Tabata Method

[MaritimeMass]

http://www.tmuscle.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance/the_tabata_method
This method of lifting is incredible demanding and is very effective for fat loss. I tried it today for the first time and I have to say I was on the ground after.

Basically you do 8 cycles of 20 secs of front squatting followed immediately with 10 secs of rest until the watch hits 4 mins.

[mjh]

Dan John had some further thoughts on tabata in a recent article. Basically decrying the fact that too many people half-ass it or do it with poor exercise selections.

• I almost want to call Izumi Tabata, the Japanese researcher, and apologize for all the Internet nonsense I've caused by my Tabata Method article.

• The issue with Tabata is that people think it's part of a workout. The truth is,

if done right, you'd need a gun to make an athlete do another set. Izumi had to practically force his athletes to get back on those bikes.

• If you do push-ups for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds and continue that for 4 minutes, it is not the Tabata protocol. Tabata is 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off for 4 minutes, but the mere fact that you can do sit-ups and "Tabata" jumping jacks afterwards tells me that you're not doing the original plan.

• I made a mistake in the article saying that thrusters were okay. The more I did it and the longer I had athletes do it, the more I realized this was an absolute failure. It's terrible! There's only one weight-lifter exercise that works with Tabata: the front squat.

• If you do 115 pounds in the Tabata front squat, you will not at the end of those 4 minutes look at me and say, "Now what do I do for the next 4 minutes?"

No, you're going to do what I did when I used to do these in my driveway. You're going to lay there on the ground with your dog sniffing at you, worried about your life. You do not repeat a true Tabata workout.

It's an act of will to finish the last two minutes. You should be looking at the clock and thinking, "Only one more minute until I have one more minute!" That's a Tabata workout. And it only works with front squats.

[MaritimeMass]

I did it with 95lbs on front squat, it was truly agonizing. I was extremely fatigued after wards.

[atypical1]

That's the trouble with tabata though when you use an exercise like squats. It cuts into your recovery time if you do them on your days off. But if you do them on the same day you're doing SL then you're going to potentially too fatigued at the end of your workout to really do these justice. I was never able to truly find a balance when I did them so I ended up just stopping.

How about everyone else? Do you do them on your workout days or your days off?

james

[aramirez626]

I usually do HIIT on days off and tabata if low on time. But I dont do front squats becasue of recovery on legs. I do other moves such as burpees or thrusters, etc. If you pick the right weight and go as fast as you can during the 20 sec intervals, it is still fatiguing. You get what you put into it. There are other variations such as multiple tabata sessions such as the CF Tabata something else.

[jpez]

I've tried them a few times with barbell thrusters and I have to say they wrecked me and I wasn't able to continue them. Even the tmuscle article recommends to do them only once a month because they're so harsh. I think tabata with weights is a workout in it's self. They're a great workout but I think you'd have to sacrifice a lifting day for it during the week. I don't see any other way of doing them without disrupting your recovery.

I'm currently trying them with jump rope but I can't even get through the first round due to a piercing headache I get from jumping up and down so fast. I don't know what that's all about.

[jpez]

^^ Edit Dan John recommends only doing them twice a month.

He also recommends front squats when using weight and regrets recommending thrusters. Anyone know why?

[MaritimeMass]

Front squats use a lot of muscles compared to other exercises, and you can rack the weight faster as opposed to back squat.

[Munnings]

man, i tried tabata today. did 4 intervals for appropriate time and break each for skipping, BW squats and pushups. i was damn tired after it! that was only 4 mins of work! im not sure after reading this thread though if they are reasonable excersies to use?

[Glutenbob]

I did it with 95lbs on front squat, it was truly agonizing. I was extremely fatigued after wards.

did you feel cardiovascular fatigue or muscle fatigue?

[nburge]

Glutenbob wrote:
did you feel cardiovascular fatigue or muscle fatigue?

I used to do these with burpees and felt both an intense burning in my respiratory system as well as a painful anaerobic burn in my quads. The last time I did them I spent two days afterwards coughing up nasty things.