jon-erik kawamoto personal trainer
If you are new to the fitness industry or have been around the block a few times like I have, I’m sure you’ve heard the Japanese name “Tabata” being used just as often as the words “set”, “rep” or “interval.” This Japanese last name has become famous (almost legendary) and is commonly used as a verb in the fitness industry to describe a form of high intensity interval training (HIIT) – 20-seconds of work with 10-seconds rest performed for 8 rounds. This is a form of interval training with a work to rest ratio of 2:1 (the work interval is 2 x the length of the rest interval) and is quite short in duration (only 8 rounds worth for a total of 4-minutes…just 4-minutes!). Now, you can perform more rounds if you wish, but the authentic Tabata protocol only called for 6-8 rounds.

You see, WAY back in 1996 & 1997, Dr. Izumi Tabata and his research team published two academic articles in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise titled Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max and Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises. Since Dr. Tabata was the lead author of these papers, the protocol is given his name (how cool would it have been if his last name was Kawamoto?!?). Anyways, trainers and trainees have taken this 20-10 HIIT protocol and have sub’d in their own exercises thinking they’re doing the Tabata protocol, where in fact, there is only one exercise that resembles the actual Tabata protocol: a mechanically braked cycle ergometer, which was the exercise chosen for these two studies. Let’s have a quick look at the studies just to get a better understanding of this now legendary protocol.

A Closer Look at the “Tabata” Studies

 
Subjects were young male students (physical education majors) volunteered for both of these studies – most were “physically active” and were members of varsity sports teams (table tennis, baseball, basketball, soccer and swimming).

All protocols were performed on a cycle ergometer (Monark bike) and were preceded with a 10-minute warmup at 50% VO2 max. Notice that common Tabata exercises such as Thrusters or running sprints were not used in the actual studies.

Without getting too deep in to the science, I’ll just bring up the important facts. During the 20-sec exercise period, the intensity (on the bike) was equal to 170% (yes, 170%) of the subject’s VO2 max. This is an all out effort where oxygen is not the only source of fuel. The body has to resort to other energy producing methods to sustain a crazy high intensity like this. Makes you think twice about alternating front planks for 20-sec and body weight squats for the other 20-sec – the intensity is just not high enough with these exercises.

Also, something else important to mention, is that these studies were not designed to assess fat loss. The high intensity intermittent exercise protocols used were utilized to examine the affects on aerobic and anaerobic metabolism, NOT fat loss. In the 1996 study, Tabata and his team found significant increases in subject’s maximum oxygen uptake and anaerobic capacity following 6-weeks of implementing the “Tabata” protocol. In their 1997 paper, they state that the 20-10 protocol, “appears to stress both the aerobic and anaerobic energy releasing systems maximally.” What does this mean for you? If you can suffer 170% of your VO2 max for 6-8 rounds of 20-10, you’ll crank up your ability to utilize oxygen and ability to work anaerobically. You’ll also get a huge boost in your EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) meaning that your metabolism will be in overdrive for hours after your workout finishes. This could potentially lead to more calories burned and more fat lost.

So You Wanna Tabata?

 
What’s the take home message here? Well, if you want to “Tabata” something, the only way you’re going to get the authentic Tabata experience is by doing 6-8 rounds of 20-sec work (on a cycle ergometer) at 170% of your VO2 max at 90 rpm with 10-sec rest periods. According to Tabata’s results, this will positively impact your aerobic and anaerobic capacities and ramp up your EPOC for days (okay, maybe not days, but for quite a while after the workout).

“If you can suffer 170% of your VO2 max for 6-8 rounds of 20-10, you’ll crank up your ability to utilize oxygen and ability to work anaerobically. You’ll also get a huge boost in your EPOC (excess post-exercise oxygen consumption) meaning that your metabolism will be in overdrive for hours after your workout finishes.”

“Tabata-ing” lunges and pushups will not give you the authentic Tabata experience. All you’re doing is lunges for 20-sec alternating with pushups for 20-sec with 10-sec rest periods between exercises. Will you still increase your heart rate? Yes. Will you benefit from it? Probably. Will you burn calories? Yup. But just understand, it’s interval training, but the results will not even be close to what Tabata and his team found in his two studies.

Read GPP: Train for Life and Prepare for Anything

The Next Best Thing

 
So, you wanna Tabata stuff? Here’s the next best thing if you don’t want to die on the cycle ergometer – you’ll just die doing something else 🙂

jkconditioning dragon t-shirt

Choose multi-joint exercises that use as many muscle groups as possible. Great exercise choices include:

  • Barbell, Dumbbell or Kettlebell Thrusters
  • Treadmill Hill Sprints (death!!)
  • Hard-syle Russian Kettlebell Swings
  • Concept 2 Rowing
  • Burpees
  • Air Dyne Sprints (also death!!)
  • Versa Climber Sprints (if you’re lucky enough to have access to one)
  • Cross Country Skiing

Perform these exercises as fast as humanly possible. Seriously. Crank it (without hurting yourself) for the entire 20-sec. Do you best to recover in 10-sec (good luck) and hit it again. Repeat 6-8 times or until you collapse on the floor in a heap (which ever comes first).

Just remember, the goal is work at an intensity far greater than your VO2 max (so, no, low intensity exercises don’t count). This will also boost your EPOC and your calorie expenditure post workout (and hopefully shed some fat).

Perform 1-3x/week at the end or beginning of your workouts. Make sure to warmup thoroughly. You wouldn’t want to pull a hammy (or a lung).

-JK

References

Tabata, I., Irisawa, K., Kouzaki, M., Nishimura, K., Ogita, F., & Miyachi, M. (1997). Metabolic profile of high intensity intermittent exercises. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 29(3), 390-395.

Tabata, I., Nishimura, K., Kouzaki, M., Hirai, Y., Ogita, F., Miyachi, M., & Yamamoto, K. (1996). Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Med Sci Sports Exerc, 28(10), 1327-1330.

photo credit: FMG2008 via photopin cc

I was referred to JKC by my sister-in-law and had heard good things about it from many people in the running community. I also saw Jon’s picture on the wall at lululemon years ago! I really like the personalized training and the variety the guys provide. I started for strength training for running. I love cardio and do tons of it but wasn’t motivated to do much strength work on my own. Jon mixes up my strength work week to week so I don’t get bored but also lets me work in a hard circuit for the last 20 minutes of most sessions to get my cardio fix 

I chose JKC because I was looking for something different. I’ve seen and done the trendy workout programs before, I was looking for something that I knew I could see myself still doing a year from now! JKC has a lot of clients that have been going for years. That was a huge motivator for me! The small group coaching sessions are great and I really enjoy the format. It’s nice having 2-4 people working-out with you during your session. The camaraderie is great, everyone is very upbeat and positive – zero gym judgment!

I joined JKC because I wanted to better care for my physical health, but didn’t really know how, or where, to begin.  Seeking help from a trainer seemed like a wise choice, and I had heard great things about the staff at JKC. Anyone who knows me knows that I hate exercising.  So, I’ve only ever tried sticking with a gym routine twice in my life.  Each experience consisted of me wandering around, not knowing what to do, and settling for an elliptical machine or something else that seemed comfortable and non-threatening.  Each session was the same, and I felt like I was wasting my time.

Each session at JKC, however, is specifically crafted for me.  I don’t have to think about what to do, because I’m told what to do.  I don’t have to worry about how to do things properly, because I’m shown (sometimes multiple times!) how to accomplish each task.  I don’t have to be concerned about slipping into a comfortable routine, because Jon and Thomas won’t let that happen.

sumo deadlift

I had always wanted to start lifting weights and get stronger, but didn’t know where to start. I was looking not just for a gym, but for training on proper technique to prevent injury and a program designed for my specific goals. I also wanted a fun and supportive atmosphere to keep me coming back. JKC delivered on all of this and more.

Jon and Thomas have a wealth of knowledge that help their clients get the most out of their time in the gym. Programs are continuously modified to keep the workouts challenging. Even through everyone’s program is unique, you always have the coaches and other clients cheering you on and pushing you to achieve new bests.

I had virtually no real experience using weights and felt intimidated going gyms. I avoided gym-goers using free weights, especially when hearing that loud crash, as they would drop weights to the floor. I thought this was to show everyone around them that they owned that area and that I shouldn’t go anywhere near! So I guess I just wanted to learn how to lift weights safely in a gym environment.

I spent over 18 years in the British Military, so I got to use some nice gyms. 99% of my time and experiences in those gyms was spent doing cardiovascular workouts, because I could just jump on a treadmill, plug in my head phones and do my own thing! JKC is different, because they have given me the confidence to use free weights and equipment that I had feared for years. Their demonstrations and knowledge is impeccable and I thank them for their continuous belief and support they show me at every session.

As Seen On: