantly increase your body’s fat-burning ability and ramp up your metabolism in just 4 minutes per day, would you call me a liar?

Probably, but I promise you this is not one of those cheesy infomercials promising you amazing results without doing anything….. these are Tabata workouts

You are probably wondering, just what the hell is a Tabata workout?

Perhaps you’ve heard the term before but never really knew what it meant, or what it was.

Tabata workouts are not really meant to be stand-alone workouts, but rather an addition to your existing workouts. By including a Tabata at the end (or middle or beginning) of your existing workouts, you will ramp up up your meatbolism and fat-burning abilities significantly!

Right, so tell me what the hell a Tabata is.

A Tabata is a workout protocol, or put more simply, a way of working out.

The method was initially developed by Professor Izumi Tabata, to train a group of Olympic speedskaters. He had them perform 20 seconds of extremely intense exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuosly for 4 minutes. It resulted in them having a significantly improved anaerobic capacity.

How can I use it?

You can follow the same principle, by adding a Tabata at the end of your workouts, using any exercise that is sufficiently intense and taxing – so full-body movements and no isolation movements.

Perform that exercise at max intensity for 20, seconds, rest 10 seconds and repeat 8 times, for a total time of 4 minutes.

If you are feeling super brave you can do a second one.

What exercises can I use?

Any full-body, compound movement that really gets your heart rate up will do the job. I find exercises that utilize the upper and lower body work best. Try it with moves like:

  • Kettlebell swings
  • Burpees
  • Jump Squats
  • Squat Thrusts
  • Heavy Kettlebell snatches
  • Plymometric lunge jumps
  • Sprints
  • Clean and Press
  • Bodyweight Squats
  • Mountain Climbers (fast) with a push-up done every 5
  • Medicine Balls Slams
  • Battle Ropes
  • Burpee Pull-ups

 

…….The list is endless really.. 

You can even do combo Tabatas if you’d like, where you alternate between 2 exercises for each 20 second interval, for example Burpees and Kettlebell swings. Give that a try and tell me if you don’t feel like puking afterwards!

Take the Tabata challenge

I challenge you to do 4 Tabata workouts a week for the next month – In addition to your regular workouts (Tabatas are not a replacement to existing workouts)

Measure your weight and bodyfat percentage at the start if possible, perform your 4 Tabata workouts per week, and see the difference they have made at the end of the month!

I will be sending you a Tabata workout every couple of days (4/week) just to keep you on track.

Here are your first week’s Tabata workouts:

#1:

  1. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  2. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  3. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  4. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  5. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  6. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  7. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest
  8. 20 seconds Jump Squats, 10 seconds rest

#2:

  1. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  2. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  3. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  4. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  5. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  6. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  7. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest
  8. 20 seconds Kettlebell swings (with a weight that would usually allow you to do about 25-30 reps), 10 seconds rest

#3:

  1. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  2. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  3. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  4. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  5. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  6. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  7. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest
  8. 20 seconds mountain climbers, 10 seconds rest

#4:

  1. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  2. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  3. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  4. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  5. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  6. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  7. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  8. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest
  9. 20 seconds shuttle sprints, 10 seconds rest

It doesn’t matter which order you do the workouts in, or on what days you do them, just get in your 4 Tabatas per week!

Give it a go, you’ll be amazed at the difference it will make in your conditioning and metabolic rate!

 

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The Afterburn effect – High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workouts for superior fat loss.

The importance of measurement and goals in fitness.