I remember reading about the Tabata Protocol a few years ago in a health and fitness magazine. I didn’t pay too much attention until it was revealed to me a second time. Craig Ballantyne of turbulence training, wrote about it in Men’s Health Magazine. I wish I could go back in time, because this has turned out to be an extremely efficient way to drop body fat rapidly.
The Tabata Protocol? What Exactly Is It?
The Tabata Protocol was a high-intensity, short interval routine that was intended as an interval routine for the Japanese Speed Skating team. Named after the head coach, Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., who was the former researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports, this fat loss workout has been found to be extremely effective.
What’s Different About This Interval Routine?
Get this…the interval routine is six to eight hard 20 second intervals with only 10 seconds of rest in between! The whole routine only takes more than 3-4 minutes total, because it is smart to warm up for 5 minutes and cool down for 5 minutes…in reality, the actual work part of the workout is only 3 to 4 minutes.
How on Earth Can 3-4 Minutes Burn Body Fat?
This type of short-term intense interval training has been shown to jack up your metabolic rate for many hours after the workout routine is finished. You will burn a lot more total calories after the routine is complete. What they also found is that this version of interval training is extremely effective at burning fat without compromising muscle tissue.
This Interval Training Routine is NOT Easy!
Just because it doesn’t take a long time, the Tabata Protocol is not an easy routine. If you do it properly, it is a difficult 3-4 minutes. Top athletes have been known to struggle, but they will stick with it knowing it will improve body fat levels as well as aerobic and anaerobic capabilities.
What Exercises Can You Incorporate Into the Tabata Protocol Routine?
One of the great things about this type of workout routine is that it is very versatile. You can use just about any type of workout, including an exercise bike, elliptical or running on a track. The only thing that doesn’t work well is a treadmill, and only because changing speeds takes too long. You need to be able to reach maximum effort quickly.
What’s Your Sport? Want to Get Better At It?
Whether you’re a boxer, a basketball player, or a gymnast, intense interval work can improve your abilities. Athletic performance at any level will improve as a result of using these methods in a committed way.
Fitting the Tabata Protocol Into Your Workout Routine
This isn’t the type of training that you will want to do every day or even every other day. Intense interval training like this is effective, but can really tax your system. If you workout this hard every day you will be so worn out it will be easy to skip working out altogether. Don’t make this mistake! Aim for 2-3 days per week to see maximum results.
