Tabata exercises – the alternative to heavy and boring cardio workouts
Interest in long and rather boring cardio-training is gradually fading. Monotonous exercises for weight loss and keeping in shape are replacing the relatively new direction in fitness – high-interval training.
The system of training according to the Tabata protocol, created by Japanese Dr. Izumi Tabata, has passed a number of scientific tests. As a result, it was found that interval training has a stronger effect on aerobic and anaerobic performance of the body. A special set of exercises, the purpose of which is to do as many certain movements as possible in a minimum amount of time, helps burn fat and strengthen muscles. Such results were obtained by specialists from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo directly under the guidance of the author of the Tabata training method.
History of the emergence of the Tabata method workout
Izumi Tabata, PhD and physiologist, began developing a new training system to improve endurance in athletes in 1996. The experiment lasted six weeks. Two groups of athletes took part in it: one trained for 1 hour 5 days a week, and the other trained 4 times a week, but only for 4 minutes.
It was time to compare the results of this experiment. Athletes from the first group showed an improvement in aerobic performance, which suggests a positive effect on the heart and blood vessels. But the volume and strength of muscle tissue remained unchanged. There was no muscle gain. The level of endurance also remained at the original level.
And the participants of the second group demonstrated improvement in both aerobic and anaerobic indices. But the athletes exercised less often and spent less time on it. And the results were several times better than those of the athletes in the other group.
Tabata training rules.
The results of an experiment conducted by Izumi Tabata in 1996 amazed even the most devoted fans of cardio training. It turned out that high-interval training can effectively burn fat and develop the body’s overall endurance. But there is no need to exercise for an hour or more – only 4 minutes are enough.
The tabath round has the following structure:
20 seconds of intense training;
10 seconds of rest.
The duration of a Tabatha workout is 4 minutes. It includes 8 rounds. The exercises are allowed to alternate at your discretion. The interval between rounds can be 1-2 minutes. Then the total duration of the exercise will be 12-16 minutes.
The main rule of effective tabata fitness training is to train to your maximum effort. Even if you perform the exercises of the last round – it is impossible to slow down and spare your strength. Otherwise the workout will be considered ineffective.
It is more convenient to use special timers to observe time intervals, so as not to miss the time of the end of a short rest period. Such programs can be downloaded and installed on any device. In order to maintain a high efficiency of exercise, it is important to choose the right sports clothing, which is made of high-quality fabrics and does not constrain movements.
What exercises can be performed
The tabata protocol includes different exercises. Choose the ones that suit your level of fitness.
The main of the exercises are:
sprints;
arm and leg kicks;
lunges;
push-ups;
jumps;
squats;
rowing on an exercise machine;
kettlebell swings;
deadlift;
swimming.
It is advisable to choose exercises that involve several muscle groups at once. You can exercise in small groups or alone, including the use of instructional videos. Before training, it is recommended to get acquainted in detail with what tabata is, with the peculiarities of using this technique in fitness and its role in the general recovery of the body.
Warming up as a prevention of accidental injuries
A little experience in sports pushes people to rash actions. Some overestimate the possibilities of their body, ignore the anatomy of muscles, ligaments and the whole musculoskeletal system, but try to achieve their goals in a short time. A common mistake is not to warm up. If you start intensive training from rest, you cannot avoid injuries.
Be sure to warm up before each session. Jumping rope, running on the spot or on a treadmill will do. Be sure to “warm up” the joints with circular movements, bending, and smooth rotation of the limbs. You must devote at least 7-10 minutes to the warm-up.
How is tabata different from cardio training?
Cardio training takes place with the active participation of oxygen. Such loads are called aerobic. High-intensity tabata training forces the body to suffer from oxygen deficiency and puts it into anaerobic mode, which takes a lot of energy and immediately switches to burning fat.
It is impossible to train for a long time in this mode. But only 8 rounds of tabata is enough to achieve the desired result. As a result, you get not only active fat burning, but also strengthening and muscle gain, effective training of the heart and blood vessels. Tabata workouts have a positive effect on endurance, as they force the body to work out of its last strength and teach it to adapt to similar stressors in the future.
Who is suitable for tabata training?
High-interval training is suitable for trained people who are regularly engaged in sports, do not have serious problems with the heart, joints.
Tabata solves the following problems and helps to achieve specific goals:
intensive fat burning in a short period of time;
increase overall endurance;
strengthening the heart muscle;
Acceleration of metabolic and hormonal processes in the body;
the ability to get in good physical shape, spending 10-15 minutes a day on the exercises;
noticeable increase in strength performance;
acceleration of muscle tissue growth, opportunity to pass to a more complicated level of trainings in power sports.
The method requires concentration and a certain physical preparation. Make sure in advance that there are no direct medical contraindications to intensive loads.