What the Devil is a Tabata?

November 3, 2009

Before I started doing CrossFit in 2007, I was blissfully unaware of the term “tabata,” but now it’s part of my everyday vocabulary. Lucky me.
The Tabata Protocol consists of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest. The cycle is repeated eight times for a total of four minutes of work. It’s named after Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., a former researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports.
According the man himself,
“[Six to 8 very hard 20 second intervals with 10 second rest periods] may be one of the best possible training protocols…”– Izumi Tabata, Ph.D.
This Men’s Fitness article — “The secret of Tabata: this 14-minute workout may be the best you’ve ever had!” — gets into a some of the science.
“The key to the Tabata Protocol’s effectiveness appears to be the short rest intervals between sprints. Conventional interval-training guidelines suggest keeping a 1:3 work-rest ratio. […]

Original post by mel@chancemccoy.com (Melissa Joulwan)

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First, I want to say thank you for convincing me to do Tabata! I was struggling to lose weight and Finally I found something that helped! I really appreciate your coaching! - Craig T.

Ever since I was convinced to do Tabata I have seen huge results, I lost 6 pounds and gained energy in the first 3 weeks. I have been working out for 3 months before I decided to do Tabata and I struggled to lose weight. At first I thought "How am I losing weight by bringing my heart rate up then cooling down then bringing it up again?" I don’t know how it works but it does! Thank you!! - Theresa F.

The first day of Tabata, I wondered WHAT AM I DOING - I AM 56 !! Five weeks later I knew that it was what I needed. I learned that I could push myself well beyond my comfort zone and feel good later. I have a marked improvement in physical as well as emotional endurance. - Lyn C.

When I was first told about Tabata I was very excited from the word go, however that excitement stemmed from the fact that I had no clue what it meant. I missed the first week of class b/c I was traveling for work so when I came in during the 2nd week I had some making it up to do. It was hard at first b/c my body wasn't used to working out at such a fast pace, but once I got into a rhythm I started to feel very good. These classes are no joke. If you stick with it you will leave there feeling stronger, healthier and overall better about yourself and what you've accomplished. I would recommend these classes to anyone. Darrin is a great trainer and he'll keep you going with his energy. - Jami L.