Has anyone tried Tabata?

bithoo
bithoo Posts: 9
in Fitness and Exercise
Just read about Tabata: essentially, you do sets of intense intervals of any type of exercise for 4 minutes -- race for 30 seconds, take a 20 second break, and then do it again, etc. Supposedly, it helps boost metabolism and increase stamina (and burn calories). Has anyone tried this? What do you think?

Replies

  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Yep

    I do it all the time. Love it.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Any questions feel free to ask

    Its super, really makes you work hard, quick to do, no space or equipment needed
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    Any questions feel free to ask

    Its super, really makes you work hard, quick to do, no space or equipment needed

    What do you do exactly? I've seen all sorts of stuff, from running, to jumping jacks, to squats and presses. I've been considering it as well; pretty sure I can spare 4 minutes in a day.

    Also, how often do you do it, and how do you know you're going hard enough?
  • bithoo
    bithoo Posts: 9
    Big C - can you tell me more? For example: do you do it once a day? Do you mix up cardio and weights? How do you choose the exercises you do?
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    What do you do exactly ? You exercise for 20seconds, then take a 10second break, repeat it until you have done 8 in total


    What do you do? As in what exercise. I do, Jacks, squats, burpees, lunges, skipping. Tends to work best with the ALL OVER BODY movement type thing

    As for how hard or if you are going hard enough? Thats easy, say its burpees, do as many as you can in the first 20seconds. You have seven more sets left to do, try are get that figure each time. You can foul yourself and take it easy but sure theres no point in doing it then
  • bithoo
    bithoo Posts: 9
    So, first of all, what is a burpee?!

    Also: do you do one series of 8 a day, and mix it up during that series? Or do you do a whole series of 8 lunges, and then later a whole series of 8 jacks, etc.?
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7MGljX4bbps (Burpee; the ones I do may or may not have a push-up in between, and for something like Tabata, I'd likely do it without a push-up)

    What I have seen is a combination of mixing things up and repeating. So for instance, someone might do jumping jacks (20 seconds, then rest 10 seconds), squats (20 seconds, then rest 10 seconds), kettlebell swings (20 seconds, then rest), burpees (20 seconds, then rest), then do it all over again. Or you can choose one or two and repeat, but for me, that would get boring. In some cases, say you were doing lunges, you'd do one leg, then you'd have to repeat on the other side, so that eats up one whole minute with one exercise.

    BigC, how often do you do it? Do you vary what you do (within your sets or between days)?
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I do between 8 and 12 different exercises, so push ups, sit up, burpees, skipping, jumping jacks, lunges, squats etc

    When I started at first I did 4 exercises.

    I do it about 2 times a week. Its quite easy on the joints etc, so I tend to be able to train other days(weights, running whatever you like)

    I try and make the exercises more advanced. So for me Burpees are the killer, so I try and do similar exercises. I usually do one hard exercise, followed by an easy

    So 1) Burpees (for four mintues, 20secs on 10sec off) then a one minute break
    2) Lunges (for four minutes..................
    3) Skipping (.....................


    You get the idea?
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    My burpee is minus the push up, as I do push ups later in my routine
  • sozzell
    sozzell Posts: 166
    The Bodyrock 30 day challenge is similar to this.
  • MostlyWater
    MostlyWater Posts: 4,294 Member
    I have tried it and i don't like it. It's too much like bootcamp.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I find it a great way to really push yourself, without having a trainer, or going to the gym.

    You can download a timer/app, set it off and off you go
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    I don' t think I'll incorporate push-ups into my Tabata at all. My yoga workout has a lot of plank-down slow- up dog - push-up - down dog series, pretty much everything else I do has planks, and I'm doing the 100 push-up challenge, so this could lead to overuse/injury.

    BigC, it sounds like you do more than one than one 4 minute set. How many? I think what I've read says you can do as many as 5? And thanks for all the help.

    I'm thinking, something like

    lunges - jumping jacks - squats - burpees (and just one set of 4 minutes), as a starting point.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I don' t think I'll incorporate push-ups into my Tabata at all. My yoga workout has a lot of plank-down slow- up dog - push-up - down dog series, pretty much everything else I do has planks, and I'm doing the 100 push-up challenge, so this could lead to overuse/injury.

    BigC, it sounds like you do more than one than one 4 minute set. How many? I think what I've read says you can do as many as 5? And thanks for all the help.

    I'm thinking, something like

    lunges - jumping jacks - squats - burpees (and just one set of 4 minutes), as a starting point.

    I think you are prob doing enough push ups as well lol

    I do 12 four minutes sets. Some 12 different exercises, each one for four minutes tabata, with a minute break at the end of each

    I worked up too 12, I think you will find your suggestion a bit easy tbh
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    Well... this would be on top of the other 300 things I'm doing. I don't want to overwork myself because then I won't be able to do my regular workouts.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    Well... this would be on top of the other 300 things I'm doing. I don't want to overwork myself because then I won't be able to do my regular workouts.

    Thats understandable

    I do it say on a day I am taking a rest from high impact stuff(running, team training). Give it a go and see what you think. Not for everyone, and may not fit in with your current routine
  • uallonsy
    uallonsy Posts: 6
    It is the best method I know [when combined with proper nutrition] for weight loss and a rapid increase in cardio fitness. I used it to prepare for a deployment and [in a period of three months] went from a 20+ min/2 miles to 14:30 min/2 miles and from a weight of 270 to 235.
    The program is 6-8 cycles of 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds rest. In truth I rarely hit the 8th cycle, 5 to 7 seem to be all I could muster.
    http://tabataprotocol.com/
  • catweazle12
    catweazle12 Posts: 60 Member
    We do Tabatas in Spin class.... love them. I was thinking of trying it running at the track and incorporate Tabatas into my speed work.
    I downloaded some Tabata music. It tells you when to go and when to rest, also counts out the 8 times you do it.
    I think the music itself is awful, maybe that's why you go so hard, to get away from it LOL
  • DMZ_1
    DMZ_1 Posts: 2,889 Member
    Yes, I have done Tabatas within exercise classes.

    Good stuff.
  • BobbyDaniel
    BobbyDaniel Posts: 1,459 Member
    The Supreme 90 Day workout DVD's have a tabata workout and they usually get me to the point of crying like a baby!
  • Tashmayes
    Tashmayes Posts: 244 Member
    Yes it's fantastic! Great calorie burn!
  • reedkaus
    reedkaus Posts: 250 Member
    2L2Q
  • cliffhouse49
    cliffhouse49 Posts: 6
    I've been doing this in my house for a long time. Every time I put something in the microwave...I rev up and run in place, jumping jacks, etc. for the time I am reheating something. It doesn't sound like much, but you'd be surprised at how many times you use a microwave in the course of a day. Then I go about my regular routine. I notice a difference...
  • rachey_v
    rachey_v Posts: 127 Member
    Ooh sounds good... bumping this so that when I buy my HRM next week I can get started and look at this and know what I'm doing haha! Thanks!!
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    I managed two rounds today. Thought I was going to die, so I think I did it right. Not sure how I'll make it upstairs; nothing left in the tank.
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I'll be doing mine tonight
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    I use the Tabata protocol for lots of types of exercises; sprints, burpees, pull ups, chins etc

    Best advice, get a loud interval timer (I use a GYMBOSS ... it's OK but I'm sure there are other brands)
  • thebigcb
    thebigcb Posts: 2,210 Member
    I use the Tabata protocol for lots of types of exercises; sprints, burpees, pull ups, chins etc

    Best advice, get a loud interval timer (I use a GYMBOSS ... it's OK but I'm sure there are other brands)

    There are loads of free downloadable apps, work just as well
  • Spanaval
    Spanaval Posts: 1,200 Member
    I did one set with an online timer, and another while following along to a YouTube Tabata video. The person in the video was NOT going all-out, but I sure was. The problem I found with just using a timer is that I wanted to cheat SO badly. Like doing one set of something that was really, really tough, and then not wanting to repeat it because it was really, really tough on the first go-around, and would be worse the second time around. With someone to follow along with, I just did whatever they were doing, even if I felt I was going to die.

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