Fast Fitness-9 HIIT/Tabata Workouts

 In this post I wont be giving you too much Science, but instead I'll give you some quick Tabata/HIIT workouts you can use right away.

What is Tabata?

Tabata is named after Japanese researcher Izumi Tabata who wanted to show the effectiveness. He had athletes use a protocol based on 12 minutes warming up followed 20 seconds sprint full effort which was followed by 10 seconds rest. This was done for 8 rounds lasting 4 minutes in total. It was then followed another 12 minutes cool down period. The protocol was performed on an exercise bike. His results?....Athletes using his protocol obtained gains similar to those who used steady state 5 times per week at 50%-70%. They also experienced significant fat loss due to the build up of lactic acid which triggers the release of significant levels of both HGH and Testosterone. Making Tabata the perfect addition to your weight training.

You can use the original protocol and get good results, But I am going to give you some of the best Tabata variations I have used most effectively on my clients. Remember ALWAYS warm up completely before any work out with 12 minutes of steady state cardio.

1.Tabata Front Squats

Take a 65-95 pound barbell. Move into a front squat position, keep strict form at all times. These are good because you can just back into it right away after 10 second rest.

2.Tabata Dumb Bell Thrusters

One of the most effective full body Tabata moves. Using a Dumb Bell of around 35 pound. Move into a squat position with Dumb Bells at shoulder height. As you rise thrust the Dumb Bells up explosively. This is challenge for any one who considers themselves to be fit.

3.Tabata Bar Bell Push Press

Push press is an explosive move that allows to handle a little more weight. Using a 65-95 pound weight move into position similar to a standing shoulder or military press. To perform a push press go no lower than a half squat and explosively press the barbel over head.

4 Tabata Heavy Bag "Blitz"

wearing a pair of boxing gloves have your partner hold the bag. Hit the bag hard you can and as fast you can. Then repeat for 8 blocks. This one is a great way to take out any anger you might have after a bad day at work.

5.Kettlebell Swing

This one I give more for female clients who ask to add this method to training as a means of shaping key areas. Using this targets the hips, glutes and quads which is always a topic for female clients "what can I do to shape legs and ass?". This Tabata is the one. If your upper body strength is not high enough to use both arms then simply perform each 20 burst by alternating arms by doing single arm kettle bell swings. Allowing the upper body to rest while keeping the focus on the lower body.

You can perform this 4 times a week to really push your gains or as little as twice per month. Some athletes I have coached use this on weekly "cheat days". Done properly this will be one of the most painful but rewarding 4 minutes of your fitness training.As always remember to warm up 12 minutes before on steady state and cool down 12 minutes after.

 

6.The 1000 Calorie Killer

I always say you can all rest when get home from the gym. This is 60 minutes of pure hard work with no rests. In these plans I don’t call them rests I call them “reward breaks” because if you really are doing this right the reward breaks will be the most the most welcome thing to you and I suggest you use them to take on as much oxygen as possible. Use them also to rehydrate. These sessions mix supersets, tri sets, giant sets of plyometric, compound, bodyweight and metabolic weight circuits as you have seen in my other work outs. Each “station” will in this case be a separate mini circuit.



Tri-set station 1
Swiss Ball Jack Knife to failure
Body weight squat to failure
Kettlebell clean and press to failure



Super set station 2
Dumbbell thrusters to failure
Kettlebell swing and step to failure. (for this move you will place one foot on a low step up bench around 12 inches high no more and let the kettle bell hang between the legs. Swing the bell up and bend the legs to produce an exaggerated step sideways to alternate to the foot on the bench then lower the weight and repeat)



Giant set station 3
Bench press 20 Reps
Deadlift 20 reps
Front Squat 20 reps
Squat 20 reps
Clean and Press 20 reps



Superset station 4
Kettlebell side to sides until failure (similar to the swing and step but alternating the hand on a kettlebell as you perform side to side press ups. One hand begins on a kettlebell you go down push forcefully up bring the other hand onto the kettle bell then move in the opposite press up position and repeat alternating side to side)
Plyo Press up to failure



Superset Station 5
Close grip press up to jump to pull up perform this to failure
Squat jump



Perform every set on every station. A set means one exercise one after the other just like a normal circuit. Perform 3 sets of every station before moving onto the next station. For station 1, 3 and 5 take a maximum of 1 min rest between sets. At stations 2 and 4 take a max of 2 minutes rest between sets. More advanced trainers can take as low as 30 seconds for 1, 3 and 5 or 15 seconds if your fitness is right in the high levels. For 2 and 4 more advanced trainers can go as low as 30 seconds.

7.Advanced Tabata

Now we will introduce supersets and remove rest. You will work 2 different exercises on a 2-1 ratio so exercise 1 is 20 seconds work and exercise 2 is 10 seconds work. You can adapt any of the previous Tabata workouts but here are I think work very well.



Example 1
Super set 1 kettlebell swing 20 seconds + Kettlebell clean and press 10 seconds
Super set 2 jump squat 20 seconds +plyo press up 10 seconds
Super set 3 kettlebell swing 20 seconds + Kettlebell clean and press 10 seconds
Super set 4 jump squat to pull up 20 seconds Kettlebell goblet squat 10 seconds



Once you reach set 4 you then perform then count down for sets 5 to 8. Set 4 becomes set 5; set 3 becomes set 6 and so on. For a beginner trainer you would do 4 sets then rest 1 minute and repeat. You the can the cut the rest to 30 seconds. But for an advanced trainer or a trainer who wants to really challenge themselves after testing the other work outs you do all 8 supersets right through all out.

8.Off and Running

 

This is a very basic but very effective adaptation I do to an outside tabata sprint circuit or one done in the sports hall if I want more equipment.



Sprint 20 seconds Plyo press to failure
Sprint 20 seconds jump squat to failure
Sprint 20 seconds sit ups to failure
Sprint 20 seconds pull ups to failure
Sprint 20 seconds dips to failure
Sprint 20 seconds dumbbell thrusters to failure
Sprint 20 seconds overhead squat to failure
Sprint 20 seconds jump to pull up to failure



The principle is simple after each exercise which has replaced the “10 seconds rest” you get “off and running2 and you run hard. This is aimed more at advanced trainers. If inside you can grab a kettlebell and swing all out for 20 seconds to replace the sprint.

9.Crazy Steps

Now this is another advanced tabata work that will really test what you think is hard work.
Now you choose 8 exercises or alternate those which are most effective and build from 20 seconds to 40 seconds and see how far you get.



Dumbbell thrusters 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Kettlebell swings 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Kettlebell clean and press 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Squat jump to pull up 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Plyo press up 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Dumbbell thrusters 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Kettlebell swings 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest
Kettlebell clean and press 20 seconds work 10 seconds rest



Perform round 1 and rest for a maximum of 2 minutes. For round 2 increase work period to 30 seconds and for round 3 increase to 40 seconds.



As always remember please to warm up before any of these work outs. Don’t forget to rehydrate properly and remember to keep a clean diet with maximum rest for best results.



Any questions please always feel free to ask.