Tabata advice?

[1Lovely1]

I added Tabata sprints (3 times a week) into my routine about a week and a half ago. I've researched it a lot, and all the websites say it's a surefire way to lose weight. Obviously, they may overestimate some of their claims, but... I haven't increased my calories since I started but so far I haven't been able to break my fat loss plateau by even a pound. : ( Have any of you tried Tabata? How did it work for you?

[MrB1g]

Mm any website that says it's a surefire way to lose weight isn't very reliable.

It's a form of cardiovascular exercise and it will burn calories, but that doesn't guarantee weight loss.


Losing weight is a matter of calories in < calories out.

If you're not losing weight, you can either decrease how much your eating, or increase how much cardio you're doing.

So something like Tabata will work (although I'm unsure how many calories a 4 minute session would burn) but just don't go into it thinking that the fat will suddenly vanish.


Good luck.

[summertown74]

Agreed with mrbig but would add that (for me at least) sometimes it takes till the second week for me to see changes from a new deficit. If your deficit is intact (is it?), then give it a little more time before you decide it's not working

Plus with Tabata I think the point is more to raise your metabolism, not necessarily to burn calories in that session.....

[ajangel25]

I love Tabata! Try switching up the way you do it- I do it with plyo moves like jump tucks, jumping squats, star jumps, high knees, burpees, etc! But I only do it 1-2 times per week.. you don't want to do it too often!

[FemmeFatale28]

Mm any website that says it's a surefire way to lose weight isn't very reliable.

It's a form of cardiovascular exercise and it will burn calories, but that doesn't guarantee weight loss.


Losing weight is a matter of calories in < calories out.

If you're not losing weight, you can either decrease how much your eating, or increase how much cardio you're doing.

So something like Tabata will work (although I'm unsure how many calories a 4 minute session would burn) but just don't go into it thinking that the fat will suddenly vanish.


Good luck.

Its 4 mins per exercise. most people do 4-5 exercises in a session = 20 mins, and it burns more calories post workout than while your actually doing it,also raises post oxygen consumption and if I can get as much of a workout from 20 mins of brutal ass kicking I will take it over 45 mins of LISS.... its also great for building endurance.

[discdoggie]

I enjoy tabata, but when I'm needing to shed some fat, I get much better results slashing some calories from my diet than trying to "burn" it off with cardio, tabata or otherwise.

[Emma-Leigh]

^ not the 'fat blasting' tool that most make it out to be. It's 4 mins - it is NOT going to be the 'big mover and shaker' in a routine.

Additionally - most who think they do tabata don't actually DO tabata.... If you actually look into it the original protocol is far over and above what people believe it to be >> there was a similar discussion here: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showth...hp?t=119872971

[KyleAaron]

As Emma-Leigh said, in the original study the people really thrashed themselves. It was 170% of VO2 max. By comparison, most people want to vomit, have their limbs burning and start crying at around 130-140%.

There is no way you'll get that intensity training on your own. And nor should you even try intervals unless you have a good base of cardiovascular fitness already. Which most people who need to lose fat for health reasons won't have; those simply losing fat for vanity might have it, or might not.

Tabata at a reduced intensity is quite useful, as all interval training is, for improving lactate threshold - that is, when your limbs feel leaden and then start to burn, almost everyone slows down or stops. Interval training can make that leaden or burn start later, and improve the person's tolerance to that feeling. So it's useful for people who want to do 400m sprints, or do sports involving lots of short sprints without much rest.

As with all intervals, it's also useful for improving aerobic capacity, what most people call "cardio".

It's also useful for building mental toughness, so that you approach the rest of your training with greater intensity. After some intervals or a 20 rep breathing squat, the plain old 6-8 reps work set seems like a doddle.

It's not useful for fat burning. It's just 4 minutes.

[Bowiechick]

Its 4 mins per exercise. most people do 4-5 exercises in a session = 20 mins, and it burns more calories post workout than while your actually doing it,also raises post oxygen consumption and if I can get as much of a workout from 20 mins of brutal ass kicking I will take it over 45 mins of LISS.... its also great for building endurance.

real Tabata is JUST 4 mins. other forms of HIIT can be up to 30+ mins. If its more then 4mins it is NOT Tabata, its 'just' HIIT.

Its great but very intense.

[aussieangie]

I incorporate interval training on a 2:1 ration where I sprint on speed 12 on a treadmill for 30 seconds and rest for 15 at half pace. I do this for 20-25 mins and I am completely wasted...works for me.

[Bonny_Lassie]

I think tabata training is great for adding variety to a workout schedule. It's short, sharp, works you hard, and it's not boring (you barely get the chance to breathe never mind get bored ). A good cardiovascular workout, especially if you are pushed for time!

However, some of the claims about what it can achieve in terms of fat loss etc are over exaggerated and simply not true, as mentioned above by Emma and Kyle. You would have to get your heart rate to crazy levels like Emma explains, and unless you are a trained, elite athlete this is simply impossible!

So yeah by all means incorporate tabata into your workouts, but don't expect to be a lean, mean, shredded fitness machine in a few weeks as a result !

[FemmeFatale28]

real Tabata is JUST 4 mins. other forms of HIIT can be up to 30+ mins. If its more then 4mins it is NOT Tabata, its 'just' HIIT.

Its great but very intense.

Hmm, maybe I am doing Super HIIT then. I do 5 exercises, 8 rounds of each = 4mins per exercise, no rest other than the 10secs in between the different exercises, I have a gymboss so I know the timing and rounds are accurate. Granted when I am finished I am literally dripping sweat from my finger tips, and generally takes a couple hours to get my core temperature back down.

[CATRACCOM]

I've been doing the routines from bodyrock.tv since May 15 6x a week and recording all of my food. I've been following the 40/30/30 as closely as I can and staying in the 1400-1700 range...a couple days were 1900 or more. Sundays are reasonable cheat days because we go out with the family. Anyway...doing just her interval exercises, I've lost 1" in my waist. I was trying to track with calipers but I don't trust my measurements, I'm not so great with them. I'm not bulking up, that's for sure but I do feel stronger.
The exercises are generally 15-30mins. I love the variety which is why I've been doing it. I got bored there and lost motivation for awhile with running and lifting and ended up sitting on the couch. At this point I think any kind of exercise you'll actually do is good exercise. I admire all people that can lift day in and day out and not get bored.
I could see doing interval/tabata to break a plateau and then get back to lifting...I'm having fun with it and feel challenged.

[1Lovely1]

Wow, thanks for all the responses everyone!!!

I certainly didn't expect magic fat loss, but I do hope Tabata can help the process some... See, I can't be very precise with my diet, cause if my parents found out I was trying to lose weight, they would assume that meant I was going anorexic. (Which I assure you, is not the case! : )) So I have to eat whatever my mom serves for dinner (which is usually fairly healthy, fortunately).
I'll stick with Tabata though... it can't hurt! : D