With the plethora of exercise programs and fitness routines on the market it can become difficult to decide which direction to go. The health and fitness industry generates billions of dollars every year so there is heavy promotion of various diets and programs that flood the market each and every year.
Despite all of the new information and confusion sometimes a program comes out that stands above the crowd. The Tabata training program appears to be one of these programs.
Tabata training was created by a Japanese professor named Izumi Tabata who first conducted tests on Olympic speed skaters to determine the efficiency of his high intensity training program. Some athletes were put on the Tabata program and others were allowed to train at a moderate intensity for an hour at a time. When the results were tabulated it was found that both groups of athletes showed some improvement but as we break down the results you will see why this training method may be more beneficial than an hour long jogging or treadmill session.
Aerobic Benefit
Tabata training can improve your cardiovascular system. During the testing of both groups, the athletes that trained with moderate intensity improved their VO2 max from 52 to 57 mL/(kg•min) and the ones undergoing the high intensity Tabata program improved their VO2 max from 48 to 55 mL/(kg•min).
What this shows is that someone training in this method can improve their aerobic performance and cardiovascular system just as much as someone running (or working out) at a moderate pace for an hour a day. A healthy cardiovascular system is at the core of good health as well as one of the most important factors for successful sports performance.
Anaerobic Benefit
Another benefit to this training methodology is the anaerobic results that can be achieved. Anaerobic training usually results in increased strength, power and explosiveness. The study group that used the Tabata method improved their anaerobic performance by 28% on average while the moderate intensity group showed no improvement in anaerobic efficiency. For the average person all this means is that the Tabata method can help you get stronger as well as improve endurance at the same time.
Fat Loss Benefit
When you are doing a program that works both the aerobic system and anaerobic system, such as the Tabata training method, it is known as metabolic training. Metabolic training has been shown to improve fat burning ability during the workout and furthermore it is also credited for improving metabolism long after the workout has been completed.
Sports/Athletic Benefit
Metabolic training programs that focus on explosive movements is fast becoming a preferred method of training for non endurance sport athletes. Any sport that requires cardio and power can benefit from this high intensity exercise routine. High level sprinters, wrestlers, martial artists and football players are all working with high intensity training (HIT) principles that mimics the demands of their respective sports. Obviously this type of training may not prove as beneficial to a marathon runner because added muscle may actually hinder them in competition.
Time Benefit
One of the biggest complaints about taking on a new fitness routine is the amount of time it takes to workout, not to mention travel to a gym in order to train. If that is a significant hurdle for you then the Tabata program is precisely what you are looking for. The Tabata training program can take as little as four minutes per day and can been done without going to the gym.
In fact, the original Tabata experiment was based on four minutes of training per day, six day per week for six weeks. The program is set up like this- 20 seconds of full effort intense exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest which is repeated 8 times for a total of 4 minutes of training.
A sample workout can look something like this-
Squat Jumps 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Squat Jumps 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Pushups 20 seconds
10 second rest
Pushups 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Mountain climbers 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Mountain climbers 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Sprint 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
Sprint 20 seconds
10 seconds rest
In this case we repeated each exercise twice and they are done in a row but you can mix up the movements as you wish. As you can see this sample program does not require a gym or fancy equipment other than some running shoes. You can modify this as many ways as you like, you can replace the sprints with jump ropes, you can pick just one movement and do that the entire session and the sky is the limit with this type of program.
Efficient and Effective
When it comes to training there are several options available to all of us but if you want to minimize your time working out and still get all the benefits the Tabata system is a viable and promising option. Of course when it comes to losing weight, make sure to eat properly and in moderation as well as getting your full compliment and vitamins and minerals daily.
Featured images:
License: Royalty Free or iStock
source: http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/857667
Pete Kontakos is an avid sports enthusiast as well as a husband, father and certified wrestling coach through USA wrestling.