SuperSpeed Fitness
Fit in minutes
Not many of us has the fortitude to run an hour on the treadmill to get in shape. And we all know cardio masters who spend hours on the treadmill or cycle every week but still struggle to stay fit. The good news is that you don’t need to spend hours exercising.
4 minute fitness
Instead of the treadmill cycle, try the Tabata protocol. Tabata is an effective, 4-minute workout. In 4 minutes, you can get more benefits than an hour on the treadmill or stationary bike. This 4-minute fitness program has been tested and increases heart fitness by 28% more than an hour of ordinary cardio. There is no better fitness gain for time invested.
Tabata efficiency
In the 1990s, a Japanese sports scientist, Izumi Tabata, developed the Tabata workout program, which requires no equipment and very little time. It was created in a sports science lab for maximum fitness gain. The 4-minute workout has benefits that last for the rest of the day. Your fat burning rate stays higher for 12 hours.
Tabata time
The key to Tabata is to exercise as hard as possible for 20 seconds and then take a 10-second break. Search the web for “Tabata timer” to find websites that have the entire cycle timed.
Simple exercises
Tabata uses simple exercises that don’t use equipment. The activities are things like pushups, jumping jacks, squats, crunches, running in place, lunges, planks, and more. You can adjust the exercise difficulty to your level. The key is to go as hard as you can at whatever exercise you are doing for 20 seconds and then take a 10-second break.
Cycles and rounds
If you want more benefits or just want to do more exercise, you can do more rounds. A 4-minute round of Tabata has 8 cycles of 20 seconds on and 10 seconds off. If you add extra rounds, take a 1-minute break between rounds.
How to Tabata
Web search for a Tabata timer or find a YouTube video with a Tabata workout. No equipment is needed. The first time you do it, you will be wiped out. It’s only 4 minutes, but it’s a hard 4 minutes. If you have heart problems, check with your doctor before doing intense exercise. To start, pick 4 exercises and do each twice.
Why not?
Answer just two questions. “Am I getting enough exercise?” If the answer is no, “Do I have 4 minutes today to double my fitness level?”
