We know that fitting time into our busy schedules to hit the gym can be more of an effort than we care to admit. That’s why we consulted the experts at Absolute Fitness to show us how to get results in less time with the Tabata fitness method.

By Jonny ParrPhotography by Jessie Palanca

Get in and get out is a common motto for gym-goers. We all love the notion of being fit and healthy, but ideally we

would like to do this by spending as little time as possible – if any – in the gym. The main reason for this appears to be lack of time, whether due to long working hours or other commitments such as spending time with our families.

The good news is that you need not spend hours on end in the gym or exercising. In existence lies a simple yet highly-effective training arrangement that can get you excellent results in terms of conditioning, fat loss, muscular endurance, lean muscle, GPP (General Physical Preparedness) and work capacity.

Introducing theTabata training method. Founded by Dr. Izumi Tabata, the basis of this protocol is 20 seconds of intense activity followed by 10 seconds rest. This is repeated for a total of eight rounds equaling a total of four minutes training time.

The Tabata method mixes

bursts of high-intensity exertion

with short periods of rest

Jonny demonstrates

barbell deadlifts

TRX Squats

Tabata training can be used with a number of different exercises, whether bodyweight or equipment-based. The options are limitless but, above all else, simple and accessible…making it easy for you to introduce the method regardless of your individual circumstances.

What I would encourage you to consider however is selecting exercises that utilize full-body movements and engage the major muscle groups of the body (i.e. glutes, lats, hamstrings, quads etc). This will elicit a higher metabolic response leading to better results such as fat loss.

The Key Is Intensity It’s worth re-iterating that intensity is key to getting the results you want. Depending on your fitness and level of experience, you should aim to perform the exercises during the 20-second period at around 85-100% effort. Make no mistake, the routine is difficult and may humble you in the first few attempts. The results however make this all worthwhile!

Routines I’ve included four routines below, all of which use bodyweight or particular pieces of equipment.

Bodyweight-Based (Beginner/Intermediate) 1. Bodyweight Squats 2. Push-Ups 3. Reverse Lunges 4. Burpees

TRX-Based (Beginner/Intermediate) 1. TRX Squats 2. TRX Rows 3. TRX Hamstring Curls 4. TRX Push-Ups

Dumbbell-Based (Intermediate) 1. Dumbbell Goblet Squats 2. Dumbbell Chest Press 3. Dumbbell Stiff-Legged Deadlifts (RDLs) 4. Dumbbell Rows

Barbell-Based (Advanced) 1. Barbell Deadlifts 2. Barbell Bent-Over Rows 3. Barbell Back Squats 4. Barbell Overhead Press

Twenty seconds work per exercise, before resting 10 seconds and repeating with the subsequent exercises.

You need not spend hours on end exercising to get results. Using the simple Tabata protocol can play an important role in fat loss, work capacity etc, whether it’s your only means of training or as part of your current program. Give it a shot, train with intensity, and reap the benefits!

For more information on personal training and fitness options visit www.absolutefitness.me. n

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