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Tabata Timer - (HOW TO USE TABATA WORKOUTS IN 2018!)

How To Workout With Tabata Training

Here's our FREE TABATA WORKOUT TIMER.

Like it? Make your own custom workouts at https://fitatmidlife.com/timer

Need to know more about how to use this?  Read on:

What is the Tabata technique? Tabata is a high intensity training method for conditioning and fat-burning. Let’s find out how we can do a tabata workout, and what some great tabata exercises are.

1. Start the clock or timer (or PLAY this video)

2. Perform the chosen exercise with as much intensity as possible, and as fast as good form permits for 20 seconds.

3. Rest for 10 seconds.

4. Repeat for 8 work and rest cycles (a total of 4 minutes.)

Optional: Collapse on the floor at the conclusion of what is likely the 4 hardest minutes of your week!

The most recent research in 2018 about Tabata concluded that:

“…variations of the Tabata Protocol seem to be indicated to provide increases in aerobic power that are similar to traditional aerobic training while being less time consuming.”

That’s what we want – the same benefits as a long (boring) workout in less time!

How do I use the Tabata method?

Using the Tabata technique is simple – all you really need are an exercise and some sort of timing device, like a clock or a smartphone. The best timing device will have a digital display, and ideally an audio warning of when the work interval begins or ends, but all you really need is any clock with a second hand.

What sort of exercise should I use with Tabata?

What sort of exercises work best with Tabata? Honestly – nearly anything! There are some caveats to using exercises which are too risky to perform in a fatigued state, but with some reasonable care you can really do anything involving body-weight, barbell, dumbbell, or kettle bell.

Young woman illustrating the positions of the burpee exercise - which is a great choice for Tabata

Here’s some ideas, with simple equipment:

Bodyweight squats Push-ups Mountain climbers Kipping pull-ups Kettlebell (or Dumbbell) swings Burpees Jumping rope Almost any bodyweight move Sprints Here’s some ideas if you have more equipment available:

Bike sprints Indoor rower sprints Treadmill sprints Swimming – use a timer that is large, and easy to see or hear. In CrossFit, you’ll often hear “Tabata This”. What does that mean? It means take whichever exercise is requested and do it tabata style – 8 rounds in 4 minutes.

Push-up - the classic bodyweight exercise - do it anywhere and it works great with tabata training.

How does the Tabata technique work? Tabata is an intensity method. The all-out intensity and the ultra-short rest intervals mean you’re going to be fatigued quickly. The short rest interval means you are going to be back to work before you are fully recovered, and when done you are going to have accumulated significant fatigue.

The secret of Tabata is the blow-torch intensity.

Therefore, we consider Tabata to be primarily a conditioning or work capacity training method. It’s not the right framework for pure strength development, and the rapid pace means it’s not really a good skill development method.

High Intensity Interval Training Want the health benefits of hours of exercise in just minutes? Recent research shows that high intensity interval methods such as Tabata may do just that. Using controlled research, it’s been found that people using high intensity techniques achieved the same results of those using long, slow cardio – such as jogging for miles and miles. Regardless of whether “long and slow” or intensity was used, researchers found a 20 percent increase in cardiovascular endurance, good improvements in insulin resistance, and significant increases in the cells responsible for energy production and oxygen in the muscles. But while the slow cardio group spent 48 minutes exercising each workout, the intensity group spent just 10 minutes each workout. A couple working out with jump ropes - Jumping rope works great with tabata.

What equipment do I need for the Tabata technique? Digital Stopwatch for Tabata Training

It’s essential to have a clock, stopwatch, or timer.

The FitAtMidlife free workout timer is a great choice for Tabata workouts. Simply choose the Tabata saved option then click Start. The timer lets you have a great Tabata workout anywhere!

You’ll also need the equipment required by your choice of exercise, including:

Nothing! This technique works great with body-weight exercise. Dumbbell Kettlebell Barbell Kettlebell

Tabata WOD and Workout Ideas Need some ideas for a Tabata WOD (Workout Of the Day)? Here’s a few you can try. Scale these according to your abilities. For example, if you can barely lift a large kettlebell, we don’t recommend using this technique as listed below. These are some of our favorites:

Deadlift your bodyweight Pushups – This is a great, no equipment, workout that can be performed in a small space – like a hotel room. Kettlebell swings Bike – peddle all out for 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds Front squat (with a barbell or dumbbells). This will be insane intensity with almost any weight on the barbell. Sprint – run all out for 20 seconds, rest for 10 Jump Rope – all out for 20 , rest for 10 Tabata – the research proven training method The origins of the name Tabata come from researcher Izumi Tabata who studied this method in his quest for the optimal fat-burning exercise. The name stuck, and it’s sometimes called the “Tabata Protocol”. The original research paper is available widely on the Internet, if you are interested. Kettlebell swings are an excellent exercise, especially with tabata.

Why choose the Tabata technique? Here’s some great reasons to make the Tabata technique a part of your routine:

Flexible – Use this method with nearly any exercise. Simple – Minimal equipment needs means you can do this anywhere you have a clock or timer Great for group training – groups of trainees can use this method easily. You just need space and sufficient equipment. Time efficient – It’s all done in 4 minutes. If you’ve got the willpower to do anything afterwards, you may not have done it with enough intensity! Creativity and Fun – The combinations are infinite – and this means more fun (and effectiveness). When should you not use the Tabata technique?

How Do I Progress the Tabata technique? Here’s how you progress in Tabata:

I used to feel like doing WODs killed me, but now I don’t seem to have that high blood pressure / can’t breathe feeling as much. They still aren’t easy, but idk in some way they don’t feel as hard. I’m not sure if it’s Keto or If my metabolic health is just better. But anyway it’s kinda cool.

Today’s Pre-WOD was overhead squats. I worked on from and kept it light at 15lbs. I used a medicine ball to make sure I was getting low enough, and by gosh I finally am. The coach said I needed to do better at keeping the weight upright, overhead but otherwise she gave me a lot of praise for how far I’ve come.

WOD was 5 rounds of:

20 Russian twists @ 6lb

6 front squats @ 25lb

5 burpee box jump overs

10 Turkish sit ups

We did @zerocarb's favorite movement, power snatches today.

Pre-WOD was 12 sets of 1 Snatch and 2 overhead squats. I did them at 25lb cause I'm still terrible at squatting.

The WOD was 3 rounds

21 power snatch @ 25lb, 21 burpees, and 2 minutes rest

14 power snatch @ 35lb, 14 burpees, and 2 minutes rest

9 power snatch @ 45lb and 9 burpees.

Today's WOD was the same rowing pattern as last week, which I didn't mind at all. We did one minute rowing for calories and one minute resting, until we reached our max.

They lowered the level 1 starting point from 10 to 8 calories, which I'm pretty sure is cause last week I scaled down to starting at 8 calories. Look at me being a trendsetter!

I did the same as last week - 7 rounds ending at my max of 15 calories / minute. My coach told us we should try working on getting 1 calorie for every two pulls. When I gave it my all I could actually get 1 cal per pull! But the trade-off was I burnt out faster.