Tabata protocol training for beginners

There are many styles of training and fitness trends that you've probably heard about a million times over the years, and some of them you've even experienced yourself. They all have their own benefits, helping us develop strength, lose weight, improve flexibility or build muscle mass, and are designed to help us achieve our dream body.

One of these popular methods is the Tabata fat-burning workout (or Tabata protocol), known for its high efficiency in accelerating metabolism (up to 9 times) and losing extra pounds. The editors of beauty.ua decided to figure out what the Tabata system is, how it works and what the essence of such physical activity is.

What is the Tabata protocol in fitness?

This protocol was invented by a Japanese doctor, Izumi Tabata, who named it after himself. It happened in 1996, when the doctor was looking for a method to increase the endurance of Japanese athletes. That's when he developed this super intense interval training.

Its testing on athletes confirmed its strong influence on both aerobic and anaerobic systems of the body. Today, the protocol named after its creator is very popular all over the world, and the name Izumi Tabata has become virtually a household name. Thus, Tabata has become another trend in fitness and a type of activity for improving health.

The uniqueness of this workout lies in its maximum effectiveness and minimum duration.

A standard Tabata workout lasts, you won’t believe it, only 4 minutes!

At the same time, the exercises of this system accelerate the metabolism so much that the body burns and burns calories for several hours after the workout is completed. Ideal for very busy and very lazy people, right?

The “Classic Tabata” method is 8 approaches of 20 seconds of exercise, as well as 10 seconds of rest. In just a minute of exercise you will lose about 13 calories, and your body will receive a full and harmonious load.

What is important is that your calories will be burned more intensely and further - which is ideal for losing weight.

Types of protocol

Over the years of application, the exercises of the Tabata protocol have acquired a wide variety, which allows one to develop one or another quality for an athlete. All this made it possible to use the Tabata protocol not only as a separate treatment discipline, but also as an element of a complex within a full-fledged training.

You can download and print the leaflet using the link.

Tabata exercises for fat burning and the secret of effectiveness

Both the developer of the protocol and other experts confirm that fat after training is actually burned for several hours. And this is great - you relax, and at the same time lose weight!

Why is this happening? The fact is that in the process of excessive effort, the body does not receive enough oxygen and, in fact, its deficiency occurs. After each approach, oxygen consumption increases significantly; this is necessary to compensate for its lack.

As a result, cells begin to renew themselves very intensively. The balance of hormones is restored, the muscles begin to work more actively. But the main thing is that anabolism accelerates, that is, much more energy is spent for the formation of tissues and cells than after regular training. This is the effectiveness of Tabata for weight loss.

Tabata in crossfit

CrossFit is a direction that has absorbed the best from different areas of fitness, but few people know that the Tabata protocol played a decisive role in the formation of CrossFit as a sport.

It's all about the principles of CrossFit and Tabata, which have a lot in common:

1. High intensity interval training.
2. Priority over the aerobic component. Many CrossFit complexes, although performed with more rest than in Tabata, still involve working at maximum speed with minimal rest.
3. Variety of exercises.
4. Using light exercises to work out as many muscle groups as possible. A typical example is burpees. This exercise works almost the entire body in a few repetitions.
5. Lack of narrow specialization. Both Tabata and CrossFit have exercises of different types, ranging from easy calisthenics to more complex workout elements.

In CrossFit, entire workouts are often used using the Tabata protocol, for example, working with a balance board in this mode or performing heavy basic exercises without scaling.

Benefits of Tabata

There are many important advantages that the Tabata system brings, here are just the main ones:

• there are a lot of exercises, and you can choose more suitable ones for yourself;
• you can easily do exercises at home, without a trainer or gym;
• muscles of all important groups are strengthened, and volumes are reduced;
• the heart trains well;
• fat is burned fairly quickly;
• there is no need to spend money on equipment, special clothing and trainers;
• cheerful music (it is recommended to include it during classes) lifts your spirits and charges you with positivity;
• the endurance of the trainee increases noticeably;
• minimum time is spent, because it is enough to work 3 times a week for only 4 minutes;
• the system is indispensable for fat burning, and the result in the form of a thinner and toned body will be noticeable within a month.

The essence of the Tabata system

The Tabata system is a 4-minute workout that will produce real results for the body in just a few weeks. The developer of the program, Dr. Izumi Tabata, claims that after such a short-term training, a person is “destroyed”; he has no strength left for other loads. A similar effect is achieved through:

• high speed of performing each exercise;
• working out all muscle groups of the body in a short period of time;
• increased functioning of the respiratory and cardiac systems.

Thanks to active breathing during exercise, the body is saturated with oxygen, which automatically speeds up the metabolic process. It is noteworthy that metabolic activity continues in cells after exercise.

In 4 minutes of training using the Tabata system, the muscles work just as intensely as during a 45-minute workout on machines. This means that during the entire period without load, the muscles are forced to recover, “taking advantage” of the accelerated metabolism. Therefore, doctors claim that with regular exercise, the process of losing weight does not stop even during a break from exercise, fat burning occurs in a constant mode.

Tabata method and basic rules

There are 7 basic rules in total, but they must be strictly followed:

1. You cannot eat anything an hour before activity and an hour after.
2. You can drink water, but in moderation.
3. You should also not be active on an empty stomach or before bedtime.
4. You need to exercise 3-4 times a week, not more often.
5. Fatigue after exercise is normal, it should not be scary, because training is really quite exhausting.
6. You need to start with a regular warm-up (its time is not included in the indicated 4 minutes).
7. It is important to breathe correctly - exhale forcefully, inhale relaxing.

Who is it suitable for and who is not?

Tabata is a complete benefit for those who want to quickly get in shape and lose weight, or accelerate the growth of their muscles, increase their own endurance. However, it is not entirely suitable for beginners. It is more likely for those who already have training experience. At least 2-3 months of cardio activity or strength training is required.

This system also has contraindications. It will only bring harm to the following categories of citizens:

• “dummies” from sports, people who have no training experience at all;
• everyone who suffers from diseases of the cardiovascular system;
• everyone who is on a mono-diet or a low-carbohydrate diet;
• people with minimal endurance;
• has serious back injuries or acute spinal problems;
• hypertensive patients;
• people with respiratory problems.

Tabata Fitness: General Recommendations

To make Tabata training effective and safe, follow these recommendations:

• You can't exercise on a full stomach. Let at least two hours pass between your last meal and your workout.
• First, choose an exercise that your body can handle for all eight sets. If the one you choose is too complex for you, temporarily replace it with a simpler one.
• It is recommended to start exercising with a warm-up, during which the muscles should warm up properly. Let it last at least ten minutes.
• After a Tabata workout, it is recommended to do some stretching exercises.
• The workout is high intensity and causes the body to lose fluid. When you're done, drink a couple of glasses of water to replenish what you're missing.
• After finishing your workout, eat something low-fat and protein: cottage cheese, a boiled egg, a piece of chicken breast.
• The effectiveness of your workout will increase if you eat right. It is important to limit the amount of junk food in your diet and cut down on its calorie content. You should not eat intensively, as for building muscles - in this case there will be no result.

The effectiveness of training can be analyzed using a number of subjective and objective indicators. Subjective - a feeling of warmth or even heat in the muscles, pleasant painful sensations in them, active sweating. Objective indicators can be calculated based on heart rate readings after training. After a good workout, your heart rate should be about 75% of the maximum possible. The maximum possible heart rate is calculated using the formula 220 minus your age. For a person aged 30 years, the pulse at the end of the workout should be approximately this - (220-30) x 0.75 = 142.5 beats per minute. Small deviations in one direction or another are allowed.

Since Tabata is a high-intensity training system, in some cases it may be contraindicated. This applies mainly to people with diseases of the cardiovascular system and musculoskeletal system. Exercise can cause dizziness, darkening of the eyes, and severe pain. If you feel these signs, stop doing the exercise. If you have chronic diseases, consult a specialist before starting classes.

We invite you to watch several videos about Tabata training.

Tabata workout for women

Below I present exercises from this system, of moderate complexity. They are for ordinary women, but with training experience, not for beginners. You can alternate them on different days, or choose the most suitable or acceptable ones for yourself.

Exercises for women:

• jumping with changing the position of the legs (legs wide - legs together);
• punching a punching bag or an imaginary opponent;
• various types of squats;
• knee push-ups;
• lunges in step (forward and sideways);
• running in place, touching your buttocks with your heels;
• twisting from a lying position (press work);
• forward kicks;
• bar;
• kicks to the sides.

I invite you to watch what Tabata training for women looks like in the video:

Tabata fat burning workout Several exercises

To begin with, we perform the simplest warm-up, for example:

• leg lunges. How to do it? We put our right leg forward, slightly bending the knee, and leave the left leg in its original position (that is, straightened). Perform in 5-6 approaches.
• squats (do not lift your heels off the surface)
• body turns left/right
• bending the body back/forward. The number of executions is 10-15 times.
• We swing our arms (like in physical education lessons, “scissors”)

After doing this, give your body a rest for 5 minutes and then begin Tabata exercises. Basic requirement: Stick to time intervals: the most common exercises (8 pieces) need to be done in 4 minutes, allocating 20 seconds for each at an accelerated pace. Then rest for 10 seconds and the next set of exercises.

• No. 1 Exercise. We squat at a fast pace as much as possible.
• No. 2 Exercise. Do push-ups for 20 seconds. If it is difficult to perform, then you can lean on your knees.

No. 3 Exercise. We lie on our backs, move our arms behind our heads, and bend our legs at the knees. We quickly do crunches, lifting our shoulder blades off the floor.

No. 4 Exercise. We take a standing position and lunge with our legs forward (right/left), bending them at an angle of 90.

No. 5 Exercise. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and bend your knees at a 90° angle. Next, we begin to quickly lift the buttocks and back from the surface.

No. 6 Exercise. To begin, lie on the floor on your stomach. Then, at a fast pace, we tear off the legs and body from it, and then slowly lower them back.

No. 7 Exercise. Lying position, focusing on the forearms. You need to stand in this position for up to 20 seconds, pulling in your tummy and keeping your lower back straight.

No. 8 Exercises. We rest our hands on a chair or sofa from behind and begin to do push-ups (arms should be parallel to each other).

Note: if you have previously played sports, then these exercises can be complicated by adding dumbbells. If any of the above exercises seem difficult to you, then you can replace them with another, for example:

1. We begin to raise straight legs to the top.
2. Everyone's favorite exercise is “scissors”. Lying position: raise straight legs at an angle of 45° and cross.
3. Raise straight handles with dumbbells to the sides.
4. Raising your knees to your hands. We stand straight, bend our arms at the elbows and raise our bent knees diagonally towards them.

Take note of how to perform Tabata exercises:

• be prepared to give 100% to your studies
• do not exercise immediately after waking up, it will be a lot of stress for the body
• a mandatory attribute of Tabata exercises is a warm-up of up to 7 minutes
• If possible, try to adhere to proper nutrition.

Tabata exercises. Reviews from people

Ksenia. The Tabata system was recommended to me by a trainer, since I didn’t have time to go to the gym. After the first lesson, I was so exhausted and tired that I simply could not get up. But despite this, I continued my studies. And a month later I lost minus 5 kg + my body became toned. I advise you to try everything. Fast and efficient.

Lyudmila. After giving birth, extra pounds and belly appeared. I found information on the forum that supposedly in 2 weeks you can tighten your sagging belly. And now it’s the second week and the result is incredible. But I’ll be honest, it’s very, very difficult for people like me, who haven’t been particularly involved in sports. So I wish you all the best!

Tanya. This is the first time I have heard about this method of losing weight. How can you do so many exercises in 4 minutes? Isn't this very dangerous for the body?

Katerina. Wow I have to try it. I'll start classes tomorrow, I'll post about the results.

Sergey. As a coach, I will say, girls, be sure to warm up your muscles, otherwise there may be consequences after express weight loss.

Inessa. I’m going to the seaside in a week, can I do Tabata exercises every day? And somehow I found out about this method too late, but it’s really necessary to put the body in order. Thanks for any information.

Karina. Tabata training is the most effective and useful for me. I really see the result, I feel lightness and, on top of that, my metabolism has accelerated. I look ten years younger, even my husband works out with me, it’s more fun.

Tabata workout for men

The basic rules and time intervals for men are the same. But they must do everything with even greater speed, greater effort and greater intensity. If a man is not exactly a fitness freak and has no contraindications, it is advisable for him to do 8 workouts of 20 seconds each. At the same time, taking breaks of 10 seconds between them.

Men's exercises are:

• straight grip pull-ups;
• squats;
• classic push-ups;
• reverse grip pull-ups;
• lunges in step;
• twisting from a supine position, legs suspended and knees bent (as in the picture);
• striking to the side with both legs, at an invisible enemy.

See the exercises that can be used to create a Tabata workout for men at home:

Tabata for Beginners: Example Workout

Before starting your workout, warm up for a few minutes. An example of a Tabata training session might look like this:

• push-ups – 4 minutes s
• bodyweight squats – 4 minutes
• Burpee exercise – 4 minutes
• exercise “Climber” (“Mountaineer”) – 4 minutes

Start with push-ups. Perform them for 20 seconds at high intensity. Rest for 10 seconds and then return to 20 seconds of push-ups. After completing eight rounds, rest for one minute.

Then move on to squats and repeat the familiar sequence of alternating 20 and 10 seconds. Once you've completed eight sets, take a one-minute break again and then do a set of burpees. After this, rest and finish the workout with the Climber exercise.

Tabata is great for express training at home if you don't have much time or can't go to the gym. But you can also include this type of exercise in your fitness program and get great results.

Tip: to make it easier for you to keep track of time during training, download the special “Tabata Timer” application, which will help you customize the intervals between approaches for yourself.

If you want to get started with exercises that burn fat better than running as soon as possible, Tabata video examples will help you master this highly effective workout.

Life story

By the way, one of my friends confirmed the effectiveness of the Tabata system by trying it on herself. She was planning a big wedding. At the same time, I set myself a clear goal - to lose 5 kilograms in 2 months, plus tighten the muscles of my arms and abdomen.

And the Tabata system gave excellent results - weight was lost, the necessary muscles were toned, and the bride looked great in an open dress! I’ll add that my friend trained every other day, doing 8 approaches.

Finally, I recommend an excellent video on how exercises can be incorporated into a Tabata protocol for both men and women. A true classic of the genre!

That's all, my dear friends! I really hope that the material about what Tabata is will inspire you to new fitness feats. Are you planning to train using this unique Japanese system? Or maybe you’ve already tried the complex on yourself?

Please share your opinions, successes and achievements in the comments. I would be grateful for your likes and subscriptions to my channel, as well as for sharing articles with your friends via social networks. See you again!