If you’re looking to up the ante on your fat burning program and try out a new cardio variation that’s guaranteed to get you fast results, one variety that you will definitely want to consider is the Tabata protocol.

This form of cardio is similar to interval style training only ten times more intense – and for those who can get through it, ten times more effective.

It’s not for the light-hearted as you will be required to put in a very solid effort, but if you’re at the fitness level where you can push the barriers more, it’s definitely one that you’ll want to try out.

Let’s go over what the Tabata protocol is all about and why you should be giving it some consideration.

The Premise

The premise of the Tabata protocol is that you will take regular style interval training and supercharge it. Rather than performing the standard 20-60 interval sessions, coupled with rest periods twice as long, you’ll reverse that with your work period being twice the length as your rest period and both being considerably shorter. All in all it’s going to make for a four minute long workout, but an extremely intense one at that.

The Benefits

The primary benefits you’ll receive from this style of training are first, you will get a series boost to your metabolic rate. You’ll be burning up calories for hours after the workout is finished, so for those who want to really kick fat burning into high gear, it’s the workout to choose.

In addition to that, you’ll dramatically accelerate your fitness level because it is so intense and you may even build some additional lean muscle mass in the process. This style of workout is going to cause a greater testosterone release in the body compared to say a long duration cardio workout would, and since testosterone is highly involved in the muscle growth process, you can see benefits in that regard.

Plus, the fact that the workout is only four minutes long makes it very appealing to many people who are looking for a short duration workout that they can fit with their lifestyle.

The Set-Up

So what will you do to complete the Tabata protocol?
For this program, you’ll select a full body movement to do the workout with. Burpees, kettlebell swings, or uphill sprints will all work well.

Then you’ll perform 20 seconds of that movement going as hard as you possibly can. Really push yourself to the limit here because it’s that effort that brings you the results.
After the 20 second interval is up, back off and take 10 seconds to rest and recovery.

Once this is completed, repeat the process seven more times for a total of four minutes overall.
Make sure that you are completing a good warm-up and cool-down with this workout as well to prepare your body for the intense exercise it’s about to undergo.

Remember that if you aren’t warmed up sufficiently, you won’t be able to give the maximum effort you’re aiming for that will produce results and you’re much more likely to suffer from a strain or pull in your muscles as well.

Also keep in mind that since this workout is so intense, it should not be done daily or that would get a little too taxing for your central nervous system.

Instead, aim to complete it two to three times per week along with your normal strength training workout routine and you will see optimal results.

The Tabata protocol is essentially the epitome of interval training but if you feel like you need a challenge, it is the workout to do.

By Shannon Clark

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