Training For Life

As this article points out, this is not for everyone.  The basic principle of interval training described here can be modified and applied  to most people.  This should give you some great insight and help you challenge yourself  a little more.  As always please feel free to submit training questions and post any comments below.  Happy Training.

What is Tabata? The Tabata protocol is an interval training method originating from a study performed by Dr. Izumi Tabata and his associates, in 1996 at Tokyo, Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sport. Tabata intervals are an incredibly demanding and incredibly effective way to raise anaerobic fitness levels and to increase VO2max. Like all intervals, Tabata intervals are also an outstanding tool for fat loss. 

After performing Tabata intervals for a period of six straight weeks, the athletes participating in the study demonstrated a 28% increase in anaerobic fitness and showed a 14% increase in VO2max. The method also proved highly effective for fat loss, creating a powerful metabolic after-burn.

Now remember: Dr. Tabata and his colleagues performed this study on trained endurance athletes who were already in superb physical condition. And you can hear plenty of stories of puking, passing out, and other great stuff from long-time, serious exercisers who dared to attempt the Tabata protocol. A lot of people will try it once, be amazed by the superior burn—and then talk about it a lot but never try it again.  

Subsequent tests performed on de-conditioned participants failed to replicate the results of the initial experiment performed by Dr. Tabata. This is presumably because you need to already be in great shape in order to achieve the level of intensity needed to make Tabata’s intervals effective. So if you are new to working out, this is not where you want to start.

Tabata intervals are an ideal training method for athletes such as boxers, wrestlers, or mixed martial artists who need to be able to perform at an absolute maximum effort for brief but punishing periods of time.

If you still want to try it, it’s pretty simple in its design. Here’s how to do it. One Tabata interval goes like this: You simply do twenty seconds of any cardiovascular exercise at the absolute maximum effort of which you are capable. Then you rest for only ten seconds. Then you twenty seconds of max effort again, and then you rest for another ten seconds. You go on to repeat this entire cycle eight times. So a total interval adds up to four minutes. But generally athletes will perform more than one Tabata interval in workout routine—for example they’ll do four separate intervals. That’s still just sixteen minutes, though, for one highly effective workout.

In his study, Dr. Tabata had his participants perform their intervals using a mechanically braked cycle ergometer. But you can successfully utilize this method with just about any form of cardiovascular exercise or with calisthenics.

        

What makes Tabata so effective? Your body has two different fueling systems. They are the aerobic and the anaerobic systems. The aerobic system uses oxygen to burn fuel, and that’s the system you use for lower intensity exercise. When you work out at higher levels of intensity, your muscles need a lot more oxygen. At some point, if you are exercising hard enough, there is just not going to be enough oxygen in your system to keep up with the demands of your muscles. This is where the anaerobic system kicks in. It’s hard to get to this point, but you will definitely get there if you do Tabata intervals correctly. That is why you can get such an intense and effectual workout in so little time.

Posted under Cardio, Fitness, Lifting