Today there are few things more valuable than our time. We live with a full schedule, and the truth is that when we finish with everything we had planned, it’s hard to go to the gym. The Tabata method is a solution for those days when you don’t have time to train, but you don’t want to stop activating your body either.
This is a type of training devised in Japan by the doctor Izumi Tabata after comparing the physical results of training five times a week for one hour at 70% performance, or training five times a week for only 4 minutes, but at an intensity of 120%. The result showed that short but high-intensity training had better physical results than long, low-intensity training.
Since then, this method has been perfected, and today it is used as training by many people who do not have time but do have a lot of energy to start training.
Benefits of the Tabata method
This training method has become popular not only because it requires little time, but also because it has multiple health and fitness benefits.
- Simultaneously improves the aerobic and anaerobic system
This method has two advantages. On the one hand, increase cardiovascular resistance, improving the aerobic system. But it also releases more testosterone and growth hormones that promote muscle development, endurance and sports ability.
- It can be done anywhere
You don’t need to go to the gym or use special equipment. With knowing the appropriate exercises, having 4 minutes and a more or less wide space where being able to move is enough and plenty. Of course, wear sportswear, because you are going to sweat!
By training at high intensities we achieve a greater caloric expenditure, which favors weight loss. The best thing is that, by accelerating the cardiovascular rate, we not only burn calories while we are training, but also at rest afterwards.
How to practice the Tabata method
The fundamental key to this method is to do eight series, always respecting this time: 20 seconds of high intensity training, 10 seconds of rest. In total, the 4 minutes proposed by the method are completed.
If it’s your first time doing it, you can start with 20 seconds of training and 20 seconds of rest and slowly go down until you reach a ratio of 20/10.
The other thing to keep in mind is that, for the method to really work, during the 20 seconds of exercise you must put 100% of your energy, trying to reach the highest number of repetitions possible. The number doesn’t matter, it matters that you try your best.
Surely at first you do fewer repetitions and then you improve over time. But the key to the exercise is precisely that it lasts a short time but that the intensity is very high. If not, it doesn’t work.
You can choose whether you work one area or several, but keep in mind that, as it is a very demanding workout, specialists recommend choosing exercises that cover different muscle groups. Otherwise, you run the risk of overloading an area and injuring yourself.
Some of the best exercises to combine in this method are: squats, push-ups, burpees, climbers, jump squats, crunches.
This is an example that you can apply at home:
♦ 20 s squats, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s push-ups, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s climber, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s squats, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s push-ups, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s burpees, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s squats, 10 s rest
♦ 20 s push-ups, 10 s rest
Combine them however you want!
Important: It should be clarified that does not give medical advice or prescribe the use of techniques as a form of treatment for physical or mental problems without the advice of a doctor, either directly or indirectly. In the case of applying any information on this site for this purpose, does not assume responsibility for these acts. The intention of the site is only to offer information of a general nature to help in the search for personal development and growth.
Sources:
Anabela Villa
Vitonic
Food Spring
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