“[Six to 8 very hard 20 second intervals with 10 second rest periods] may be one of the best possible training protocols….”
………………Izumi Tabata, Ph.D., National Institute of Health & Nutrition, Tokyo, Japan
20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest. Repeat 8 times.
It’s a very simple style of workout that’s been used to train Olympic speed skaters, CrossFitters and runners worldwide.
Try it out with a simple movement, like the squat.
Set a clock in front of you. When the second hand hits the 12, start doing air squats. Do as many as you can in 20 seconds.
Rest 10 seconds.
Then go again. Do as many air squats as you possibly can in 20 seconds.
Rest 10 seconds. That’s two sets. Complete 8 sets.
You’re probably pretty tired – high heart rate, muscles filling with lactic acid. If you can, switch to pushups and repeat another 8 sets.
Here’s how the Tabata protocol works on your body:
Tabata training, named after Japanese scientist Izumi Tabata, is an intense workout method that involves short bursts of all-out exercise followed by brief rest periods. This approach was developed in the early 1990s and is known for its ability to improve both aerobic and anaerobic capacity rapidly. Typically, a Tabata workout consists of 20 seconds of maximum effort followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 4 minutes (eight cycles).
While Tabata training can lead to significant short-term gains in Vo2max (the maximum amount of oxygen one can utilize during exercise), and does enhance aerobic capacity, it’s important not to rely solely on this type of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Dr. Tabata himself notes, “You can’t train like Tabata all the time.” This is because, although effective for quick, intense workouts targeting Zone 3-5 (moderate to very high intensity), Tabata training does not promote metabolic flexibility—the ability of the body to efficiently switch between burning fats and carbohydrates for fuel.
It’s a very effective–but taxing–program. Dr. Tabata, in a personal communication, warned Dick Winett: “This protocol [was] invented to stress the cardiovascular systems of top Japanese [speed] skaters who got medals in the Olympic games. Therefore, the protocol is very tough. The subjects lay down on the floor after the training.” Tabata wondered how many people would “feel eager to do this type of exercise.” The answer: we can do hard training, like Tabata, in maximum heart rate zones…but not all the time. Tabata was simply the first of a new generation of sport scientists to train with maximal intensity.
To maintain metabolic flexibility, it’s crucial to also engage in Zone 2 training, which involves longer periods of moderate-intensity exercise. This type of training helps the body improve its ability to burn fat as a primary fuel source, a metabolic feature that high-intensity workouts alone do not sufficiently support.
Moreover, our understanding of how fats are metabolized has advanced significantly since the 1980s. These insights underscore the importance of a balanced approach to exercise that includes both high-intensity and moderate-intensity sessions. In the 1980s, Tabata said: “From the theoretical point of view, the higher the oxygen uptake obtained in a specific training protocol, the higher the improvement of VO2max.” And that’s true, but VO2max has to be developed with a wide base (zone 2 training) and a high peak (zone 5 training.)
Therefore, while Tabata training offers a powerful tool for quick and effective workouts, it should be integrated into a broader, more diverse exercise program to achieve the best results for both fitness and overall health.