4 Minute Fat Burning Workout! The Tabata Method

A lot of my readers are adults who are so busy with things such as their full-time jobs, their kids, and their household duties that they don't believe they have a second to spare in their day for a workout. One the biggest turn-offs for them when thinking about starting a workout program is figuring out when they would have time to get to a gym for an hour or so a day.

I believe that these people are the people who need a workout program the most. I have written on numerous occasions on how exercise can relieve stress and anxiety (read more on that topic here and here), and busy parents working a full time job are sure to have plenty of stress/anxiety in their day. Parents and people who are fully engrossed in their work tend to forget to take care of themselves. They are so worried about taking care of their children or getting their work done (or both), that taking care of themselves is less of a priority. Taking care of yourself should always be a major priority for you. Your health and wellness is too important to push to the back burner for too long.

I understand that this is an issue with many people today, and that is why I have started to focus my attention more on workouts that can be completed at home, and in as little time as possible.

This week, I will be writing a few blog posts providing different workout options that can be completed at home for people who don't believe they have the time in the day to make it to the gym. These workouts will make you healthier, feel better, and look great! 

My first blog post is going to be discussing the Tabata Method. 

What is the Tabata Method? 

This method of training was discovered by a Japanese scientist named Dr. Izumi Tabata.

Dr. Tabata and his research team conducted research on two groups of athletes.

The first group trained at a moderate intensity level while the second group trained at a high-intensity level. The moderate intensity group worked out 5 days a week (for a total of 6 weeks). Each workout session lasted 1 hour.

The second (high intensity) group worked out 4 days a week (for 6 weeks); with each workout session lasting 4 minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).

The results showed that Group 1 had increased their aerobic/cardiovascular system, but showed no improvements in their muscle (anaerobic system). Group 2 showed much more increase in their aerobic/cardiovascular system than Group 1, and increased their muscular (anaerobic) system by 28%.

The results indicated that 4 minutes of High Intensity training was more effective at both cardiovascular and muscular improvement than 1 hour of moderate intensity cardio!

How Does the Tabata Method Work? 

Each Tabata session lasts only four minutes (that's it!), but it will definitely be the longest 4 minutes of your life!

Begin with a brief warm-up.

To complete 1 Tabata round, go as hard as you can (maximum effort) for 20 seconds and follow that with 10 seconds of rest. Repeat for 7 more rounds.

Example- 

• Work out hard for 20 seconds
• Rest for 10 seconds
• Complete 8 rounds

You can use almost any exercise you'd like for this method. This is an easy workout to complete at home because you can use bodyweight options such as push-ups, lunges, bodyweight squats, mountain climbers, etc. You can perform one exercise for all 8 rounds, or you can mix and match. Use your imagination!

Once you’ve finished, give yourself time to catch your breath and cool down.

Tabata Workout Example 

Here are two Tabata workout examples that you can use today in the comfort of your own home: 

If you're looking to build some leg muscles while keeping it simple, you can't go wrong with the bodyweight squat Tabata Workout.

Bodyweight Squat Tabata Workout 

20 Seconds- Bodyweight Squats (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 1 - Immediately start round 2

Repeat for 7 more Rounds 

If you're looking for more of a full body workout you can perform the following Tabata Workouts:

Full Body Tabata Workout 

20 Seconds- Bodyweight Squats (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 1 - Immediately start round 2

20 Seconds- Push-ups (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 2 - Immediately start round 3

20 Seconds- Mountain Climbers (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 3 - Immediately start round 4

20 Seconds- Running in place (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 4 - Immediately start round 5

20 Seconds- Lunges (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 5 - Immediately start round 6

20 Seconds- Push-ups (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 6 - Immediately start round 7

20 Seconds- Mountain Climbers (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 7  - Immediately start round 8

20 Seconds- Burpees (workout as hard as you can) 

10 Seconds- Rest 

End of Round 8 - Crumple to the floor!

So there you have it! More fit in 4 minutes! Anyone can take 4 minutes out of their day to complete one of these quick workouts. Now I do want to say that you should always take time to warm up and cool down, so your time allotted will actually be more than 4 minutes. Also, the more you do, the more you will benefit (within reason). But either way, this is a great program that you can get done fast and in the comfort of your own home! Feel free to give it a try and leave me a comment below!