Tabata Protocol: Fat Burning Cardio
A lot of people might be surprised to learn that there is a method that allows you to burn as much fat in 4 minutes as you would in an hour-long cardio workout. What’s the downside? You have to exercise harder and more intensely than you ever have before. Think you can do it? Then the Tabata protocol may be the program you’ve been looking for.
A former researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports named Izumi Tabata is the namesake for this intense workout method. Tabata evaluated a high intensity interval training routine developed by the coach of the Japanese speed skating team. The program developed for the speed skaters centered on a maximum sprint effort that lasted 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of resting. The trainer had the athletes repeat this set 6-8 times for a period consisting of 4 minutes.
20 seconds, 10 seconds repeated for 4 minutes might sound like an easy workout, however, when you sprint as hard as you can sprint for 20 seconds and only break for half that time, you will get very winded. In fact, many people report feeling queasy after finishing the entire cycle. Needless to say, this routine was used with world class athletes. Some of the world’s finest and most in-shape athletes are speed skaters, yet some of the Japanese speed skating team found they had to quit after just 6 intervals when they started this routine. I can perform 4-6 intervals at maximum velocity but see a slowdown for the last 2-4 intervals. Those last 2-4 intervals still represent my maximal effort; it’s just that I’m too tired to give the same maximal effort as the first 2-4 intervals.
Most people think they need to stay on the treadmill or elliptical for at least 20 minutes before any fat burning begins. How could this simple 4 minute routine possibly be so much more effective? The secret to the success of these short intensity workouts is the “after burn effect” which forces your body to continue burning calories for several hours after you’ve ended the workout. This happens because you burn off all your glycogen (carbs) during the workout leaving only fat for your body to burn. Additionally, the Tabata protocol has been shown to increase aerobic and anaerobic capacity while moderate intensity cardio only increases aerobic capacity.
One great feature of the Tabata protocol is that it can be used on any number of exercises. I prefer to employ the Tabata protocol with cardio exercises, but it can also be used with strengthening or bodyweight exercises. Try to perform as many reps as you can during the 20 second interval. Take a brief 10 second rest and begin again. Go light if you’re using weights because this requires a grueling effort.
The Tabata protocol itself should only take 4 minutes total, however it is still important to remember to begin with a warm-up period and end with a cool-down period. I will usually warm up for about 4 or 5 minutes before I begin. I do a 1-2 minute cool down and immediately catch my breath and drink some water. This takes about 10 minutes overall to complete the routine. Since I usually allocate a little longer than 10 minutes for a workout, I like to add some steady state cardio afterward. The Tabata protocol will lower your glycogen levels and help unlock the fatty acids. If you follow with a steady cardio workout, you’ll find that the low glycogen level means that your body will be able to burn off those fatty acids more easily. This is how the Tabata protocol produces the best fat burning cardio program that you’ve ever tried.