Tabatas are a staple in our metabolic workouts and for good reason. The basic tabata protocol means that you do an exercise for 8 rounds: 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of rest. This allows you to go ALL OUT for a very short period of time and then rest briefly before going ALL OUT again.
But what makes them such a great exercise?
- They raise your metabolism and heart rate immediately. This alone means that tabatas are great for burning fat… but even better, the high intensity ensures that you will keep burning fat for up to several hours after your workout.
- They help to maintain the muscle that you’ve worked so hard to build during boot camps! When you are working to get fit and healthy, it is important to take measures against losing muscle tissue instead of fat. Tabatas put stress on your muscles which signals your body that it is time to build that tissue!
- Increase in aerobic capacity. Those short bursts of exercise can actually translate to greater stamina overall!
We love tabatas because they are so efficient. Let’s face it, we don’t have all day! So adding tabatas into our workouts increases their effectiveness without adding more time. So next time you walk in to a class full of tabatas, dig deep and embrace the benefits!
