Tabata...come again?

New members at R3VOLVELIFE Studio often do a double-take when they hear Coach Crystal call out that a “tabata-style” class is about to begin. Tabata...huh? 

One of the three pillars of our studio’s flagship R3ACT Method to R3FRESH your body with functional fitness. This means incorporating exercises that build muscle groups and strengthen your body in ways that enhance your flexibility and support everyday movements like bending over, lifting heavy boxes, shoveling the snow, sitting at a desk, or running to catch the GO Train. We train with all kinds of different tools at R3, but the most important (and portable) one is, of course, our own body. 

Now, back to tabata. It is named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, 64, a researcher and coach at Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Sport and Health Science in Japan. 

Dr. Tabata’s research led to his development of the tabata training protocol that requires 20 seconds of exercise, at maximum exertion, and 10 seconds of rest. This is repeated eight times. 

R3VOLVELIFE members who have been with us for a while know that this format, in combination with Coach Crystal and Coach Nelson’s unique disciplines and modifications, is the bread and butter of our functional fitness philosophy. But when Dr. Tabata introduced this research to the fitness world, it was revolutionary. 

His research involved studies on Japan’s speed skating team. According to The Guardian, the results following six weeks of testing showed that participants who did 88 minutes of exercise per week tabata-style improved their oxygen uptake (also called VO2 max, a cardiovasular health indicator) by 15 per cent. The other group of participants exercise who did 300 minutes of exercise per week, not in tabata-style, only increased this measure by 10 per cent. 

His research also found that the Tabata protocol burned 150 calories in during 12 hours after the workouts, caused by post-exercise oxygen consumption (here’s some more info). 

Now, there are loads of apps and online tools that offer tabata timing set to music. We definitely have fun getting our sweat on to those beats and rhythms but the truth is, it’s not about the timing: that is just the framework. It’s what happens in those 20 seconds, repeated eight times, and repeated again and again on cycle, that counts. For that, R3VOLVELIFE’s accredited coaches offer unique personal training-style guidance and a host of disciplines, such as MetaFIIT (offered in-studio only), which use Dr. Tabata’s research to help you achieve your goals. 

Want to see it in action? Reach out to Coach Crystal, book your free goal-setting phone consultation, and tell us about your goals and journey. We’re here to help.