Tabata workouts are high-intensity interval training workouts (HIIT). They are designed to push your body’s fitness and increase your strength at the same time. The movements you do during these workouts are ones that I’m sure you’ve done before, but because you do the exercise for time and not repetitions, your body has to adjust quickly.
You want to try and do as many reps as possible in the allotted time slot for each exercise, but you also want to make sure that you do them in a controlled manner. If you don’t do the exercise correctly, there is no point in even doing them. Do it right or don’t do it at all.
The following workout will take up less than 4 minutes of your time. So, during your busy schedule, you will probably be able to squeeze this in somewhere.
Here it is:
- Squat Jumps – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Push-ups – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Burpees – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Sit-ups – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Squat Jumps – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Push-ups – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Burpees – 20 seconds
- Rest – 10 seconds
- Sit-ups – 20 seconds
The Exercises
Remember that it’s crucial you do each exercise with control so you can get the most out of the entire workout. When you have control, you are decreasing your risk of injury as well. You are going to be doing these exercises fast, so one wrong move can easily tweak a muscle.
Squat Jumps
Combining a squat and a jump, you are gaining explosiveness while building that booty. It’s important that you jump as high as you can, but land softly. Make sure you cushion your landing.
Landing without cushioning yourself, you are increasing your chances of hurting your knees because of the impact of the landing. Although this is just an up and down movement, the risk of injury may be highest with this exercise if it’s not done properly.
Push-Ups
Push-ups work about every muscle in your upper body. Doing them as fast as you can, will also burn you out in a hurry. This is one reason why it’s great for this workout and burning fat.
The risk for injury with this exercise isn’t nearly as high if it’s done incorrectly, but the impact it can have on your body isn’t nearly the same when you don’t do a push-up the right way.
A regular push-up uses your chest, arms, and back when done correctly. When you don’t have proper form with a push-up, you may only be using one of the muscle groups. You are losing a lot of potential work.
Burpees
Burpees, along with squat jumps, will have the biggest impact on your fitness. You can say that a burpee is a combination of the previous two exercises. You drop down to do a push-up, then you have to pop up and explode into the air.
This exercise is a full body exercise that uses muscles everywhere. If you can name the muscle, burpees more than likely use it.
Sit-Ups
You can’t forget about the abs. Everyone would love to have a flat stomach and sit-ups is definitely one of the more traditional ways to get there.
It’s important to have control with this exercise because you could easily hurt your neck if you move too fast with improper form.
Hard, Quick Work
This workout is short and sweet, but extremely intense. You will be building all the major muscles you are wanting to build in your body.
The minimal rest you have between each exercise allows the entire workout to stay at a high intensity for 4 straight minutes.
Your body will keep working for 4 minutes with almost no rest. That is a recipe for a better body and a healthier lifestyle.