Domo Aragato Dr. Tabata

By Lisa Coors

In the Summer of 2012, I needed something to spark my strength training workouts. I was sick and tired of weight training either traditional (machines) or functional (balance boards and body weight) and wanted something new. I also wanted defined arms and legs, something I knew was always a struggle for me. It seemed like the more I ran, the less definition I had. As a Certified Personal Trainer, I knew that I was “burning away my muscle” by doing too much cardio. I needed a change.

It was then that I emailed a friend of mine in Japan who is a climbing guide. He told me about this new workout he was doing which allowed him to get to his goal weight and body fat percentage. It was called Tabata. It had originated with a research scientist in Japan, Izumi Tabata.

Dr. Tabata had wanted to find a way to increase the fitness levels of high end athletes. What he came up with was an amazing concept called “Tabata”. It uses the “20:10” method of performing an exercise to exhaustion for 20 seconds then resting for 10 seconds.

This exercise would be performed 8x in a row for a total of 4 minutes. Of course, now, most classes use 4 exercises performed 8x for a total of 16 minutes. Dr. Tabata’s results on the results of the Tabata research project left astounding results.

Adapting my version of the Tabata method, I went on to instruct Tabata classes for endurance athletes and also for those looking to lose weight. I also became certified as a Tabata BootCamp Instructor. The results have been astounding. Personally, I have decreased body fat by increasing muscle definition. Of course, women can’t get “big” like men but can get lean muscle mass. My class participants now have amazing arms and legs along with their core!