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4 mins?

by Tony
(Cyrstal Lake, IL, US)

How does 4 min constitute a complete workout? I can see adding more weight training after you do this, or even before. Ending a weight training workout with this seems logical, but not just 4 mins by itself.

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4 mins?

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starstarstarstarstar 		4 Mins is too long....
by: Greg

I know it seems ridiculously short, there should be no way this would be effective. My suggestion is to try it - get set up on a front squat, and have a go. The weights should be a little lighter than you normally use, something like you would use for a warm up set.

You should be aiming to do as many squats per set as you can, really push it. You will need to put all your intensity into each set, if its easy than your weights are not high enough or you are not pushing yourself Remember that you only get 10 seconds to rest in between each set.

Please do me a favor and let us know how this goes, in fact if anyone has experienced this kind of workout, please jot down how it went for you.
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starstarstarstarstar 		great cardio
by: Anonymous

I have been training for about 7 weeks and had been running between 3 to 4 miles 4 to 5 times a week. I then seen this HIIT on the net and I did my second workout today. I am running all out for 30 then resting for 90 and today I got through 8 sets and it was brutal. I felt like I had run 4 miles at a fast pace and did it all including 5 minute run before and after in about 30 minutes.
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starstarstarstarstar 		How about this?
by: Anonymous

I love the Tabata intervals. I am completely exhausted after 4 minutes. I was wondering if it would be a good idea if I did my regular workout in the morning and a Tabata interval workout of sprinting in the evening? I want to increase my stamina and loose fat but I am also am doing bodyweight workouts in the morning to increase muscle, etc.
Would you consider that working too much? It seems like they each have different goals?
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by: Anonymous

this idea sounds good, but if i'm training for an 80 minute long rugby match, then would this be the right thing?
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starstarstarstarstar 		Rugbu intervals
by: Greg

It absolutely would be good for rugby,

although you play for 80 minutes, the game is split into periods of high intensity (scrums, rucks, backline moves etc) and then periods of rest (setting up 1st phases such as scrum, lineouts etc and also where the play is happening away from you.) So rugby is essentially eighty minutes of intervals.

Intervals are going to help your explosiveness during these high intensity period.

I would do these kinds of intervals plus mixing in other types up to 30 seconds sprint intervals. You would need to combine this with other training but it would definitely help your explosiveness during the game.
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starstarstarstarstar 		adapted Tabata
by: Anonymous

I just tried an adapted Tabata interval for the first time with my younger brother in our backyard. Wow- I expected it to be intense, but it is absolutely KILLER when you actually do it!

I was browsing youtube for some ideas, and actually chose 5 different exercises to do, including side and front lunges, mountain climbers, and burpees.

For most of the exercises, I was only able to do 4-6 sets (2-3 minutes) before I was completely wiped out. So then I would take a very short break (about 30-45 seconds) and then try with the next exercise.

I am no expert, but I liked having different/multiple exercises because I run a few times a week (low intensity) and I could tell that some of the exercises for Tabata would completely kill my thighs and prevent me from resuming my regular work out. And if Tabata is meant for high intensity cardio/anaerobic exercise, I don't think it is necessary to completely tire out one single muscle group, if you are still getting your heart pounding.
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starstarstarstarstar 		Scrape the bowl clean
by: Anonymous

Tabata is like getting a spatula and scraping everything out of the mixing bowl. The brief breaks are just enough to regain composure and drop the HR down a few %. There's many variations but generally if you truly do your first set flat out you'll be struggling to get 70% of the same volume in the second set and may even decrease again in the third and fourth if you're not accustomed to this type of work out. Plot your results and you'll see over time the back end of the curve improves as you get fitter. My "favorite" is burpees for 1 min with a 15 sec rest. Watch your lower back though as you get tired. Like I said lots of variations on the activity interval and rest period.
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starstarstarstarstar 		do you people know what tabata is??? morons
by: Anonymous

Tabata is 20 on 10 off 8 times. Not obe min flat out 15 seconds rest or anything like that. Its 20/10x 8

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