Of all the many
protocols available for High Intensity Interval Training by far the most famous
is the Tabata protocol. Izumi Tabata (a Japanese Researcher at the
National Institute of Fitness and Sports) tested a protocol that had been
developed and used for several years by the Japanese Speed Skating Team.
Tabata tested two groups of male college students who were
majoring in physical education who were fit at the beginning of the study.
Before starting each subject in each group was tested on a
bicycle ergometer to determine their maximum oxygen consumption and workload at
that level. Then one group trained 5 days each week for 6 weeks
at 70% of their individual maximum oxygen consumption for 60 minutes.
The other group trained using a unique high intensity interval protocol
on the bike. This group exercised at 170% of their maximum oxygen
consumption (this is an all-out sprint!) for 20 seconds followed by a 10 second
recovery period for a total of 8 times done 4 days per week for 6 weeks along
with one day per week of moderate intensity cycling for 30 minutes.
The results this unique interval training protocol produced –
which is clearly a major anaerobic exercise stimulus – were quite
amazing! The interval training group had a 28% improvement in
anaerobic capacity along with a 7% improvement in maximum oxygen consumption
compared to no improvement in anaerobic capacity and a 5% increase in maximum
oxygen consumption for the group training at 70% of maximal oxygen consumption
for an hour! So the group doing the “Tabata Protocol” (as it is now
known) trained for a total of 16 minutes of interval training and 30 minutes of
steady training for a total of 46 minutes of training per week compared to 5
hours of training per week for the lower intensity training group yet had
superior results!
The key is that the Tabata Intervals were truly all out — 170% of
maximum oxygen consumption means they had to truly pedal as hard and fast as
they could so this protocol is not for the faint of heart. But the
results speak for themselves and particularly amazing considering the subjects
were fit BEFORE they started the study so you can expect even better results
with less fit individuals!
If you want
to give the Tabata Protocol a shot choose an exercise modality that allows you to
quickly ramp up intensity at the start of each work interval and also quickly
decrease intensity at the end of each work interval. So fan based rowers and bikes are a great
choice as are self-powered treadmills and running in place or on a track. Powered treadmills are NOT a good choice
because it takes too much time for the treadmill belt to speed up and slow down
and this can cause falls!
Use a timer
and there are many free interval timers for cell phones including “Tabata”
timers. Warm-up thoroughly for 10
minutes on the modality you will be using – you should break a sweat but not
push to the point of difficulty breathing.
Once warmed
up set your timer for 8 intervals of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off. Hit start and go as hard as you can for the
next 20 seconds! Then ease up immediately at the end and go
slowly (you will need every second of recovery you can get!). Repeat 7 more times. If you are doing this correctly, you will be
wondering how you can possibly finish all eight intervals by the end of the
third or fourth interval – those 10 second recovery periods feel like
nothing! Hang in there and finish!
When you
are done the final work interval continue moving slowly until you are fully
recovered – do not stand and stop because blood can pool in your extremities
and make you feel faint if you do. This
protocol should not be done more than 3 times per week on a longer term basis –
you will not fully recover if you do and overtraining is not a good thing!
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