Tabata Training: Kill Yourself in 4 Minutes

Tabata training was created by Izumi Tabata at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo...those crazy Japanese, they know more than electronics. I've been playing with timed interval training with my clients of late and was tickled pink when I later read a bit on Tabata's own developments, considering his esteem and the little Ph.D. after his name.

Basically, your sets are not broken down into defined number of repetitions, but rather into a 2:1 ration of 20 second intervals of work vs. 10 seconds of rest.

First, you select your method of torture...stick to compound exercises such as bench press, deadlift or squat. Next up, you do a 5-minute warm on a bike to make sure your blood is properly flowing and your muscles are loose...now comes the fun part:

- do the first 'set' of your exercise for 20 seconds; forget about counting and just bang out as many reps as you can without sacrificing good form

- rest for 10 seconds

- repeat the above two steps for four minutes and, if performed properly, you won't want/need to do any more

Remember, since you'll be fatiguing quickly, you will need to pick a lighter weight than what you normally lift...put your bruised ego aside, because after this set the only sore spot will be your muscles.