Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Health & Body › Tabata intervals
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:

Tabata intervals

post #1 of 33
2/18/08 at 4:40pm
Thread Starter 
I saw the threads on planche training and such, and was wondering if anyone has looked into these? Tabata intervals consist of doing a selected workout (doesn't necessarily matter what, I use a concept 2 erg or my bike, the more muscles used, the better) for 20 seconds at max capacity, then resting for 10 seconds, and repeating this sequence a total of 8 times, for 4 minutes total. It's similar to the interval training used by many cyclists and triathletes, but a bit more extreme. Unless you have a very strong stomach, it's not uncommon at all to end up puking after these.
Reply
Reply
post #2 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:06pm
I honestly think they work best with light weight oly lifts or squats, as opposed to more cardio type things.
Reply
Reply
post #3 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:09pm
Thread Starter 
Why so?
Reply
Reply
post #4 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:10pm
I love Tabata. You'll feel like you want to fall over by the end, but it's such an intense workout for only four minutes, and you don't need much as far as equipment. I usually do squat-presses (or whatever they're called), and sometimes throw in a set of burpees to mix things up, although burpees aren't too intense. They're good when you have no equipment at all though.
Quote:
Why so?
The Tabata workout is supposed to tear you a new one, and doing cardio exercise for only four minutes, not matter how intense, is not intense enough. It needs to be a resistance exercise.
Reply
Reply
post #5 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:13pm
^what he said, doing sprints tabata style doesn't elicit anywhere near the ass kicking as doing it with something more intense.
Reply
Reply
post #6 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:27pm
I've heard of Tabata training, done a lot of workouts similar to this, but never tried them specifically... probably give them a whirl now.

My crew coaches used to do similar things with us on ergs... different durations/types for 2k or 6k races... ex) 1 min 150% VO2 Max then 30 active rest (say 75% VO2 Max) ... for 12-20 reps... for 2k races like 30 seconds at 175-200% VO2 Max then 15 seconds active rest... for 10-20 reps... etc.. etc... always changing up intensities, interval times...

That kind of work is fun... you really feel like your getting something done..
Reply
Reply
post #7 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:50pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fat-Elvis View Post

The Tabata workout is supposed to tear you a new one, and doing cardio exercise for only four minutes, not matter how intense, is not intense enough. It needs to be a resistance exercise.

Quote:
Originally Posted by smw356 View Post
^what he said, doing sprints tabata style doesn't elicit anywhere near the ass kicking as doing it with something more intense.

Like I said in my first post, I've never done actual Tabata training, so I can't speak to it, but I would have to disagree with you that it won't destroy you enough... if you warm up properly to get a good sweat going and actually go ALL OUT with the 20 seconds, then keep to the 10 seconds rest, you could destroy yourself pretty good... perhaps differently than a weight set of Tabata, but I guarantee you could make yourself throw up from the workout.

I recommend anyone who likes this kind of workout to do it on a rowing machine (erg). The beauty of it is that it is resistance training, but cardio at the same time... A proper stroke on an erg is similar to a dead lift... you work pretty much all of your legs, plus your abs, back, shoulders, and arms... then factor in the aerobic/anaerobic workout and IMOP you can't get a better workout, the resulting increase in VO2 Max, particularly using interval training is amazing.

Which is why the OP said you want to do the training with a workout that uses as many muscles as possible.. cause the full body exhaustion will come and it will come quick... There were plenty a time that I passed out from training like this... then wake up wanting to quit everything... then get up and doing it all over the next day... beautiful.
Reply
Reply
post #8 of 33
2/18/08 at 5:53pm
i did the last tabata workout on crossfit.com. It was with chinups, pushups, air squats and situps. no rest between exercises. that was a pretty intensive start to a workout.
Reply
Reply
post #9 of 33
2/18/08 at 6:19pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by rjmaiorano View Post
Like I said in my first post, I've never done actual Tabata training, so I can't speak to it, but I would have to disagree with you that it won't destroy you enough... if you warm up properly to get a good sweat going and actually go ALL OUT with the 20 seconds, then keep to the 10 seconds rest, you could destroy yourself pretty good... perhaps differently than a weight set of Tabata, but I guarantee you could make yourself throw up from the workout.


There is nothing wrong with doing cardio type stuff with the protocols you described, but thats not tabata, thats just HIIT. If you're going to follow the 4-5 minute tabata protocols you better be doing something more intense.
Reply
Reply
post #10 of 33
2/18/08 at 8:09pm
^ +1. Tabata isn't just a catch-all term for performing a movement very quickly for a specific time span. It's a lactic-acid-inducing protocol to be used with loaded movements involving the whole body or a large proportion of the body. Doing a circuit of chinups, pushups, air squats, and situps is technically not a Tabata routine. That's just supersetting four exercises with no rest. Tabata uses one exercise (usually front squats or thrusters) which you perform as many repititions of as you can in 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds rest. You do eight of these sets.
Reply
Reply
post #11 of 33
4/17/08 at 10:07pm
For Tabata, are you supposed to just do one exercise for the entire workout or is it supposed to be four minutes (20 sec work, 10 sec rest X 8) of exercise, then another four minutes of another exercise?

I'm asking because I did 4 minutes of dumbbell thrusters and don't feel all that tired. I could probably do a couple more sets of 4 minutes. I looked up videos with Tabata workouts on Youtube and a lot look like they do circuits of with a full 4 minutes of Tabata at each station.

I usually do cycling intervals (Spinervals) on a road bike/trainer the and the shortest workout I have on DVD is around 30 minutes, so a 4-minute workout seems really short.
Reply
Reply
post #12 of 33
4/17/08 at 10:26pm
If you're not tired from a 4 min thruster tabata, do more reps during each work interval or use heavier weights. Doing thrusters with 45s (about 10 reps per 20 sec) gets me pretty tired...
Reply
Reply
post #13 of 33
4/17/08 at 10:29pm
As far as I know, you can work Tabata into whatever kind of program structure you like, but the Tabata term proper only refers to the exercise done for the four minutes in the 20 on, 10 off interval pattern. There are probably whole workouts of different exercises done Tabata-style, but I have a hard time believing that they're worth it. If you do a Tabata interval correctly, it should more or less wipe you out. If DB thrusters didn't make you tired, then either the weight you were using was way too light or you weren't repping fast enough. During the 20-sec intervals, you're supposed to rep as fast as you possibly can. My opinion is that the best time to do Tabatas is at the end of a workout as a finisher.
Reply
Reply
post #14 of 33
4/17/08 at 10:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Philosoph View Post
As far as I know, you can work Tabata into whatever kind of program structure you like, but the Tabata term proper only refers to the exercise done for the four minutes in the 20 on, 10 off interval pattern.

There are probably whole workouts of different exercises done Tabata-style, but I have a hard time believing that they're worth it. If you do a Tabata interval correctly, it should more or less wipe you out. If DB thrusters didn't make you tired, then either the weight you were using was way too light or you weren't repping fast enough. During the 20-sec intervals, you're supposed to rep as fast as you possibly can.

My opinion is that the best time to do Tabatas is at the end of a workout as a finisher.

I like doing tabata to target specific muscles after working them out that day. If you do tabata with fairly light weight (15-25 lb dumbbells) on stuff like lateral raise or military press, you'll annihilate your shoulders. If you don't feel like that's hardcore enough, do shrugs during the rest intervals.
Reply
Reply
post #15 of 33
4/17/08 at 11:42pm
I admit I hadn't ever considered doing Tabatas for specific muscles. Whenever I do them with front squats or thrusters, I feel pretty demolished afterwards. Shrugs during the rests? You're crazy...
Reply
Reply
New Posts  All Forums:Forum Nav:
  Return Home
  Back to Forum: Health & Body
Styleforum › Forums › Lifestyle › Health & Body › Tabata intervals