THE BENEFITS OF HIIT AND TABATA

To understand the advantages of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) and Tabata, let us start of by defining each of these protocols.

            Tabata is a type of High-Intensity Interval Training that makes use of a 20/10 method or 2:1. That is 20-second exercise followed by a 10-second rest. This protocol was developed by professor and researcher, Izumi Tabata in 1996. Based on the negative rest protocol, Tabata utilizes a shorter rest period than the time you do the exercise. An exercise program under a Tabata protocol can be done in 4 minutes and it is more anaerobic.

            On the other hand, HIIT makes use of 1:1 or in some variation 1:1.5 ratio of exercise and rest. That means, the rest period in HIIT is as long as or sometimes even longer than the time you do the exercise. A classic example is when you do a 20-second exercise followed by a 20- or 30-second rest. The number of cycles in HIIT also varies and HIIT utilizes both anaerobic and aerobic intensity.

            However, both of these protocols are on the same objective—that is promoting endurance, strength and stamina. In this article, we discuss the unified benefits of both HIIT and Tabata while emphasizing the effects of these methods to our overall health with personal trainer in bundaberg.

Varying Your Routine Kills Boredom:

            Exercise routines sometimes get a little repetitive through time. In bodybuilding, this type of monotonous regimen can often lead to plateau and more often than not, is a little frustrating. Gym-goers and fitness enthusiasts may find repetitive exercise routine boring and this attitude is quite detrimental to their goal.

            Tabata and HIIT are not new to the fitness world. But incorporating a “new” regimen in your exercise routine (may it be Tabata or HIIT) creates an atmosphere for improvement and continuum. You feel more enthusiastic to try methods that utilize short time but are high intensity. You feel the pain that invigorates your spirit after a cycle and then you are up to another challenge for the next day.

Advantages of Cardio Workouts:

            Tabata et al in 1996 showed the results of studies regarding the effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO2max.The researchers have concluded that “high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli.”¹

                In the year that followed, Tabata and colleagues studied the metabolic profile of high-intensity intermittent exercises and found out “that intermittent exercise . . . may tax both the anaerobic and aerobic energy releasing systems almost maximally.”²

            The studies only show that HIIT and/or Tabata training are cardiovascular workouts and thus, can benefit the heart in general.  Increasing aerobic power indicates cardiovascular health. Oxygen is needed in these routines, and the heart muscle cells benefit from it.

Improving Your Insulin Sensitivity:

             People who are potential to acquire metabolic problems such as diabetes, may greatly benefit from HIIT and Tabata. A BBC News Health article published in 2012 showed how Dr. Michael Mosley remarkably improved his insulin sensitivity by 24% by just doing his HIIT of four weeks “making a grand total of 12 minutes of intense exercise and 36 minutes of gentle pedaling.”³

            Hood et al in 2011 studied seven sedentary healthy individuals (three women and four men) to show how low-volume interval training improves muscle oxidative capacity. The study introduced that high-intensity interval training “increases skeletal muscle oxidative capacity similar to traditional endurance training.” In conclusion, the researchers found that HIIT “induce metabolic adaptations that reduce the risk for inactivity-related disorders in previously sedentary middle-aged adults.” Metabolic adaptations include a 35% increase in insulin sensitivity as well.⁴

Promoting Athletic Performance:

            The effects of HIIT on athletic performance were proven by a study by Driller et al in 2009. The group studied ten rowers (5 males and 5 females) and compared traditional rowing training to HIIT well-trained rowers. In four weeks of HIIT, there was an improvement in “2,000-m time-trial performance and relative VO2 peak in comprehensive rowers, more than a traditional approach.”⁵

            Moreover, with the proper progression and sound foundation of both aerobic conditioning and muscular strength, athletes can benefit from HIIT and/or Tabata.

Effects on Fat Loss:

            Aerobic exercise is one of the regimens that overtly get the “crown” so to speak, in burning fats from the body. However, HIIT has been shown to burn fats more effectively. A review done by Stephen H. Boutcher in 2011 showed the possible mechanisms that underlie the HITT fat loss effect.⁶

            Boutcher stated that increased exercise and post exercise fat oxidation and decreased post exercise appetite were the possible reasons in the effective fat loss in HIIT. He further explained that the significant increase in both anaerobic and aerobic fitness significantly lowers insulin resistance that causes the increase in “skeletal muscle capacity for fatty acid oxidation and glycolytic enzyme content.”⁶

Exercise Regimen That Saves Time:

            Tabata and HIIT are training routines that not only result in positive results but also save time as well. Both regimens require a short period of time as short as 4 minutes to complete a cycle. That means gaining results in just a few minutes of your time on a day for as low as four days a week.

            Most people nowadays are busy doing their daily works. For a regular individual who just want to get fit through an exercise program, HIIT and Tabata can do the works. Additionally, professional athletes can benefit from the time-saving routines of HIIT and Tabata while doing their next scheduled training on the same hour of the day.

The Overall Benefits of HIIT and Tabata:

            As our lives progress and develop, more scientific methods are being discovered. In the fitness world, one cannot just stick to one routine through his lifetime. We must change certain aspects of our exercise programs in order to attain well-developed physique that we aspire. Though HIIT and Tabata may not be for everybody, these training regimens are proven to have positive results.

            Fast-paced and physically challenging, Tabata and HIIT are scientifically proven to promote fat loss, improve strength, stamina and endurance and even positively affect the metabolism of our body. Moreover, these regimens are beneficial for those who want to stay fit and at the same time have fun doing their workouts.

REFERENCES:

¹Tabata et al (1996) ‘Effects of Moderate-Intensity Endurance and High-Intensity Intermittent Training on Anaerobic Capacity and VO2max’ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8897392 . Accessed: 06/19/14.

²Tabata et al (1997) ‘Metabolic Profile of High Intensity Intermittent Exercises’ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9139179 . Accessed: 06/19/14.

³Mosley M (2012) ‘Can Three Minutes of Exercise a Week Help Make You Fit?’ http://www.bbc.com/news/health-17177251 . Accessed: 06/19/14.

⁴Hood et al (2011) ‘Low-Volume Interval Training Improves Muscle Oxidative Capacity in Sedentary Adults’ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21448086 . Accessed: 06/19/14.

⁵Driller et al (2009) ‘The Effects of High-Intensity Interval Training in Well-Trained Rowers’ http://journals.humankinetics.com/ijspp-back-issues/IJSPPVolume4Issue1March/TheEffectsofHighIntensityIntervalTraininginWellTrainedRowers . Accessed: 06/19/14.

⁶Boutcher (2011) High-Intensity Intermittent Exercises and Fat Loss’ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2991639/  . Accessed: 06/19/14.