Tabata interval training could be credited with kicking off the recent craze towards HIIT – high intensity interval training. This protocol was initiated by the Japanese performance researcher Izumi Tabata in 1996 and 1997 (Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, October 1996, Vol 26 and also March 1997, Vol 27).
The basic findings of his research was that in 4 minutes of work, you could get more cardiovascular benefits, and more fat loss, than in 60 minutes of steady state cardio (e.g. jogging). That’s right: 4 minutes vs 60 minutes.
How is this possible?
By doing super high intensity interval training. HIIT.
There are many summary articles available on the web if you don’t want to go back to the original research. Here’s a summary (but this article is about a variation…):
His exact protocol was to stationary bike at your all-out fastest, 100% pace, for 20 seconds. Then rest for 10 seconds. Then go all out for 20 seconds. Repeat, etc. until you’ve done 4 minutes total. That’s it. It’s so simple. But…
Most people can’t do this.
When I say 100%, I mean 100%. Not “hard running/biking”. I mean all out, like a bear is chasing you. Many people puke during this kind of training.
Because of this intensity, most people fall into two categories after they decide to try it:
a) they end up not really doing 100% in the intervals; they do like 80%, which destroys the whole purpose b) they give up
I’m no different. I don’t do Tabata because it’s too hard. I’m not afraid to admit it.
But I have an alternate that I think you will like even better…
The Inverted Tabata
Before I describe this (and it’s pretty easy to describe), I want to say that it’s quite possible that I’m not the only one to come up with this. I’ve been doing it since last year and decided to give it a name.
Maybe someone else has prescribed this before, but I did some web searches for “inverse Tabata” and “inverted Tabata” and even some “Tabata variations” and couldn’t find anything. [If you find something, please share it here so I can give credit.] Anyway, it is my belief that this is the first time “inverted Tabata” is being documented and you get to read it as part of the worldfitnessnetwork.com community! Ok, enough grandstanding.
It’s so simple, I was surprised nobody else talks about it.
Here’s all Inverted Tabata is:
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Continue reading about Introducing Inverted Tabata – Interval Training
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