Tabata Training: How To Get Fit In Four Minutes A Day

One of the most common reasons people say they don't exercise is that they can't find the time. Although they'll also admit this is probably an excuse, the reality is that if you're not that keen on exercise, 'lack of time' is a good argument...

...Until now.

Welcome to tabata training. This type of training was developed by a Dr Izumi Tabata in the 1960's. It's a form of high intensity interval training - which means you work really, really hard for a really short space of time.

Tabata training only lasts for four minutes. But that four minutes is very hard! This intense training gives you an amazing workout - in fact, it gives one of the highest increases in VO2 max ever reported. In layman's terms, that means it's extremely beneficial for cardio endurance and aerobic fitness.

How it works

Each interval lasts for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second recovery. You do this 8 times through, and then rest.

So, you work as hard as you can for 20 seconds, then catch your breath for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 times in total.

What exercises should you do

The beauty of this type of internal training is that you can do any number of different exercises, and you don't need any equipment. The ideal exercise is something that recruits a lot of muscles all at the same time so you get maximum impact. That means it's best not to do something like bicep curls for four minutes, it's better to do something like a squat, push-up or lunge.

Here are some suggestions

Beginner:

- squat (even a bodyweight squat is effective when you're doing tabata training)

- push-ups (push-ups from the knee are fine if you can't do a full push-up)

- lunges (bodyweight lunges are great too)

- indoor cycling

Intermediate:

- rowing

- burpees

- box jumps

- squat push-press

What are the benefits?

It's great for the following reasons:

- very, very time efficient

- increase in aerobic conditioning

- increase in anaerobic conditioning

- improves mental focus

- improves metabolism

Sample workout

To help you get started, here are two workouts you can try - just select the beginner or intermediate level according to your fitness.

Beginner:

If you're new to interval training, this is for you.

Warm up - at least 5 minutes to increase heart rate and overall body temperature

Main session - choose a bodyweight squat or stationery bike

- do 4 mins tabata training - that is, do the exercise as hard as you can for 20 seconds, then have 10 seconds rest. Repeat this 8 times in total.

Warm down - at least 5 minutes.

Intermediate:

If you're fit and know your way around interval training:

Warm up - at least 5 minutes

Main session: aim for 3 x rounds of tabata training.

Round 1. Stationery bike or elliptical trainer or rower

4-6 mins rest.

Round 2. Bodyweight squats

4-6 mins rest.

Round 3. Push-ups.

Warm down - at least 5 minutes

Useful tools

It's almost impossible to keep track of the time for tabata training if you're on your own. There are a number of tabata training smartphone apps available, just search for 'tabata training' in your app store to find one.

I really hope you'll try this effective and time efficient way to get fit. I do this type of training once a week, and it's always my shortest but most intense workout.

Disclaimer: see your physician before starting any kind of exercise routine. Tabata training is a very intensive training. Please take care any start slowly, then adjust the intensity according to your body's limits. If you are not sure, consult a physician.

Tora, of donnaandtora.com, is a registered personal trainer and has competed at national level in triathlons. To see a demonstration of tabata training, you can see it here:
http://youtu.be/o3dKA40UD7c

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Read More

High Intensity Interval Training In Just 3 Minutes

It's everyone's dream... little work and lots of benefit, but before you sign on you need to understand what this is all about. According to some new research, a few short bursts of very high intensity interval training (working out to just a few minutes per week) can bring you many of the benefits that come from hours of more conventional workouts. It sounds too good to be true...

However, the claim is backed by a number of years of research that comes from different countries. The form of exercise, known as High Intensity Training (HIT) involves doing three minutes of intense exercise per week for a month and appears to bring some pretty impressive changes in important health indicators.

Insulin sensitivity can be improved (according to research) by 24% by just 3 minutes of HIT for a month. Aerobic fitness, an indication of how well your heart/lungs are doing at giving your body oxygen also improves and serves as an excellent signal of future health.

But there is a small catch... how much you benefit from these kinds of workouts may depend largely on your genes.

A research team looked into the reasons for why exercise worked for some and not for others, and found that the results could be linked to a few genes. Today there is a genetic test designed to see who may respond to HIT and who will probably not get the full benefit.

The idea that some people may be genetically wired not to respond to aerobic exercise is intriguing. An international study on 1,000 exercisers found that while 15% made incredible strides, 20% of the subjects showed no real improvements from exactly the same exercise regimen.

Once you start, HIT is super easy. One example is to do some gentle cycling as a warm up for a few minutes and then hit high gear for 20 seconds. Take a few minutes of gentle cycling to get your breath and then do another 20 seconds. Repeat this pattern a third time and your HIT workout is complete for the day.

If you have any form of pre-existing condition, talk with your doctor before giving HIT a try. If this isn't the approach for you, there are lots of other fun, engaging activities you might do instead.

Why does it work?

According to the experts, part of the reason is that this form of exercise uses more muscle tissue compared to classic aerobic exercise.

HIT calls for intensely working the leg muscles as well as the arms and shoulders - that's 80% of the muscle cells in the body. This compares to 20-40% used when walking or doing moderately intense jogging or cycling.

This type of exercise also appears to break down stores of glucose found stored in muscles as glycogen. When you break up glycogen stores you make more room for glucose to be removed from the blood.

Keep in mind too that many of us feel uncomfortable when it comes to exercising because we're self-conscious about our fitness level or how out of shape we look. Don't let this stop you from trying high intensity interval training and getting in shape. Working out with friends who don't care what you look like or how you do can be tremendously beneficial, because you get companionship, support and someone to help keep you going.

FREE Bonus Secret Health Reports - For a limited time you can grab 5 FREE essential health reports from the Daily Health Bulletin. Click through now to discover more on the benefits of swapping from traditional exercise to high intensity interval training, plus other great weight loss ideas.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

Read More

Effective Workout Tips: Get Your Dream Body in 30 Minutes a Day

Disclaimer: Before following this or any exercise program, check with your doctor.

Did you know that you don't have to workout for hours in order to get your dream body? It's true. In fact, only 30-45 minutes a day is enough to firm you up and trim you down-if your exercise routines are the correct type. Follow these effective workout tips and get your dream body in just 30 minutes a day.

1. Intersperse high intensity workouts with lower intensity ones. You can do this in two ways. Either you can pump up the intensity during your regular workout, or you can perform high intensity workouts every other day. For instance, your exercise routines could include:
Walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes at three miles per hour. But every five or 10 minutes of this workout, crank your speed up to four miles per hour for two minutes.Walking on the treadmill for 30 minutes at three miles per hour, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. On Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, pick up your pace to four miles an hour.

Remember always to increase your endurance before you increase the intensity of your workout.

2. Combine Cardio with Strength Training. The folks at Curves Fitness Centers have it right: combining cardio with strength training is one of the most effective workout tips. This is called circuit training, and science has even confirmed its efficacy at burning more calories than either cardio or strength training alone. Plus you can cut your workout time in half!

3. Mix it Up. If you enjoy your exercise routine, that's great. But if you enjoy it to the point that it becomes easy, you've got a problem. You see, your body becomes very efficient at performing exercises that you do all the time. At that point, your workout does not, well, work out very well anymore. To keep that from happening, mix your exercise routines up. Intersperse jogging with walking, tennis, or swimming, for instance.

4. Consume Protein. One of the best workout tips is to consume lots of protein. Your muscles need s it to rebuild muscle. This is true, by the way, for both cardio and strength training workouts. So make sure you include lots of protein in your diet.

5. Eat Carbs. Just like you need protein to repair muscle from your workout, you need carbs to give you energy. Eating a banana before your exercise routines are a great way of providing energy for your workout.

Although there are many effective workout tips, these are five of the most important. Just pace yourself, work up to your goal, and you could have your dream body in just 30 minutes a day.

Christine Mattice is well-verse on fitness and nutrition. Visit http://www.allfitnessweb.net for quick, easy, and PLENTIFUL fitness and exercise tips.

Article Source:http://EzineArticles.com/?expert

View the Original article

Read More