Tabata interval training is the single most effective type of high intensity interval training, it’s also the most intense by far, and surprisingly it’s the shortest in duration, it only last for four minutes... but those four minutes produce remarkable results. Lose Fat, Get Fit in Four Minutes
Tabata training was discovered by Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo. Dr. Tabata discovered that this kind of interval training produces better results than aerobic training. This included building as much muscular endurance as forty five minutes of normal cardio training. In fact in the study the subjects increased their anaerobic capacity by over a quarter as well a substantial increase in their aerobic fitness. Tabata training is a very versatile program; utilize Tabata for weight loss as well as improving performance in most aerobic and anaerobic sports.
Tabata intervals follow this structure: • Push hard for 20 seconds • Rest for 10 seconds. • Repeat this eight times.
The secret to making this effective is in your sprint interval. You have to go all out, so do as many reps as you can in the 20 seconds, rest for 10 seconds, then pick it up again and go all out for another 20 seconds. I would suggest getting some sort of Tabata timer like a watch where you can see exactly where you are in the workout; you don't want to have to think too much, all of your concentration will be on the exercise.
Tabata exercises: Front squats, air squats, pushups, or push presses. Be sure to use your large muscle groups otherwise you will get very little of the benefit. This is not a daily workout; try it once a week or a couple of times a month. Tabata training produces remarkable results for those brave enough to use it.