If you’re training and dieting hard to get ready for your summer holidays, then you’ll more than likely be incorporating some form of circuit training into your plans. If you’re interested in taking things up a notch and looking for a new challenge, then there’s no better time to start doing some Tabata workouts.
WHAT IS TABATA?
Tabata is a type of high-intensity interval training workout that was originally developed for Japanese Olympians. A Tabata workout consists of 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by a 10-second rest period. You can adapt Tabata workouts to suit you by incorporating this 20:10 ratio into a whole variety of different types of exercises. You can be as creative as you want.
HOW IS IT DIFFERENT TO HIIT?
The main difference is that Tabata is completed in four-minute increments and completed with higher intensity than other HIIT exercises. Tabata's rest period is also shorter, always lasting only 10 seconds. Other HIIT exercises can have longer recovery periods, sometimes up to two minutes.
THE CHEST + CORE WORKOUT
This workout today is focused on chest and core and will have you working for 12 minutes total and that is broken down into 3 supersets that should take you 4 minutes each to complete. Once each superset has been completed you will move straight on to the next one with no rest in between. Each exercise will be done for 20 seconds with 10 seconds rest so that means you can do 4 rounds of each superset before moving on to the next one. Let’s get started!
Tabata superset 1
- Burpees (chest to floor)
- Low push up hold
Tabata superset 2
- Tricep dips
- Crab kick triceps pulses
Tabata superset 3
- Shoulder tap push ups
- Marching plank
You’ll be working very hard for 12 minutes, but the good news is that you’ll be done after that. Before you start you might think that 12 minutes isn’t enough time to get a good workout in, but you’ll quickly change your mind once it’s over. Give it a go!
