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With so many exercise options, styles, and programs to choose from, how do you know which one is right for you?  If you’re short on time and need a quick workout, you need to switch up your routine, or you want to improve endurance and speed, consider Tabata training.  Tabata training is a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workout, featuring exercises that last four minutes.

Tabata training was discovered by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo.  Tabata and his team conducted research on two groups of athletes.  The first group trained at a moderate intensity level while the second group trained at a high-intensity level.  The moderate intensity group worked out five days a week for a total of six weeks; each workout lasted one hour.  The high-intensity group worked out four days a week for six weeks; each workout lasted four minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).

The results: Group 1 increased their aerobic system (cardiovascular), but showed little or no results for their anaerobic system (muscular).  Group 2 showed a greater increase in their aerobic system than Group 1 and increased their anaerobic system by 28 percent.

In conclusion, high-intensity interval training has more impact on both the aerobic and anaerobic systems.

 

The structure of the program is as follows:

*Workout hard for 20 seconds

*Rest for 10 seconds

*Complete 8 rounds

Push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds.  This is one round.  You’ll complete 8 rounds.  You can pretty much choose any exercise you wish.  In the embedded video, I demonstrate exercises that utilize large muscle groups, and ones that can be done from anywhere with no equipment.  I start with squats, followed by push-ups, reverse lunges and plank walks.  I then repeat the same four exercises.  I had a blast working with The Health Journal, as part of their Well Fit, Well Fed, Well Advised series.  I love what they’re doing.  Check out their YouTube channel.  I can’t wait to film the next one!  Stay tuned…