Tabata training – the sportiest four minutes of your life

An effective workout in four minutes just sounds too good to be true, right? What would you say if we told you that this wasn't a promotional stunt from dubious fitness sites like "Lose 100 kilos in two weeks" but was actually reality? Tabata training is the magic word. In this story we'll tell you what exactly this ultra-fast workout is, what it has to do with Olympic speed skaters and whether Tabata training is also suitable for beginners.

What is Tabata Training and does it really only take four minutes?

Are you also into speed skating? It looks impressive when the athletes race across the ice seemingly effortlessly and almost look as if they are sprinting across asphalt. But to make it look so impressive, it takes a lot of endurance and strength . And this is where Professor Izumi Tabata comes into play. You guessed it: the namesake of the Tabata training. Because the good professor had made it his mission to create some real wow effects at the Olympic Games in the 1990s and to make the speed skaters even fitter in the shortest possible time - both aerobically and anaerobically . How did he manage that? He simply developed his own training method. The method was so successful that Tabata Training has now established itself in the sports sector as a variant of High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) . Now we won't torture you any further and tell you how Tabata training works.

In fact, Tabata interval training only takes four minutes. But we can promise you that it will be a long and intense four minutes. During these four minutes you will push your body to its limits for twenty seconds several times and get the absolute maximum out of it - with a ten second break in between. There are eight units of this to get to four minutes. It actually sounds simple, but it will really challenge you.

Do you like rhythm when doing sports? There's also outstanding music for Tabata training that really pushes you in the four minutes. How about a Tabata workout with “4 Minutes” by Madonna and Justin Timberlake?

But be careful : let's briefly remember the origins and Professor Tabata. His work was about professional athletes, not primarily about mere mortals doing their everyday workouts. Therefore: Tabata Workout is strictly speaking not recommended for beginners. However, we work with the Tabata principle and make use of the 20-10 rule . As a complete beginner, we still recommend that you build up a bit of basic fitness first, otherwise you risk injury. Once that's clarified, you can get started. Especially if you otherwise find it difficult to integrate exercise into your everyday life , training based on the Tabata principle could be just the thing for you.

Why is the Tabata Workout so incredibly effective?

Let's take a look behind the scenes of the legendary Tabata training. What happens to your body during such intense training? Your body reaches its limits - several times in a row and with only short regeneration phases . It happens as it has to happen: you're panting heavily and wishing you had a small, private oxygen tent. But that's exactly what we want to achieve. This increases your body's maximum oxygen intake . In other words: Tabata interval training boosts your endurance tremendously. And at the same time your muscles are also addressed. Training according to the “pay one, get two” principle. It couldn't get any better than that, right?

What does Tabata do?

Training according to the 20-10 Tabata principle not only benefits your cardiovascular system , which really gets going during this time, but also your endurance . The Tabata workout also boosts fat burning . You notice – this training method is a real all-rounder . As already mentioned, as a beginner you should slowly and continuously integrate the Tabata workout into your training plan. As soon as you notice that your endurance has reached a good level, you can then increase the intensity .

To optimally support your body before, during and after training, fitness products from Dextro Energy* are at your side. Whether it's a protein shake after training or a glucose cube during your workout to provide you with quick carbohydrates - you'll find everything an athlete's heart desires here.

Tabata Training: Advantages and Disadvantages of Intensive Interval Training

Now we know what Tabata Training is exactly and what is trained. But like all other sports (and actually everything in life), this training method also has advantages and disadvantages . We have listed these for you here. Maybe our list will help you decide whether you feel ready for your Tabata training plan .

Advantages

• Fast execution, takes less time in everyday life
• big effect
• Fat burning increases
• improved endurance
• strengthened muscles
• Can be individually adapted to the athlete
• can also be done at home
• Training without special devices or equipment

Disadvantages

• Not particularly suitable for beginners
• stressful for the joints
• especially for beginners: more of a supplement than a full workout

Tabata training is intense and efficient. Like here with the mountain climber.

@iStock.com/microgen

Exercises for home

Very important when training Tabata: warm up properly and perform all exercises correctly . It's best to familiarize yourself with the exercises that you don't know yet before your actual workout and make sure that you actually do them correctly. If in doubt, you can ask a friend to watch you during the dry run. This will ensure that you have internalized the individual exercises correctly and can start your effective training. Of course, you can also contact a trainer. Or you can simply take a Tabata course that pays attention to correct execution. But now we come to the classic Tabata training exercises , which you probably already know and which you can do well at home.

Push-ups

You can do the good old push-up at very different levels. If you can't do a complete push-up yet, you can first put your knees on the floor and push yourself up more easily. This is how you train your arms and continually improve. Try to do as many push-ups as possible in 20 seconds.

Squats

You may know it as the “squat.” To do this, simply stand with your feet hip-width apart, stretch your arms straight forward, tense your abdominal muscles and then slowly lower your bottom. Very important: your back must stay straight!

Mountain Climbers

The starting position is the same as for push-ups. Now, however, there is movement. In the starting position, alternately bring your knees forward towards your arms - as if you wanted to start running. The same applies here: be sure to keep your back straight!

Jump rope

If you still have a skipping rope lying around at home, this is your chance to put it to good use. You can easily increase the intensity here - just jump as fast as you can. This is not only great fun, but also very effective at the same time.

Jumping Jacks

Admittedly, jumping jacks just sound cooler than jumping jacks. Ultimately, both refer to the same intense exercise: When you jump, you raise your arms above your head and your legs come apart. On the second jump you come back to your starting position.

Do you also belong to the morning grump category and would it be better not to be spoken to before your first coffee? Then you'll find out right here why it's worth ignoring your inner weaker self the first time you step out of bed and scheduling your training session in the early hours of the morning . Of course, this also applies to your Tabata-style training.

This is what your Tabata training plan could look like

We remember: Especially as a beginner, you should approach Tabata training with caution. However, have you already built up basic fitness and now want to improve it quickly and sustainably? Then you can rely on Tabata training as a useful addition to your actual workout plan . Especially when things have to happen quickly, a Tabata workout at home can really be a game changer.

• Warm up
• 20 seconds jumping jacks + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds push-ups + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds jump rope + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds mountain climbers + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds squats + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds jumping jacks + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds jump rope + 10 seconds recovery
• 20 seconds squats + 10 seconds recovery
• Cool down or stretch

If you've really exhausted yourself while training with the Tabata principle, you can refill your carbohydrate batteries with Dextro Energy* . We have developed our special recovery products for you, such as the delicious Recovery° Drink Tropical , which provides your muscles with everything they need after an intensive workout.

* contains carbohydrates

° Proteins contribute to increasing and maintaining muscle mass.

A varied, balanced diet and a healthy lifestyle are important.

SOURCES

Tabata, I. et al. (1996): Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10).

Sean Ingle: The Tabata workout program: harder, faster, fitter, quicker? The Guardian, March 25, 2013

 

PHOTO CREDITS

Header image: @iStock.com/LumiNola