Harness the energy of 4-minute Tabata training intervals to burn fat, increase aerobic power, and finish every strength workout in a creative way!
In our quest to become lean and physically attractive, we often turn to functional training. If you’ve been wondering how to speed up the breakdown of fat and achieve maximum results in the shortest possible time, most likely you are already alternating bursts of high-intensity cardio with short periods of recovery.

This technique is known as High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT). For those of you who want to get to the top, we recommend trying a specific variation of HIIT, the Tabata Protocol.

The Tabata protocol brings anaerobic and aerobic fat-burning mechanisms into full play in a crazy workout that lasts a matter of minutes. It’s a heart-pounding session where you work to your limits for 20 seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. And so 4 minutes.

But… just four minutes of real training? Can the Tabata Protocol really claim to be the Holy Grail for people who want maximum results in minimum time? Let’s take a closer look at this protocol and find out how we can use its strengths.

4 minute miracle?
TABATA IS SUITABLE FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES NOT LIKE TO PEDAL LONG.
The Tabata Protocol is a system that became very popular after the publication of a study conducted by a Japanese scientist, sports doctor Izumi Tabata in the mid-90s. He studied the training of Olympic speed skaters and came to the following conclusions. Twenty seconds of super-intense cycling followed by 10 seconds of rest, and so on for 4 minutes, leads to a rapid increase in aerobic and anaerobic capacity without any negative effect on muscle mass.

Compared to monotonous cardio training, the Tabata Protocol was a clear winner, although its effect on fat burning was not proven in the original study. The influence on the development of endurance and working capacity was also not taken into account.

With a warm-up and a cool-down, the classic protocol takes 16 minutes. Anyone who has a persistent dislike for long cardio workouts, Tabata training provides a reliable and proven way to get through an aerobic session quickly, just don’t confuse speed with ease! Due to the rapid accumulation of lactic acid and total lack of air, this 4-minute program will exhaust you in a way that many other cardio workouts cannot.

Lose weight without losing muscle mass
Of course, both Tabata and circuit training are built on the same principles of alternating high- and low-intensity intervals, but only the Tabata Protocol has positive properties proven during the experiment. However, longer sessions of high-intensity training have one major advantage over Tabata training, namely a dramatic increase in oxygen consumption over the 24 hours following training.

Although it may not seem like a big deal to you, high-intensity training dramatically increases your overall calorie expenditure. This happens due to increased metabolism after training, and, unlike monotonous aerobic sessions, this effect persists for the next 24 hours.

Both the Tabata Protocol and HIIT offer tremendous benefits for people who want to maintain muscle mass. Unlike traditional steady-pace cardio sessions, high-intensity intervals help you gain and maintain muscle mass. This is explained by the fact that fast-twitch muscle fibers – the most prone to growth – are more efficiently worked out by training of this type.

Cardio tabata protocol
Mastering the Tabata Protocol should not be difficult:

Start with a 10-minute warm-up at a steady pace
Work at a crazy pace for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds
Repeat the 20/10 cycle eight times (4 minutes total)
End your workout with a 2-minute cool down

FOR TABATA TRAINING YOU CAN USE EVEN JUMPS ON THE PLACE.
Return to the program 3-5 times a week
Choose cardio equipment that allows you to quickly change the degree of resistance
Over time, your body adapts to one type of exercise, so change machines as often as possible to keep burning as many calories as possible.
For the most productive fat burning, switch to the Tabata Protocol after strength training, when the muscles have already used up their carbohydrate supply.
Beginners can join slower and not train at the limit of human capabilities in all 8 rounds
Using Tabata Principles in Strength Training
I am ready for every follower of the Tabata principles to come down on me with criticism: how can the Protocol be adapted to workouts for which it was never intended! I know this is at least a yellow card, but the very spirit of Tabata creates the final chords that will help to explode the target muscle group at the end of the workout.

Tabata-style trains the heart and lungs, but it also provokes intense muscle pumps. This is very important, because filling the muscles with blood not only delivers nutrients and stretches the muscle fibers. It has been proven that pumping stimulates an increase in the secretion of growth hormone, and growth hormone is both anabolic and lipolytic (fat burner).

TABATA-STYLE EXERCISES ARE PERFECT TO END YOUR WORKOUT.
If you’re ready to add Tabata-style exercises to the final part of your strength training session, here are some tips:

Choose multi-joint exercises that involve more muscles than isolated movements.
Avoid exercises in which it is difficult to get into a starting position. For example, the seated bench press is better than the dumbbell overhead press.
Since you will be working at a crazy intensity, I advise you to choose exercises not with free weights, but in machines. So it will be easier for you to follow the technique of performing movements, especially against the background of fatigue at the end of the approach. A good choice would be a chest press on a machine, a deadlift on a lower block, a squat on a Smith machine, or a leg press.
Work fast and hard, but keep your reps clean. Pick a weight that you can do 12-15 reps with perfect form, but train for time, not reps.
Buy a stopwatch or download a Tabata timer to your phone to make sure the intervals are consistent. It’s hard to keep track of time when you’re working at your best.
Full body exercises are prime candidates for recreating the crazy intensity of Tabata training. They can be performed with your own weight or even with kettlebells, which will bring novelty to your strength training.
Are you doing a classic cardio workout using the Tabata Protocol or one of the options inspired by rest-pause protocol, get ready to work at your best and don’t be afraid to experiment. This way you will continue to progress and avoid boredom.