Fast Fitness

There are those who want to go to the gym, but just do not have the time available to go there, get changed, workout, shower, and get dressed again. Some people think that this is the way we have to do it. Another mistaken idea is that we need to spend thousands of dollars for a good home gym. What can be done to strengthen muscles, burn fat, and not take an substantial time investment? Tabata Protocol training is the simple, effective, and efficient answer.

What is Tabata training?

Izumi Tabata instituted a training regimen for Japanese Olympic speed skaters. You may have heard it referred to as High Intensity Interval Training. The long and the short of this is that it is intense and it works.

This style of training consists of intense bursts of activity followed by brief periods of rest. This cycle is repeated for the specified training time.

There are several benefits to be realized by doing a simple Tabata drill or adding a month of HIIT to your routine.

Benefits

The benefits we can expect to realize from this are quite impressive.

Calories

Our bodies will burn glycogen for fuel during the beginning of our workout. After several minutes our bodies burn fat for the necessary energy to complete the training cycle. The faster we get into the fat burning zone, the better. Most trainers and the fitness professionals hold that 20 minutes is the minimum period of time needed to achieve the goal of burning fat for energy

Studies show 5 times more effective at burning calories than moderate aerobic activities By working at near maximal heart rates we burn a greater amount of calories. Think about this, when you're on the highway and you smash the gas pedal down, you burn through gasoline very fast.

Studies also show that this type of training causes the body to continue to burn calories at a higher rate for up to 24 hours after the workout. We do not get this from an average, or above average, cardio regimen

Through this type of training our bodies learn to be more effective at cleaning out metabolic waste in between the intervals of intense workout. The body becomes better at immediate short term recovery. Your system will be able to handle longer, faster runs with more ease after these.

HIIT is also one of several ways to boost both testosterone and growth hormone levels. These hormones are extremely important for both muscle gain and fat loss.

Your cardiovascular system will also see rapid improvements through HIIT. The improvements are greater than a moderate level of cardio training.

Muscular Fitness

Jogging is nice and comfortable, and there is nothing wrong with that. I enjoy running with my Akita. HIIT uses endurance muscle fibers, Type 1, and Type 2, the power and strength fibers. Part of this, I believe, is due to our body's natural emergency reflex reaction. What happens when we move explosively, for instance sprinting, our system is screaming 'emergency'. Our muscles react by firing a greater number of muscle fibers than would be necessary to complete the exercise.

By working at close to your maximal heart rate, you will be burning the most calories, and causing the most physiological changes to your body that will be beneficial to fat loss.

How do you do it?

My experience with Tabata drills is a four minute routine. Four minutes, too easy/ Everyone can find four minutes to train, right? This particular drill is 20 seconds of all out, gut busting sprinting followed by 10 seconds of walking or jogging. This cycle is repeated for a total of 8 times. Four minutes, too easy. Let me warn you now, it is a very harsh four minutes.

Sample Routines

All that being said, I have included three outlines for you to try. I have done the 4 minute one before for a month and it is harsh. Harsh, but well worth it.I have included below three Tabata/HIIT routines. They vary in time length from 20 to 25 minutes down to 4 minutes duration.

These first two you will need to download a Tabata app onto your phone or other device to help you keep track.

20 Seconds RUN!

10 Seconds Walk or Jog

Repeat for a total of 8 cycles

Minute 1: Squat Jumps
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat onceMinute 2: Burpees
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat once
Minute 3: Squat Jumps
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat onceMinute 4: Burpees
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat onceMinute 5 – 6: Rest
Minute 7: Squat Jumps
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
RepeatMinute 8: Burpees
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat onceMinute 9: Squat Jumps
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat onceMinute 10: Burpees
20 Seconds on
10 Seconds off
Repeat once

Another training outline consists of running for one minute then walking/jogging for two minutes. This cycle is repeated for 20 to 25 minutes. Or, you can run the straights on the track and jog/walk the curves for 20 minutes.

Thank you, enjoy, and good health to you.