Tabata ThisTabata ThatTabata HereTabata ThereTabata EverywhereFrom Tony Gentilcore“Tabata Training” Has Become THE Thing of the Minute…..Classess, workouts, even certificationsSo what is Tabata?The generally accepted definition: “Eight rounds of ultra-high-intensity exercises in a specific 20-seconds-on, 10-seconds-off interval.” That means all out for 20 seconds, rest and go at it again for four minutes straight.That’s REALLY hard.But it’s not magic, it’s just interval training.Think about it….Why eight and not nine rounds? Or 16 or 100?Why are people doing 30 minute Tabata classes when the study was 4 minutes of intervals?Cause you Got This Sh@t Wrong Broseph.Enter Izumi Tabata, he did this study: Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.  Med Sci Sports Exerc. (1996) 28(10):1327-30.“this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems.” – Tabata et.alSo everybody was all like,“We can get fit in only 8 minutes and all we have to do is these intervals for 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off?”And the fitness industry was all like…“HELL YEAH!”Except they left this part out:You need to work at 170% of Vo2 Max for the 8 intervals.170% of Vo2 MaxI’m gonna make a guess:You’ve NEVER been close to that number for this amount of time and quite possibly NEVER at all.They used a stationary bike in the study for that reason……once things get REALLY hairy and you’re form starts to fall into sh@t realm you can continue to pedal your azz off and not get jacked-up.You ain’t doing that with pushups, jumping jacks, burpees, or whatever….Ohhh, and they used ELITE level (national level, Olympic hopeful) speed skaters.Stole this pic from Reuters.comSo I’m guessing they had some training in being totally fucking miserable uncomfortable while maintaining power output (they train they’re whole lives for it) and some pretty strong legs, considering you skate……..on the legs.Here’s What You Need To Know:There’s no magic in 8 rounds of 20 seconds on 10 seconds off.That’s jut the protocol that resulted in the best outcomes in the study (for the group studied), and they used 8 rounds because they athletes (subjects) physically couldn’t continue to produce 170% of Vo2 Max for any more intervals consistently.“Tabata” It’s really just incredibly hard interval training…which is fine, and probably good for you in small doses if you’re in really good shape already.If not, an all out 2:1 work to rest ratio of all out exertion probably isn’t the best protocol for two reasons:Those of you that are intermediates will break technique and then break down when the massive fatigue sets in.

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The Tabata Myth: It's Just Interval Training, Not Magic | Roy …