Can Tabata be made every day?

Can Tabata be made every day?

On any given day, it's easy to find a ton of excuses as to why exercise is simply out of the question. If your reason for skipping the sweat session has to do with lack of time, Tabata comes into play. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be done in a flash, is a great addition to your workout repertoire, and can also help you lose weight and build muscle.

But when a workout is so fast and intense, can it be done every day? Here, experts shed light on the safety of this strategy and everything else you need to know about the “Four-Minute Miracle Workout.”

What is Tabata?

Tabata is a quick and intense four-minute workout developed by researcher Izumi Tabata. "To break it down simply, Tabata is 20 seconds of maximum intensity followed by 10 seconds of rest," says Lindsey Clayton, trainer at Barry's Bootcamp and co-founder of the Brave Body Project. “You repeat this sequence of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off for a total of eight rounds.”

In 1996, Tabata's Japanese research team thoroughly examined the effects of HIIT-style training on anaerobic and aerobic energy systems. Simply put, aerobic exercise is light activity that is sustained for long periods of time (think jogging), while anaerobic exercise is typically intense bursts for shorter periods of time (think sprinting). Their results, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, found that this interval formula (called the Tabata protocol) produced significant improvements in both aerobic and anaerobic performance over a six-week period.

What is the difference between HIIT and Tabata?

Recent research published in the Journal of Physiological Sciences in 2019 has confirmed Tabata's status as one of the most "energetically effective" exercise methods.

What sets Tabata apart from traditional HIIT training is its 20:10 work/rest ratio and overall intensity, says Rondel King, MS, an exercise physiologist and founder of King Performance. “You're really looking for periods of work to be done at the maximum level,” he says. Unless you go all out, it shouldn't be considered Tabata.

Can Tabata be done with weights?

Good news: the answer is entirely up to you. Tabata workouts can include weights or consist of only bodyweight movements. Similarly, Tabata can be an intense cardio workout and effective for weight loss or focus more on strength training. "To make Tabata routines more cardio-driven, focus on things like high knees, jumping jacks, and punches," suggests Clayton, who emphasizes the efficiency of this particular type of workout since it can be done virtually anywhere with minimal or no equipment. A strength-based Tabata routine might include a mix of tricep dips, push-ups, and plank dips. (Need a guide? This fat-burning Tabata workout can replace cardio.)

Can Tabata be made every day?

The original Tabata protocol was performed four times a week for six weeks with elite athletes, notes King. If you enjoy the thrill of Tabata training, it would be wise to consult with a personal trainer about your individual goals and the best way to incorporate these workouts into your routine for optimal results. Because not everyone is a top athlete.

Because it's so easy to mix up Tabata-style routines, you can easily choose different exercises to create Tabata workouts that target different muscle groups. This means, yes, you can do Tabata workouts every day.

King offers a word of warning to those who want to use Tabata to replace cardio as a whole. “I would exercise caution with this [original] protocol and stick to two to four times a week and supplement it with steady-state cardio three to five days a week,” he says. But at the end of the day, “it really depends on the training age of the person and how quickly they recover from training.”

Here, Clayton offers one of her favorite workouts in Tabata format, perfect for getting your heart rate up and working up a quick sweat. Perform each movement in order, completing the prescribed number of sets before moving on to the next exercise.