With so many workout programs and styles to follow, it can easily become overwhelming on what to choose. Most people have the same goal; lose fat and build muscle. Now a good clean diet will surely help out with the process of this, but there are some good workout approaches to follow for sure to help accomplish this goal.
Most people want fast along with the effective. HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is a very popular workout approach because of the fast and effective attribute. However, there is a certain form of HIIT that has developed a cult like following in the fitness world that is NOT Cross-Fit.
The training is simply called Tabata.
Tabata training was discovered by a Japanese scientist named Dr. Izumi Tabata and team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo.
A pretty conclusive test was performed on two groups of athletes. Group 1 worked out 5 to 6 days a week at a moderate intensity for about an hour each workout. Group 2 worked out for 4 days a week for only 4 minutes and 20 seconds per exercise (10 second rest periods in between sets) at a high level of intensity. Yes, only 4 minutes and 20 seconds. Each group was tested for a total of 6 weeks.
Group 1 showed an increase in their cardiovascular performance but little in muscle gain. Group 2 showed much more increase in cardiovascular performance and almost a 30 percent increase in muscle gain. So, the results are obvious; Tabata HIIT increases both aerobic performance and muscle gain.
A Tabata workout example is:
- Push-ups (4 minutes)
- Bodyweight Squats (4 minutes)
- Burpees (4 minutes)
- Mountain Climbers (4 minutes)
Start with push-ups. Perform them for 20 seconds at a high-intensity. Rest for 10 seconds, and then go back to doing push-ups for 20 seconds. Once you complete eight sets of push-ups, rest for one minute.
Next, move on to squats and repeat the sequence of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. Once you finish eight sets of squats, rest for one minute, and then do burpees. After burpees, finish the workout with mountain climbers.
So, Tabata is a “no joke” approach to fitness. If you are looking to build up your cardiovascular performance and put on some extra muscle, all while saving a bunch of time, Tabata is the way to go. Give it a shot!
