by Adrian Harper, Pro Fitness Gym
Training can be hard for many people, particularly if you have no training partner or personal trainer. Many people exercise daily and still find it hard to achieve results. Although nutrition is far more important (in my eyes anyway) to seeing real results there is no getting away from the fact that you also must put the effort in the gym. We have a wide variety of clients but im pretty sure if we asked every one of them what they wanted from their training most would say “to look and feel better”. Could you help that process in 4 minutes?
To get in to great shape to me means having a nicely defined body and visible abdominals. Unfortunatly trying to achieve this look is where many people get their training wRong by training incorrectly and by not having enough intensity in their training sessions. Weight training is essential to achieving the body you want and a properly designed programme from your personal trainer should contain some form of interval training. A favourite of ours is a high intensity interval training protocol known as a Tabata Protocol which if done correctly may be the best fat loss too you could have in your locker and the best thing is it only takes 4 minutes, yes FOUR minutes to complete.
WHAT IS TABATA
Dr. Izumi Tabata and his colleagues at the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Japan invented this popular method of training. Tabata Training cycles intervals of 20 seconds of maximum intensity exercise with 10 seconds of rest, repeated without pause 8 times for a total of 4 minutes. You must work with all out effort, pacing yourself is not an option or this simply wont work. ProFitness Gym clients regularly add this type of training to their workouts(without knowing the science behind it!!)
- 20 seconds work
- 10 seconds rest
- for a total of 4 minutes
On paper this looks easy, in reality its not but you will reap the rewards if you add even one to two tabata sessions weekly to your current training regime(no matter how good or bad it is). According the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, “Six to 8 very hard 20-second intervals with 10-second rest periods may be one of the best possible training protocols.”
TABATA EXERCISE EXAMPLES
- Skipping
- Punch Bag
- TRX
- Kettlebells
- Dumbells
- Barbells
- Various Bodyweight drills
WHAT IF YOU JUST CANT HANDLE TABATA TRAINING
This is no problem as we can simply modify it so you can achieve the great benefits of this programme which may be working as hard as you can for 10 seconds and resting for 20 seconds x8 sets. This can be an ongoing progression until you are able to follow the full tabata protocol.
Striking the balance with high intensity interval training is highly important as many who start to add various types of interval training tend to overkill and results diminsh. Following a properly designed eating plan and periodized weight training programme is VITAL if you are to achieve the best results. Now if you have 4 minutes to spare 2-3 times a week you are now armed with one of the fastest ways to drop bodyfat! The exercise combinations really are endless and this is where you can be creative and try new exercises!
So from today I want you to step outside of your comfort zone and train a little bit harder and I would love your feedback on how you got on with your tabatas!!
Adrian Harper