Have you tried HIIT or Tabata Training yet? This style of training is all the rage lately, so you’ve probably heard of it! (And if you’re reading this article, hopefully, you know at least little about HIIT training – cough, cough…Turbo.) Or maybe you’re thinking I’m speaking a different language. Either way, if you’re short on time and want to train uber-efficiently, then you’ve got to maximize your efforts! So what is HIIT training, and what is Tabata training? Let’s talk about why these workouts are so effective, the difference between them, and how you can incorporate this type of training into your workout schedule for faster results!

 

Burn More Calories in Less Time

Both HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and Tabata training focus on short, super high-intensity intervals with short periods of rest in between. When exercising in this manner, you burn a TON of calories because of a little something known as the EPOC effect. EPOC stands for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, and it basically means that your body continues to burn a large amount of calories long after you finish your workout.

You see, when you work in intervals, you push yourself to the max for short periods of time with short periods of rest in between. When you’re working at your max, your body burns a significant amount of calories per minute, and your body maintains that high calorie burn even when you rest in between drills. This results in a higher calorie burn throughout your entire workout as well as long afterwards.

Traditional aerobic training has a gradual increase and decrease in intensity, meaning that when you finish your workout, your calorie burn returns to your normal resting rate pretty quickly. But with high intensity interval training and the EPOC effect, your level of intensity creates an oxygen deficit that your body must work to overcome. After you finish your workout, your body must continue to work to replace the oxygen it lost, thus extending your high calorie burn throughout the rest of your day! Overall this means you get more bang for your buck! I don’t know about you, but I’m all about shorter, more efficient workouts!

 

The Difference Between HIIT & Tabata

So what’s the difference between HIIT and Tabata training? While both involve pushing yourself to your max with short periods of rest in between, the difference is in the length of your intervals and resting periods.

HIIT training involves working at your highest intensity for anywhere between 30 seconds and 5 minutes. If done correctly, when you finish an interval, you should be breathless and barely able to speak. Resting periods typically last anywhere between 30 seconds and 2 minutes depending on how long your interval was. An entire HIIT workout usually lasts between 15 to 45 minutes.

Tabata training, on the other hand, is specifically 20 seconds of all-out, maximum effort (going as hard as you possibly can), followed by 10 seconds of rest for a total of 4 minutes. That’s it! Just a 4 minute workout! This type of training was developed by Dr. Izumi Tabata based on a scientific study that yielded great results. He proved that when training in intervals at maximum intensity, it’s possible to get results in as little as 4 minutes a day when done correctly.

 

Is this Type of Training for You?

So is this type of training for you and how can you incorporate it into your routine? Well, first, know that Tabata training is NOT for the beginner exerciser. Because you’re training at such a high intensity, this is something you definitely need to work up to. Instead, you might start incorporating some HIIT training into your routine. Both HIIT and Tabata training are incredibly efficient if done with maximal effort and with safe, proper form. This means going at such a high intensity that your body literally needs a day to recover. Therefore, when working this into your exercise routine, you will want to incorporate a day of lower intensity, steady state cardio training in between your interval workouts. As with any new workout program, be sure to check with your doctor first and always listen to your body. This type of workout is crazy effective and is perfect for anyone short on time…if you’re willing to put in the effort! If you’re up for the challenge, head over to my Instagram Workout page for some inspiration for your next HIIT or Tabata workout!