Bikini Boot Camp BLOG

High Intensity Interval Training versus Long, Slow Cardio...

In response to our discussion on Facebook, here is an excerpt from Muscle & Fitness Hers regarding Tabata (a form of HITT).

"We all want results, and the faster and easier way we can get 'em, the better. Yet for decades the mainstream media have preached the gospel of the fat-burning zone, an outdated mind-set that says if you want to burn fat, you should perform cardio at a low-intensity aerobic pace for mind numbingly long periods. There is something better. If you want to do more work in less time and get superior results, you've got to try Tabata.

Tabata is a form of interval training in which you exercise intensely for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. You perform eight cycles of this 20:10 work:rest ratio, so each exercise or cardio interval takes four minutes to complete.

The training protcol was designed by Izumi Tabata, PhD, to better train Japanese speed skaters. He discovered that when athletes performed eight cycles of 20:10 intervals, they increased both their aerobic (endurance) capacity and their anaerobic (short bursts of work) capacity more than when they did moderate-intensity cardio.

Three Reasons to Try Tabata

1. It burns more fat. Studies show that high intensity interval training like Tabata burns fat more effectively than slow, steady cardio sessions.

2. It makes you stronger. Tababa training enhances explosive energy which can help you complete more reps with a given weight or use more weight to finish a given number of reps.

3. It helps build lean muscle. High reps and little rest between sets increase the amount of blood vessels feeding your muscles, which can lead to more energy during workouts, and better recovery and progress after."

March/April 2010 Issue

Thoughts???