Tabata Workout: What You Need to Know

Soniya
Tabata workout helps you to increase strength and endurance. (Image via Unsplash / Chase Kinney)
Tabata workout helps increase strength and endurance. (Image via Unsplash/Chase Kinney)

Tabata workout is a high-intensity interval training workout that you can do at home and get great results.

It's named after Dr. Izumi Tabata who, along with his colleagues, developed the workout in 1996. The method was adopted by Olympians and has become popular all over the world as a way to get fit quickly and efficiently.


What is the Tabata Workout?

It was invented by Izumi Tabata in 1996. (Image via Unsplash/Boxed Water is Better)
It was invented by Izumi Tabata in 1996. (Image via Unsplash/Boxed Water is Better)

The Tabata workout is a HIIT workout that helps build strength, speed and endurance.

It's also known as the 20/10 workout, as it comprises eight rounds of 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by ten seconds of rest. The exercises include burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers and squat jumps.

The Tabata interval routine was invented by Izumi Tabata in 1996 while he was researching fat metabolism at Japan's National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya City on Kyushu Island.


How to do a Tabata workout?

To get started, you need a timer and a set of dumbbells. You can use any type of weight you're comfortable with. Just make sure it's heavy enough to challenge your muscles but light enough so that the last few reps aren't too difficult.

Moreover, choose an exercise for each muscle group (arms, chest, back, legs). Once again, choose exercises that are challenging but not impossible to do. If squats or lunges are too difficult at first, don't worry about doing them right away. Try leg raises instead (they work wonders on abs).


Benefits of Tabata Workout

Improves cardiovascular health (Image via Unsplash/Danielle Cerullo)
Improves cardiovascular health (Image via Unsplash/Danielle Cerullo)

Tabata workouts are a great way to improve cardiovascular fitness and burn fat. Tabata workouts also help build muscle, which can improve performance in other sports.

The Tabata protocol was developed by Dr. Izumi Tabata, who wanted to find a way to get people into shape quickly without spending hours at the gym or running on the treadmill. The result is this intense interval training method that lasts four minutes per session (eight rounds in total).


Are there any precautions to be observed?

  • If you're a beginner, start with low intensity, and gradually increase your effort as you become more comfortable with the exercise.
  • If you have any medical condition or injury, consult a doctor before starting this or any other exercise programme.
  • If you're pregnant or breastfeeding, consult a doctor before starting this or any other exercise programme.

Helps you build strength, speed and endurance

Increases speed (Image via Unsplash/Bruce Mars )
Increases speed (Image via Unsplash/Bruce Mars )

It typically last 20 minutes or less, but it's intense. You will work at maximum effort for short periods with little rest between sets.

The idea behind this type of workout is that by pushing yourself harder than usual in short bursts, you will achieve results faster than if you were exercising at lower intensity for longer periods.


The Tabata workout is a great way to improve your fitness level, burn fat and increase muscle tone. It's also an excellent way to improve cardiovascular health. If you're looking for an intense workout that doesn't require a lot of equipment or time investment, this one be the right choice.

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