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Tabata Training
Blog | July 01, 2014
So What Exactly Is Tabata?
Izumi Tabata
Tabata or the Tabata Protocol is one of the earlier versions of athletic conditioning that we now commonly refer to as high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is named after the Japanese sports scientist, Izumi Tabata. Currently Izumi Tabata is a professor of sports science at Japan’s Ritsumeikan University.
In 1996, Izumi Tabata was asked by the head coach of the Japanese Olympic speed skating team to study and analyze his methods of conditioning for his athletes. Coach Irisiwa Koichi conditioned his athletes by having them exert maximum effort for short bursts followed by a brief rest. Not factoring in warm-ups or cool downs, the total amount of actual conditioning consisted of only four minutes. That may not sound like very much until you consider that maximum effort means maximum effort. Professor Tabata’s research and analysis of Coach Koichi’s methods established a solid scientific basis for the physiological benefits of what we now refer to as Tabata training.
How Does It Work?
The typical Tabata protocol is eight rounds. It requires twenty seconds of maximum effort, be it sprinting, cycling, rowing, etc., followed by ten seconds of rest (The initial 1996 study was done on stationary bikes). Eight rounds of this workout cycle totals only four minutes. Sounds simple right? Wrong! If done correctly, four minutes of Tabata will burn as many calories as a 60-minute jog and leave you panting in a pool of sweat. Again, those twenty seconds of maximum effort means going as hard and as fast as possible. According to professor Tabata, the goal is to be at your VO2 max, meaning you maximum rate of breathing in oxygen! Phew! Just thinking about it has me out of breath.
Benefits of Tabata
Aside from the potential to burn calories at a monumental rate, Tabata can also do wonders for increasing one’s aerobic and anaerobic capacities. Professor Tabata’s research shows that substantial gains are made in both strength and endurance when consistently following the Tabata Protocol. Professor Tabata is also hopeful that his current research will demonstrate that his now-famous method of conditioning will benefit people with chronic illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.
Tabata is a great addition to the Zgym and an effective way to supplement your workouts, especially if you’re short on time, but high on motivation.
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Hi Zuzka.. Thanks For Your workouts..
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thanks for the info Zuzka, I’m going to give this a try for July!
<3
T
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fabuloso…
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That’s a great article!
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Tabata style is definitely one of my favorite ways to workout and I’m so happy you brought it back!
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Right, It is great, because you can reach as high as you want! Thanks by this comment.
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heard your interview with Jillian very motivating
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As I’m doing my Zgym with a Polar I can assure you that my heart rate raises during series . (The second full round is usualy in the “red zone” ) . Just 1 question : you used to do Tabata style with 50″-10″ rest . why skip to 20″-10″ ? have a nice day warriors
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Because thats the Tabata protocol. 50/10 is just a breakdown used in HIIT sometimes. Tabata uses shorter work periods because you workout at such a high intensity that 50 seconds would be very difficult. You really need to hit a high VO2max in those 20 seconds. Your VO2max is the maximum amount of oxygen your cells can use at a time. After that level you go into anaerobic respiration – which is where you want to go with Tabata. This increases your efficiency of work when in an anerobic state and also increases your VO2max.
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I recommend the Tabata protocol, which is very useful, but I do not think it is ideal for VO2 Max training. For this purpose still running or cycling in repeats structures is the most effective way. Otherwise the Viking Warrior Conditioning is more effective than Tabata for VO2 Max enhancement. What is critical is the choice of the exercises to be performed. To Anne-Caroline : a 50/10 structure IS NOT Tabata; increasing working time with recovery not increasing means you are lowering intensity, which is contradictory with the purpose of Tabata.
Anyway,Zuzka you are doing a grat job. Keep it up!
http://www.movementcode.net/blog/files/818bfb80182320c67196cad44d61ea1b-18.html
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I had read somewhere that another study (I think australians) had experimented other timings, and came up with conclusion that the length is not so critical, but the ratio of work/rest must be somehow maintained. I like the 20/10 ratio for very simple moves where you really can do bursts and max effort…think : can you hold your breath for that long?? then it would be considered an anaerobic exercise like sprinting…well…20 sec is a bit long. Being used to the 50/10 format and the 30/30 format, I prefer each of them depending on my condition of the day and the exercise done (30/30 when I am not super great so I have more time to recover…50/10 when doing complex combos and in great shape). I often use a middleground as 45 /15.