What the Heck is the Tabata Protocol?!

You mean the workouts we just murdered y'all with? Maybe you've heard that you can do cardio without running, or that your heart doesn't 'care' what type of exercise you're doing, it can still be pushed to it's limit by the right approach? This is the essence of Tabata training. Simply put, Tabata training is the ultimate cardio protocol for anaerobic movements. It's also the ultimate muscle-building protocol for aerobic movements. It's also the ultimate fat burning protocol for either type of exercise. It burns more calories while training the heart more while building more muscle in the shortest amount of time than pretty much any other system out there... But it has it's limits:

• In it's strictest form Tabata requires at least 5 minutes of moderate to intense warmup time, followed by 8 rounds of a given exercise for 20 seconds on- at fastest pace, 10 seconds off, finished with a 2 minute cool down. 
• It's generally not considered safe to incorporate large weights when first learning Tabata. It's also generally considered unsafe to attempt the Tabata protocol with isolation exercises, since moving too fast in this way often leads to injury. Of course, this would also defeat the overall metabolic conditioning effect of the exercise anyway, so don't go there. Compound exercises only [Multi-joint, using big muscle groups] like body weight squats, front squats, k-bell swings, pull ups, etc.
• The greatest limitation of Tabata is the frequency with which you do it; Tabata is used to greatest advantage only once or twice a month. If you have enough energy to do it twice in a week, then you did it wrong the first time.

TABATA FAQ:
WHO SHOULD USE TABATA TRAINING?
You, silly.

WHO SHOULD NOT USE TABATA TRAINING?
Anyone suffering from a debilitating disease that requires careful regulation of the heart rate to the extent that intense cardio is 'verboten'. Their doctor might be able to tell them if this is the case, especially if he/she speaks German.


WHERE DID THE NAME TABATA COME FROM?
Tabata training was discovered by Dr. Izumi Tabata in Tokyo...Yeah, it's that simple.

HOW DO I TIME MYSELF?
I'd say use something like a timer or chronograph, chief... You know, a clock. However, if you don't want to deal with the hassle of looking at a countdown timer for 4 minutes straight, just use my sweet Tabata mp3's to get your timings right. They're free [as in speech, not beer], and should help keep you on track and motivated to finish.

IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD KNOW BEFORE USING THE TABATA PROTOCOL?
Yes: you're stalling. This is only one step away from procrastinating. Procrastinators never win. Go. Train. NOW.

So if you got to this point, obviously you read the whole post- Thanks! I've kept this blog 100% ad-free, so if you found any part of it useful, all I ask in return is that you please hit that Facebook Share button, or maybe share it on Google+, Twitter or Digg- it's really easy, and it helps more people benefit from the tips, tricks, and fun we're having over here. Thanks again!