The Tabata protocol
A Tabata is eight rounds of 20 seconds of very hard effort, each followed by 10 seconds of rest. The whole block takes about four minutes: the timer above stops after the last effort, at 3 minutes and 50 seconds, because the final rest is not needed. Press Start, get in place during the 10-second countdown, and go.
Where it comes from
The format takes its name from the Japanese researcher Izumi Tabata. In 1996, he and his colleagues published a study in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise. Their subjects pedaled on a cycle ergometer at about 170% of their VO2max, in other words much harder than a pace they could hold for minutes, for 20 seconds, then rested 10 seconds, for 7 to 8 sets until exhaustion. They trained 5 days a week for 6 weeks.
The results were striking: VO2max, a measure of aerobic fitness, rose by 7 ml/kg/min, and anaerobic capacity by 28%. A second group that cycled for 60 minutes at 70% of VO2max improved its VO2max too, but not its anaerobic capacity.
Real Tabata or Tabata-style?
The study’s intensity is brutal: at 170% of VO2max, you cannot keep going for more than a few rounds. Most classes called Tabata use the same timing with lower intensity, often with bodyweight moves. That is a perfectly good workout, but do not expect the exact results of the study from a set of relaxed squats.
Sample Tabata sessions
| Session | What to do |
|---|---|
| Bike sprint | 8 all-out sprints on a stationary bike, easy pedaling during the rests |
| Squats and push-ups | Alternate the two moves: squats in odd rounds, push-ups in even rounds |
| Burpees | One move for the whole block. Count your reps in each round |
| Four Tabatas | Four blocks of different moves, with 1 minute of rest between blocks: about 20 minutes |
A good way to track progress is to count your reps in each round and keep the lowest number as your score. Next time, try to raise it.
Tips
- Warm up for 5 to 10 minutes before the first round: easy cardio, then a few faster bursts.
- Pick simple moves you can do safely when tired. Form comes first.
- Put the phone on the floor in front of you and go full screen: the white screen means rest.