Tabata system for weight loss - a slim figure in just 4 minutes a day

What is the Japanese Tabata protocol?

Tabata is a Japanese exercise system based on a timed pattern of 20 seconds of high-intensity work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Each 20+10 second cycle is called a set. During the work period, the main goal is to perform the selected movement as quickly and accurately as possible. This requires physical preparation, so in the first days of training it is not recommended to do more than 2-3 cycles. During rest, you must continue to perform the exercise lightly or walk in place, but in no case should you stop completely.

Professor Izumi Tabata

Using this system, you can do cardio for weight loss, strength training, or any other. This protocol is suitable for both beginner men and women and professionals. Can be performed at home or in the gym. Examples of suitable movements are:

jumping;
squats;
running in place;
push ups;
some types of planks;
exercises for the abs.

Tabata requires a warm-up before and after training.
This is important in order to warm up the muscles before strenuous work, and after that to smoothly bring the body into a state of rest. As a warm-up, you can use the same exercises, but at a slower pace, concentrating on technique. Another important element of the system is heart rate measurement, especially for weight loss. It is recommended to measure your maximum heart rate while performing exercises according to the Tabata protocol and immediately after. If your heart rate becomes lower than the previous workout, it is safe to add another set. Most often, your heart rate will rise during the rest period. This is a sign that an oxygen deficiency has been created, and the body is trying to restore it while the pause lasts.

Creating this deficit is the main goal of the Japanese system. Muscles begin to rapidly utilize energy, including accelerated intracellular oxidation of fatty acids. Simply put, fat cells are burned, which is what is needed for weight loss. Here are some rules to achieve this state:

after each Tabata session you need at least 1 day of rest;
overload should not be allowed if the pulse reaches 180 beats per minute;
it is very important to follow the timer and not increase the rest time;
Remember that it is not the duration, but the intensity of the work that is important.

Group training

Tabata workouts for weight loss: important rules

Athletic man and woman doing fitness exercise

Once you decide to follow the Tabata protocol, follow these guidelines:

You can achieve maximum results if you give it your all during the workout, performing 8 repetitions of each exercise. Don't feel sorry for yourself, otherwise there will be no results.
Those who want to lose weight quickly should do a complex that includes 5-8 approaches. To complicate the task, you can use weights on your arms and legs. You can also add the number of repetitions.
To facilitate the process of tracking time, special timers are used that operate in the 20-10 mode. Upon completion of each stage, you will hear a beep.
It is better to train in a well-ventilated area, since the body requires a large amount of oxygen during exercise. You can also practice outside if possible.
Before starting your workout, do a warm-up and then stretching exercises.
A break of 10 seconds should be spent restoring breathing . Try not to talk during this time. Also, don’t just stand still—it’s better to walk at a slow pace.

By following these rules, you will be able to see results from your training within a few weeks. It is also very important to control your diet and make sure it is correct to achieve results.

Workout for Beginner Women

The official protocol website recommends starting to exercise 3 times a week for 6-8 minutes. A cycle for beginners consists of a 2-3 minute warm-up, 2 sets (1 minute) and a 2-3 minute cool-down, that is, light stretching. The emphasis is not on the amount of time spent, but on the quality of the movements. The most time will be spent on warm-up and cool-down, which can be completed in 4 minutes.

A simple workout template for beginner girls:

Warm-up: head turns, torso, walking in place with high knees, light running, any light gymnastics.
First cycle: any type of jump, for example, “asterisk”. Execution technique: feet shoulder-width apart, jump and land with your feet together, then jump back.
Second cycle: press (lifting the body, plank or twisting).
Cool down: bending over while touching the floor, cobra stretch. It is performed from a lying position on your stomach. Resting your palms on the floor, you need to raise your torso and reach up.

This version of Tabata contains exercises for both weight loss and abs. This is a basic workout for women, to which new cycles are gradually added with strength exercises on other parts of the body, such as squats or planks.

3 classic exercises for the abdomen and sides

The first movement suitable for the Tabata protocol is the bicycle. It is performed lying on your back.

On the count of “one,” the right leg is pulled to the chest, the left leg is extended forward at a short distance from the floor.
On the count of “two,” the position of the legs changes: the left one is pulled up, the right one is extended. The movement is somewhat reminiscent of pedaling a bicycle.
It is important to try to tense and draw in your stomach. There is also a complicated version, in which the hands are folded behind the neck and the opposite knee and elbow touch. This option may be too difficult for beginners.

Exercise “Russian Twist”
Another classic exercise is the plank. This is a static pose. During the execution, maintain a straight line of the torso, resting on the elbows and toes of the feet. Technique is important: try to tense your abs and sides, and also maintain an imaginary straight line throughout your entire body, without arching down or up. A more difficult version is to make torso turns, touching your thigh to the floor from the right to the left. It sounds easy, but it is much more difficult to do, especially for beginners.

And the last of these exercises is the Russian twist. Starting position: lying on your back with bent legs. Feet placed flat on the floor or slightly elevated for added challenge. The arms are bent in front of the chest. During the movement, the torso rises and rotates, alternately touching the floor with your elbows on both sides. This movement is suitable for both the abdomen and sides, especially the side muscles.

With the correct technique, you should feel the abdominal muscles.

Technique to do at home

When training at home without a trainer, there is no one to correct mistakes in performing exercises. In addition, the room may have furniture or unsuitable floor coverings. It is important to follow safety precautions:

there should be no objects at a distance of two outstretched arms from the trainee;
there should be a fitness or yoga mat on the floor;
if there is no carpet, you need to pay attention to your shoes: they should not slip during planks and jumps;
the timer for Tabata is always set in advance - for this you can use an application, video or special music;
the technique of performing selected exercises is studied separately before training, through articles or videos, so as not to damage or stretch the muscles during exercise.

It is also important to drink plenty of water throughout the day. This is not a safety issue, but will have a positive impact on your well-being.

Water is important for weight loss.

Advanced system for girls

If you have experience in cardio training, you can create a more intense program with 4-6 approaches and complex exercises. Advanced Tabata focuses on the difficulty and quality of the exercises. Common movements:

burpees;
transitions from squats to planks;
"Swiss knife".

Plank with knee pull-up
In addition, if you have experience in cardio training, you can do the Tabata protocol 4-5 times a week, two days in a row with one day of rest. This scheme is especially useful for developing endurance, since the body is forced to recover faster. For weight loss, 3-4 repetitions per week are quite enough.

Set of exercises, day 1

On the first day of training there is a warm-up, 5 approaches and a cool-down. If after this there is still strength, another cycle is added to Tabata, but no more.

The warm-up should be completed in 4 minutes or more. Since this Tabata complex is intended for weight loss for people with experience, you can use any already known exercises. Be sure to include light stretching of different parts of the body and jumping in your warm-up to prepare for intense work during Tabata.

The workouts will alternate between cardio and strength exercises, with an emphasis on the former.

Exercises in this system:

star jumps;
plank with torso rotation;
lifting opposite arms and legs while lying on your stomach;
push-ups (can be done on a low surface);
jump squats;
plank with outstretched arms (optional).

Squat with jump
During the cool-down, any stretches are performed, but to comply with safety precautions, the following must be performed:

"cobra";
stretching your arms behind your back;
pressing the folded leg to the chest in a lying position;
bending down with straightened knees;
child's pose.

These stretches target the muscles that were used during the exercise routine. The goal is to relax and restore the most tense muscles.

Set of exercises, day 2

On the second day, the usual warm-up is performed, but with an emphasis on warming up the muscles. It is not recommended to do two cardio workouts in a row. To lose weight you need not only cardio, but also a strength element.

During the warm-up, you can perform several exercises from the main part, but slowly, controlling the technique.

Reverse chair dips (tricep dips)

When performing exercises within the time limit of Tabata, 6 approaches are performed. Further, you can increase the time of training only gradually, focusing on the heart rhythm or ease of execution. Movements for Tabata strength training:

lifting the body while lying on your back;
lowering on triceps with support on a chair (tricep dips);
transitions from the plank on the elbows to the plank with outstretched arms;
rising on tiptoes with bent legs;
double squats;
lifting the arms, torso and legs (“Swiss knife”).

As a cool-down, you can repeat the stretches from the set of exercises from day 1, adding stretches for the calves:

Stand so that your feet are in line.
Transfer your body weight to your front leg and “slide” it forward.
The calf of your back leg should begin to ache or become tight. If the pain is not cutting, it is safe to stretch. It is important to keep your heels on the floor, otherwise the movement will lose its technique.

History of the system

Such training received its unusual name thanks to the Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata, who was trying to find a way to increase the endurance of Olympic athletes. In 1996, he conducted the following experiment.

He divided the trainees into two groups, one of which he suggested doing physical activity up to 5 days a week for at least 1 hour a day, while the other worked only 4 minutes a day, but at the limit of its capabilities.

When the experiment was completed, the scientist was stunned by the results obtained. The second group of athletes not only increased their endurance levels, but also strengthened their muscles. After this, the scientist I. Tabata wrote many more articles in which he repeatedly proved how effective his system was.

The protocol (system) itself is a high-intensity interval training, which is divided into 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. As a result, one round takes 4 minutes and consists of 8 cycles.

With an increase in overall endurance, the rounds can be increased, and in the end you can exercise for a much longer period of 15-30 minutes. The break between rounds can be up to 1-2 minutes.

Tabata protocol exercise system for men (8 sets in 4 minutes)

Tabata is also suitable for men - both for weight loss and for developing physical strength. In any case, as a first session using the Tabata protocol, it is recommended to perform the system for beginner men and adjust it to your needs. The basic level for men may be higher than the abilities of beginning girls. It all depends on the genetics and inclinations of a particular person.

Active muscles during the Burpee exercise

For beginners

A good example of a simple workout for beginner men is 3 sets 3 times a week. Before training according to the Tabata protocol, a warm-up is required. A short jog, push-ups from the knees, a short plank and torso twists are suitable for this.

During exercises, you do not maintain maximum speed, but 80-90% of it, in order to maintain pace and technique. Exercises for beginner men:

burpee (military spring);
push ups;
lunges.

Burpees are performed from a standing position. A squat is performed, hands rest on the floor. From a squat you need to jump into a push-up, do a push-up and return to the squat. In the simplified version, the exercise ends at this step, but most often a jump is added:

squat;
push-ups;
squat;
jumping with your arms above your head and landing in a squat.

You can do any push-ups depending on your fitness level. Technique: do not bend the body and lower while inhaling.

During lunges, the chest should be as open as possible. To do this, you can fold your hands behind your head. The exercise begins while standing. Lunge forward with your right foot. The back foot should be behind the front heel.

Lunges

You can avoid touching the floor to avoid falling and maintain control. All leg muscles should be as tense as possible. With a good level of control, you can freeze at any moment during the lunge and hold out for several seconds. After lunging with the right leg, lunge with the left. Legs can be changed by walking or jumping.

During your cool down, be sure to do the following stretches:

bend down while sitting with legs extended (do not bend your knees);
“cobra” (lifting the torso from a lying position on the stomach, resting with hands);
calf stretch;
slowly crossing your arms behind your back.

Each exercise is performed for at least 40 seconds.

Advanced level

With training experience, trained men can perform 6 to 8 sets at a time (completing the workout in 4 minutes). This is how much professional athletes worked in Izumi's first study. It is highly recommended to monitor your heart rate using at least a fitness bracelet.

Between two Tabata sessions, 1 day of rest is required, even at a high level of training.

Warm-up should last 5-10 minutes and include: light running, stretching, push-ups, abdominal exercises, squats, slow turns of the torso and neck, any low-intensity exercises.

Don't neglect warming up

Exercises performed within the time limit of Tabata:

jumping with high knees;
clap push-ups;
running in place (feet touching buttocks);
squats;
“climber” (from the plank with outstretched arms, alternately pull your legs to your chest);
plank

An alternative would be to repeat each movement two cycles. Then the diagram will look like this:

jumping with high knees (2 times);
squats (2 times);
plank (2 times or hold for a minute, skipping rest).

After training, a cool-down is required. It should be the same duration as the stretch, or even longer. You can do the cool-down exercises for beginners, but in two circles.

The purpose of a cool-down is to calm the body after an active workout.

Tips for increasing efficiency

The main condition for achieving results is to work hard, you need to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start giving 100%. After completing the protocol, you should feel very tired; its absence indicates that it was not performed correctly. Speed should come first; adherence to technique plays an important role.

As you master simple exercises, you should move on to more complex ones, as the body gets used to the loads and the body stops improving. To complicate your workouts, you can choose more difficult exercises, the complexes of which will take 20 seconds to complete; it is also possible to add cycles.

The use of Tabata timers will simplify the training and increase its effectiveness; in this case, there is no need to track time; you should only respond to sound signals. Currently, there are a large number of timers, these can be applications on your phone or an online timer. It is necessary to set the required number of sets (7-8), the interval for performing them (20 seconds), as well as the interval for rest (10 seconds).

Before training, you should do a short warm-up, since exercises performed at a fast pace on cold muscles can cause injury. During ten-second training, it is forbidden to talk; this time should be spent resting and restoring breathing. After training, it is recommended to do a light cool-down, which should include stretching the muscles worked during the training process.

Contraindications for high-intensity exercise

Tabata is a huge load on the heart and muscles. It is not recommended:

pregnant and lactating women;
if you have problems with the cardiovascular system;
people with obesity (from the second degree);
in the presence of weak or damaged tendons and joints;
for problems with blood pressure.

However, none of these points is a death sentence. Before making a final decision, it is recommended to consult with your doctor.

For complete beginners, there is a danger of overloading or incorrect technique. They should approach the Tabata protocol carefully: monitor the execution technique, do not overload the muscles, and allow the body to recover. It is advisable to start with regular gymnastics, and introduce Tabata after the technique of performing basic movements has been formed.