tabata: all you need is 4 minutes!

Today I wanted to share one of my favorite HIIT workouts with all of you - Tabata!! 
But first - what’s HIIT all about? - HIIT stands for high intensity interval training.  How a HIIT workout happens is working out using a strategy of using short periods of intense aerobic exercise with less intense recovery periods. HIIT workouts are awesome (especially for busy women/moms) because they not only improve ones overall athletic capacity through conditioning but have been shown to improve glucose metabolism.  Woohoo!!
So, now - what’s Tabata all about?? Tabata is a form of HIIT using intervals of 20 seconds high intensity (think working as hard as you can!!) then a 10 sec rest.  This gets repeated 8 times to complete a circuit, totaling 4 minutes of work!! How is easy that!! This is perfect for you busy ladies who just can’t seem find to fit something in. You can do just one set or several - make it your own.  Start with one Tabata set daily and build from there.  Those baby steps will eventually lead you to develop a real workout routine!!

​How to get started with your first at home Tabata set:

1. Consider downloading a Tabata app timer, like this one     https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00QH2YZLK/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=fitmama123-20&camp=1789&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B00QH2YZLK&linkId=0dce8a0ded0b1f45344a7c3d489b60ee  Apps like these make keep track of your sets completely mindless.  Just start the timer and you’ll be ready to go with your first high intensity cardio set.
2. Before you start that timer though, you will need to select what exercises you want to do.  What’s your focus for the day? Strength, cardio, extra core? Since each 20 second Tabata set is supposed to be performed at high intensity I like to add as much cardio as I can to my sets. Tabata can be performed picking anywhere from just one exercise (repeating through all 8 sets) to 8 exercises where you will change each exercise after each 10 second break.  Ultimately this will be up to you but for the simplicity of your first home Tabata workout - let’s pick one to perform throughout your whole 4 minute set.
3. Below I have included 4 pictures each with a variety of featured exercises.  Here is how you should want your Tabata set to look:

SET #1 CARDIO
~ Look at the cardio picture and select an exercise.  Start your timer.  You will perform this exercise for the next 20 seconds.  When your timer tells you to rest - rest 10 seconds.  You will repeat this 7 more times until your timer tells you that your set is finished.  Yay! Way to rock out your first at home Tabata set.  Now if you are looking for more continue on with the next 5 sets. Use these directions to select an exercise from the corresponding picture - when you have completed all of them you should have got a great 24 minute total body workout!!

SET #2 LOWER BODY

SET #3 CARDIO

SET #4 UPPER BODY

SET #5 CARDIO

SET #6 CORE