FitPacer Français

Home › All guides › Cardio & HIIT

Tabata: 4 minutes, 8 efforts of 20 seconds

Tabata chains 8 all-out efforts of 20 seconds, separated by 10 seconds of rest: 4 minutes in total. The protocol is named after Japanese researcher Izumi Tabata, who studied it in 1996 with athletes on stationary bikes.

Duration4 min 50LevelIntermediate to advancedEquipmentNone
Start this routine in FitPacer

Free, no account, on iPhone without the App Store.

Benefits

  • Improves aerobic (VO2max) and anaerobic capacity in very little time
  • A short session that fits into a busy day
  • Works with many exercises: burpees, jump squats, cycling, jump rope

Who is it for?

For people who are already active and want a very intense, short session. Beginners should start with HIIT 30/30 or 40/20.

Steps

  1. 1 min warm-up
  2. 8 sets: 20 s all-out, 10 s rest
  3. Free cool-down afterwards

Tips

  • Intensity is everything: the 20 seconds should be really hard
  • Pick a simple, safe exercise you can do well even when tired
  • Add 5 minutes of gradual warm-up if you are starting cold

Precautions

  • Very intense: not recommended with heart conditions or when returning after a long break without medical advice

References

  1. Tabata I. et al. (1996). Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10), 1327-1330. doi.org/10.1097/00005768-199610000-00018
  2. Gibala M. J. et al. (2012). Physiological adaptations to low-volume, high-intensity interval training in health and disease. The Journal of Physiology, 590(5), 1077-1084. doi.org/10.1113/jphysiol.2011.224725

In the same family

HIIT 30/30: 30 seconds of effort, 30 seconds of recovery15 minThe 7-minute workout: 12 exercises, 30 seconds each7 min 50Boxing timer: 3 rounds of 3 minutes11 minEMOM: an exercise at the top of every minute10 min
Start this routine in FitPacer

This content is for information only and does not replace advice from a health professional. If in doubt, ask your doctor before you start.