Intense training called Tabata has become popular part of many training programs in recent years. Although at first glance Tabata may seem very demanding, advantage is that it can be adapted to various training levels. For one relatively short Tabata you can moreover burn much more calories than during many other exercises. What is its secret? Not only about that, but also for whom Tabata is intended and what benefits it brings for our body we talked with Alica Andrašiková, professional group exercise trainer and nutritional advisor.
What is principle of Tabata exercise?
Popular exercise called Tabata consists in alternating short intense intervals of exercise with intervals of rest. It is exercise consisting of 20 second active blocks and 10 second rest intervals. Tabata belongs to group of high intensity interval exercises, thanks to which you can burn significantly more calories in shorter time than with normal exercise intensity. Secret of higher number of burned calories lies in fact that during active 20-second period you stir up your body to really high intensity and get to high heart rate. During rest interval your heart rate stabilizes a bit, which allows you to continue in exercise and gather strength so that even in next interval you give it your all. At same time these short intervals of active rest prevent your body from adapting to load (as in classic cardio training).
What exercises can Tabata typically consist of?
Typically in Tabata mainly exercises are used that load multiple muscle parts of your body and at same time give workout to your fitness too. Often plyometric exercises are included in tabata training, i.e. exercises where our body must fight with gravity (various jumps, hops, squats with jump, etc.) Most suitable are fitness and strength exercises, where you relatively quickly exercise whole body, however tabata interval can be used for example also with isolated or balance exercises (e.g. plank).
Like this you can exercise from comfort of home with our Alica too :)
Who is Tabata suitable for? Why would you recommend practicing it?
After adapting exercises, taking into account health condition and physical fitness, Tabata can be suitable really for everyone.
However it is important to be careful if you have some health restrictions and go for example to group Tabata. Then your health problem and suitability of this type of training needs to be consulted first with doctor, trainer, possibly rather choose individual training in tabata regime with personal trainer. Classic Tabata is namely relatively energetic, dynamic and fast, therefore need to start at your own pace and mainly carefully.
I would recommend Tabata mainly for its effectiveness and at same time variety. Big plus of Tabata and overall high intensity interval training is that you burn not only during exercise, but also after. Thanks to excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (which occurs after oxygen debt that happens during training), increased metabolism and amount of energy needed for regeneration after training, you burn really a lot with one Tabata training. Your metabolism remains increased, and thus you burn more even at rest for approx 48 hours from training.
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Is it intended for weight loss or muscle shaping?
Main advantage of Tabata is that you can "kill two birds with one stone" with it. That in practice means that thanks to Tabata you can with one training strengthen muscles and at same time force your body to effectively burn fat thanks to training. By choosing specific exercises (strength, fitness, balance, plyometric) in your training you can then influence desired effect of training. If your goal is muscle shaping, incorporate more strength exercises or isometric ones into training. If conversely weight loss, choose rather exercises of fitness character.
Can beginners practice it too?
Suitable exercises, appropriate pace and respect for your current fitness. Main equipment for practicing Tabata. If you don't lack all this, then Tabata is suitable for you, even if you are beginner. Start at your own pace and mainly don't destroy yourself right at first training. Tabata is amazing, fun and diverse exercise. It would be great pity if you "disgusted" it right at first attempt by not estimating your strength. I experienced situation where client didn't estimate commitment and during training her stomach decided to get rid of dinner. We shouldn't do anything by force and we should never go "against our body".
How many calories can person burn during Tabata?
High load exerted on body during Tabata and alternating intervals cause your body to be forced to burn more calories in shorter time than with steady training.
According to several studies supposedly already during seven minutes of intense interval training such muscle stimulation occurs that is comparable to hour of cycling or jogging. With Tabata you thus get "lot of music for little money". You burn lot of calories in less time spent exercising. However it is not possible to exactly estimate number of calories person burns during Tabata.
It depends also on many other indicators. For example, heart rate, weight and height of exerciser, their age, physical fitness, commitment, type and difficulty of exercises, training duration, etc.
However it is stated based on studies that on average person burns approx 13.5 kcal per minute during Tabata.
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