Tabata Training –
The Incredible 4 Minute Workout!

I received a lot of great feedback from my last post on High Intensity Interval Training (HiiT), with many of you putting it into practice straight away.

My role for you here at The Gabriel Method is your Coach, in particular your Fitness Coach. Unfortunately I cannot train with you in person, but with modern technology, I can be still be right in front of you.

Now that you understand the basic principles of HiiT and how it fits in perfectly with The Gabriel Method, I’m ready to ‘take action’, and help you achieve all the benefits the Gabriel Method of Fitness.

How’s it going to work?

As you know, I post a video blog every month in addition to this written blog here. In this month’s blog, I posted the first ever Gabriel Method Workout. This blog is an opportunity for you to train with me, just as we would if we were training together in my gym. I give you direction, encouragement and support to make your workout fun and enjoyable.

I love it, we can work out together!

Okay, so you don’t need to go anywhere, you don’t need any equipment, you can do it at home, and the best bit……it only takes 4 minutes! No joke, all you have to do is prepare yourself to train, run my video blog and just follow what I do, easy.

I’m pumped for this but before you begin, let me first introduce my all-time favourite methods of HiiT: the one which I have used in my first Gabriel Method Workout.

The Tabata Method

The Tabata Method is a form of HiiT very popular with many of the world’s best fitness trainers. ‘Tabata’ was founded by a Japanese scientist named Izumi Tabata and his colleagues at a Physiology Department at a Japanese University.

He conducted a study to compare:

• Group 1: Moderate Intensity Training
  [ie. 5 hours of training per week, performed at 70% of maximum heart rate, each session was 1 hour]
• Group 2: High Intensity Interval Training
  [ie. 16 minutes of training per week, performed at maximum effort, each session 4 minutes long and followed the protocol of 20 seconds effort followed by 10 seconds Rest].

Each group undertook the training regime for a period of 6 weeks.

With our understanding of The Gabriel Method we know why these astonishing results occurred. Let’s face it, they are astonishing: 16 minutes of training giving better results than 5 hours! I explained in my previous post [Accelerate Weight Loss In Just 8 minutes], that this type of training creates chemistry in your body that’s similar to the chemistry that would take place if you were being chased by a predator. The result, as Jon discovered, is the ‘turning on’ of your Get Thin/Get Eaten stress response.

It’s no wonder your brain turns on this response, initiating chemical and hormonal changes which result in you becoming stronger, faster and leaner. The other option of making you become weaker, slower and fatter, would certainly increase your risk of being caught by this predator, which wouldn’t end very well for you.

The most appropriate and correct response to the stress of Tabata Training is the Get Thin/Get Eaten response.

You can choose any exercise and get the benefits of Tabata Training. The basic Tabata Protocol is:

• 4 minutes long (whole session)
• 20 seconds of intense training [EFFORT]
• 10 seconds of recovery [REST]
• Total of 8 rounds

Ok that’s the ‘nuts and bolts’ of it, the fun is on my video blog. I look forward to supporting you through your first Gabriel Method Workout and adding vitality to your day!

As always I’m sending you positive vibes.