Tabatas

Below is an excerpt from Scott Colby's blog on Tabatas (link: theabsexpert.com/blog)

"2 excuses (among the many I've heard over the years) from people trying to get flat abs are boredom with their cardio workouts and not enough time to do the workouts. Well it's your lucky day because I've got the solution for you – 4 Minute Tabata Interval Workouts. Tabata Interval Training was named after Dr. Izumi Tabata – a Japanese researcher, and fortunately for you, doesn't involve any of the gizmos from late night infomercials, you don't need any expensive pieces of equipment or even any books.
How To Structure A Tabata Interval Workout
Tabata Intervals are a type of high intensity interval training, where you exercise at maximal effort for a short period of time followed by a period of recovery. Tabata interval training allows more fat to be burned in less time than regular steady state cardio training. In fact, a Tabata training session can produce similar cardio fitness results to a 45 minute steady state endurance training session.
The actual structure of a Tabata Interval Workout is as follows: high intensity training at maximal effort for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest immediately after. You repeat this for 7 more rounds for a total of 8 rounds (4 minutes). It is important that during the 20 seconds of exercise, you work at maximal effort, or you won't get the desired fat burning results. Also, it is important to choose exercises that use your body's large fat burning muscles and are multi-joint exercises (so squat jumps instead of crunches). This will give you the best results.
The Afterburn Effect of Tabata Interval Workouts
Back to our friend, Dr. Izumi Tabata – after 6 weeks of testing people performing Tabata Intervals (4 minutes on an ergometer, 5 days a week), Dr. Tabata noted a 28% increase in anaerobic capacity along with a 14% increase in V02Max. These results were witnessed by physically fit athletes.
Tabata interval workouts are also effective for fat loss. Intense interval work will raise the body's metabolic rate long after the exercise session is completed. What this means is more calories burned and more fat loss for you!! Many recent studies have confirmed that the powerful "afterburn effect" of interval training is more effective (for fat loss) than low-intensity, steady-state cardio. In fact, some studies show that you will burn up to 9 times more fat doing interval training.
Tabata Interval Workouts
I like to use more than one exercise during a 4 minute Tabata Interval Workout. This allows you to keep the intensity high, which helps to avoid centralized muscle fatigue. It also allows us to work more muscles during a training session, which means faster fat loss.
Here is a sample workout using just bodyweight exercises, incorporating the Tabata Interval Structure:
20 seconds of Squat Thrusts with Push Ups
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Prisoner Squat Jumps
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Mountain Climbers
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Get Ups with Tuck Jumps
10 Seconds of Rest
Repeat this sequence one more time, for a total of 4 minutes.
Another Tabata Interval Workout using Kettlebells and Dumbbells could look like this:
20 seconds Kettlebell Swings
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Dumbbell Renegade Rows
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Dumbbell Squat Press
10 Seconds of Rest
20 Seconds of Kettlebell High Pull with Wide Squat
10 Seconds of Rest
Repeat this sequence one more time, for a total of 4 minutes.
Tabata Interval Workouts can be performed stand alone as your entire workout routine, mixed in with another workout of the day, or used as a Finisher at the end of your workout. Try these 2 Tabata Interval Workouts and let me know how they go!"