Your workout doesn’t have to last forever to be effective. A Tabata-style workout can reduce your exercise time while kicking your results into high gear.

What Is a Tabata-Style Workout?

A Tabata-style workout is a series of exercises inspired by the work of Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., and his team at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Japan. It is a form of high-intensity interval training (known as HIIT). 

His original workout was a mere four minutes long, which may not sound like a big deal at first glance. The four minutes are divided into eight intervals of 20 seconds each, with 10 seconds of rest between sets. You can choose the exercises, allowing for variation both from workout to workout and even within the same workout.

Why Are Tabata-Style Workouts So Great?

Science shows that when you push your body to the max for short bursts of time, you spark big metabolic benefits along with other health improvements. Enhance your health markers overall while lowering blood pressure, burning off body fat, strengthening your muscles, and improving your cardiovascular health. Not only that, but the intensity of your workout will also have you burning fat for hours afterward due to the “EPOC” effect (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption).

Benefits of a Tabata-Style Workout

There are so many benefits to this type of workout that you’ll probably want to get started right away! 

Efficient—You won’t be able to use the excuse that “you have no time” to exercise. If you don’t have four minutes, you need to re-prioritize.

Spike in Metabolism—When you use a Tabata-Style workout, you’ll burn fat in the moment as well as long after your workout is finished. Your metabolism will be revved up for hours.

Greater Cardiovascular Fitness—If you want a big boost in your level of cardiovascular health, a Tabata-style workout should be your go-to plan.

All Fitness Levels—Because this type of program is so versatile, you can customize it for any fitness level. Choose your own exercises and go low or high impact, depending on your workout needs.

Modifiable—You can easily adapt or change the exercises, types of exercises (body weight, kettlebells, weights, jump rope, etc.) as well as the amount of weight you’re using in your sets.

Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditioning—Yes, you will improve both systems, and you can use exercises from both camps as well. You’ll improve your health in multiple arenas regardless of the focus of your workout.

High Impact or Low Impact—This type of workout can easily be adapted to fit either a high- or low-impact program. You can stick with one exercise throughout the sets, or feel free to mix it up with different types of exercises. Adapt the program to fit your needs.

How Can You Refresh Your Tabata-Style Workout?

If you’ve been doing Tabata-style workouts for a while and you’re ready for some changes, we have a few suggestions:

Change Your Exercises—You can always throw new and different exercises into the mix and see which combinations you like. 

Change Your Tools—Whether you are using bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, dumbbells, or any other type of equipment, alter what you normally use for a fresh perspective on your workout. If you normally use dumbbells, try kettlebells. If you normally throw in mountain climbers, try jumping rope instead.

Change the Rest and Work Times—Yes, you can play with the intervals, adding more rest if needed or lengthening the work interval if you’re lifting weights. If you’re up for it, do multiple four-minute Tabata intervals.

Change Your Locale—If you’re always exercising at the gym, why not try some rounds at home? Or, take it outside, maybe the beach, a track, or hill sprints.

Types of Moves to Include in Your Tabata-Style Workout

While you can pretty much incorporate any type of movement into your workout, these are some of the more common moves used in Tabata-style workouts:

• High Knees
• Jump Rope
• Kettlebell Swings
• Mountain Climbers
• Push-Ups
• Bodyweight Squats
• Jumping Jacks
• Crunches
• Jump Squats
• Step-Ups
• Lunges
• Alternating Biceps Curls

Your imagination is really the only limit.

Also in your Tabata-Style Workout, Don’t Forget To…

Use Tech to Your Advantage—Yes, there is an app for that. Easily time your intervals with an app on your phone or your smartwatch.

Switch Up Your Sessions—Instead of always doing the same old, same old, try doing cardio intervals, strength intervals, and core-strength intervals, for example.

Warm-Up and Cool Down—Because of the intense nature of this type of workout, warming up and cooling down is an absolute must.

Use Proper Form—Just because you’re going fast doesn’t mean you can skimp on form. In fact, due to the intensity of the workout, proper form is more important than ever.

Go Slow When You Go Fast—This may be a fast-paced workout style, but it’s still important to gradually increase your weight and even the duration of your workouts, as well as the number of times per week you do them. Start with less and build up intensity and time as you get more fit.

So, if you’re ready to refresh your Tabata-style workout, jump in. But remember to keep it consistent, listen to your body, and allow plenty of time for rest and recovery.