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:tabata A Four Minute complete workout For the time poor who want a fast exercise option, Tabata is definitely worth looking into. With the claim of taking just four minutes from your day for a complete workout, Tabata may be intense but if it really takes less time than it takes to get changed into your workout gear, why not give it a go? Tabata training in a nutshell Each Tabata has eight intervals of which you exercise at a very high intensity for 20 seconds. After 20 seconds, you have 10 seconds to rest. Tabata is a form of high intensity training and one of the benefits is that it can boost your metabolism and get your heart rate up in a matter of seconds. The science behind it is the reason for its prominence and any functional movement can be subbed into the rep scheme such as: squats, pull ups, push-ups, sit-ups, running, rowing, skipping, boxing jumping, lunging, kettle-bell swinging etc. The history behind Tabata In 1996, Dr. Izumi Tabata published the results of a study demonstrating that the aerobic and anaerobic pathways could be trained simultaneously. This was a significant finding, as most authorities had regarded the two pathways – and training for them – as compartmentalized. Aerobic training was largely long slow distance (LSD) work, and anaerobic training was typically regarded as some hard-to-measure dark component left to the explosion sports. Dr. Tabata settled on eight sets of 20 second work intervals alternating with 10 second rest intervals as the most effective interval times for improving VO 2 max. What steps should I take to find the right Tabata training method for me? First, make sure you have some sort of journal or list saying what exercises you used for your Tabata and how heavy the weight was that you used (if you're doing exercises that require weights). It is recommended to have a journal so that you can see if you are getting stronger. 74 | www.h e rma gaz i n e . c o. n z Second, make sure to have a timer with you. If you are exercising indoors and are near a computer, you can use this timer. If you are outside, you can download a Tabata app or mp3 Tabata. Be sure to have proper attire as well as a water bottle and towel to refresh you between rounds. Next, you want to ask yourself what it is you want to achieve. Do you want to lose fat? Do you want to improve your endurance? Do you want to improve your muscle endurance? Do you want to gain size and strength at the same time as improving your cardio? All these can help formulate what exercises to include. This is a sample of a simple Tabata session: • Push-ups for intervals 1 and 3 • Body weight squats for intervals 2 and 4 • Medicine ball slams for intervals 5 and 7 • Sprinting or jumping rope for intervals 6 and 8 Now that you have designed your own Tabata and know what exercises to use, you are ready to begin. Make sure everything is ready and that you have all the necessary tools. Ensure you warm up properly beforehand and stretch or else you'll pull a muscle during the session. If you feel that you are getting tired and cannot go all out during one of the intervals, you can rest for that session and go all out in the next, or you can go at a moderate intensity. However, if you find that you are doing this too often, redesign the exercises in your Tabata so that you can go through all the intervals at your max. Finally, after the Tabata training, do a cool down (this can be a light jog around the track or light skipping and biking) and stretch. Make sure that your body gets proper rest and nutrition if you want to see the results you want. Jason Sawyer www.crossfitnewmarket.co.nz