5 Reasons Why Tabata Will Transform Your Workout Routine

Intensive Training in Just Four Minutes!

3 min

By Lisa Gutknecht
July 13, 2022

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Tabata is another name for high-intensity interval training and is probably the shortest workout in the world. That’s because it only takes four minutes, alternating non-stop between maximum effort and short recoveries! Read on to find out why you should definitely try Tabata and how it can transform your workout routine.

What exactly is Tabata? Tabata is a form of high intensity interval training – HIIT for short. You switch between 20 seconds of intensive effort and 10 seconds of rest, so you can complete eight intervals in four minutes. The exercises during the effort phases can vary depending on the focus of your workout. If your focus is endurance, for example, you can push yourself to your limit with burpees and jumping jacks; squat jumps and lunges are perfect for leg days; and you can make your abs burn with sit-ups and high knees. The only question is: can a workout that lasts under five minutes really be effective?

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#1 Tabata Increases Your Stamina

Research shows that a four-minute Tabata session is just as effective as a moderate 60-minute endurance workout. The more often you incorporate Tabata workouts into your weekly training routine, the longer you will be able to sustain the improvement in your fitness and performance, provided that you give it everything you’ve got during the 20-second sets, of course.

To really get the most out of every Tabata session, give your body the best possible support with all the important nutrients. Our Recovery Aminos are the perfect post-workout drink to promote recovery and ensure you can give 100% again next time.

#2 Tabata Burns a Lot of Calories

When you push your physical limits during the four-minute Tabata workout, your heart rate skyrockets and your muscles start to burn. The spin-off of this is that your body needs extra energy – and if external reserves aren’t sufficient, it will draw on your body’s own deposits. The good thing is that your body continues to burn calories even after the workout is over, so it can get back to normal after all that work. This is also referred to as the afterburn effect.

Incidentally, research has shown that the short recovery breaks during Tabata have a positive effect on calorie consumption. So don’t even think about skipping breaks and sweating for a solid four minutes. It’s not worth it!

#3 Tabata Helps You Build Muscle

If your goal is muscle building, Tabata training will also help you with this. Choose the right exercises and you’ll not only improve your endurance, but your muscle strength too. Suitable exercises include push-ups, squats, lunges, plank variations and sit-ups.

Tip: You can do tabatas just with your own body weight or use equipment to up the intensity. Dumbbells, kettlebell and fitness bands will challenge your muscle fibers and stimulate growth when loaded appropriately. However, you should be familiar with the exercises and equipment so you don’t waste any time either switching between exercises or actually performing them.

#4 Tabata Helps You Lose Weight

Another reason why Tabata takes your workout routine to the next level is that you can target excess pounds. Research indicates that high-intensity interval training may be more effective at reducing subcutaneous fatty tissue and abdominal fat than other forms of exercise.

Of course, Tabata alone is not the key to achieving your weight loss goals. If you want to lose weight sustainably, you need to build up a healthy calorie deficit, eat a balanced diet and get enough exercise. Find out here how you can lose weight in a healthy and sustainable way.

#5 Tabata Reduces Stress

Constant stress is detrimental to your health and can sabotage your fitness goals. If your body releases too many stress hormones over a long period of time, this may have several negative consequences, including weight gain, increased food cravings, poor sleep and difficulty concentrating. According to scientific research, HIIT workouts like Tabata can lower your stress levels. And all that in just four minutes – it doesn’t get any better than that, does it?

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