One tends to believe that one must kill oneself to run long hours to lose weight quickly. If you do not have a lot of time to devote to a tedious cardio session and you are looking for a way to burn off your unsightly bumps, then you should adopt the 4-minute Tabata method. The results are remarkable after some time. No more excuses for those who claim they do not have enough time for the sport.
Tabata, a high-intensity fractional training
The HIIT, understand High-intensity interval training, is a training protocol that is characterized by intense periods of effort followed by very short recovery periods. There are several HIIT programs, including the Tabata.
This protocol greatly helps to improve the cardiovascular capacities and to melt the fats. Due to the very short recovery time, the Tabata method encourages the body to draw energy from glycogen stores during periods of stress and to pump into the stored fat during recovery periods. The biggest advantage of this training program is to refine the whole body with great reinforcements of short exercises but well and enduring.
The method was developed by the Japanese Izumi Tabata following a simple but very exhausting protocol. It consists of 8 cycles of 20 seconds of intense effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest, 4 minutes of exercises ... do you seem short? You are challenged to be able to arrive at the end of these 4 minutes without panting.
Practice Mode
This training method is adaptable to most cardio activities and bodybuilding exercises. To vary a little, you are advised to change machine or exercise from one cycle to another, alternating between stationary bike, elliptical, rowing, sprints, skipping rope, burpees, pumps, leg bending, strikes To the bag.
Always start by warming yourself up and stretching a few minutes, in order to prepare your body to climb in the towers. If you are a fan of the race, go for a short strides a few minutes by integrating 4 to 5 progressive accelerations of 20 seconds.
Then repeat 8 x (20 seconds of effort + 10 seconds of recovery) by managing the intensity of your efforts so as not to be completely washed out the second repetition. It is better to start slowly. If the method remains too difficult for you, do not hesitate to increase the rest times.
Finally, finish by a few minutes of calm in order to gradually lower your heart rate.
The optimal duration of a Tabata session is 5-25 minutes (warm-up and recovery time included). Remember that training sessions too intensive or too long may increase the levels of cortisol, stress hormone, and fatigue the muscles.
Example of training in Tabata
- To accentuate fat loss: a cycle of 4 minutes in burpee with pumps and frog jumps.
- For general fitness: 1 Tabata by bicycle or rower repeated 5 times to do a session.
The advantages of the Tabata method
Even 24 hours after your Tabata session, your basic metabolism is accelerated, which means that you will burn fat in the hours following your training but not doing anything.
Tabata increases the secretion of growth hormone which helps to melt body fat while conversing its muscles.
Tabata causes a peak of catecholamines, these organic compounds, including adrenaline, noradrenaline, and dopamine, which play a major role in fat removal.
No more long hours of cardio. 20 to 25 minutes of Tabata are enough for a significant fat loss