Guide to Time-Efficient Workouts - Experience Life · Time-Efficient Workouts, Article 1 of 4 ... weight as usual during a biceps curl if ... Push weights toward ceiling,

Being Healthy Is a Revolutionary Act

Fit In a Flash Speedy workouts for your busiest days. 1-4

The Squeeze-It-In Strength Workout Five moves in 30 minutes. 5-6

HIIT It! High Intensity Interval Training offers big results. 7-8

The Tabata Tune-Up A 14-minute workout. 9-11

Guide to Time-Efficient

Workouts

www.ExperienceLife.com

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Time-Efficient Workouts, Article 1 of 4

because you don’t rest as often,” says exercise physiologist and American College of Sports Medicine–certified trainer Tom Holland, MS, CSCS, author of The 12-Week Triathlete (Fair Winds Press, 2005).

Combo lifts work two body parts at once – either by using both your lower and upper body simultaneously or by moving smoothly from one body part to another. You may not be able to lift quite as much weight as usual during a biceps curl if you’re doing a lunge at the same time, but the total work you perform is greater than if you had only done a set of curls by themselves. “And because you’re working multiple muscle groups simultaneously, you drastically reduce the time needed to com-plete your workout,” says Holland. Many combo lifts also engage your core and proprioceptive (balancing) muscles, making for an even more efficient use of your time and energy.

Under-an-Hour Workouts Ready to go? Set the alarm on your stop-watch, and jump-start your sweat glands with one of these under-an-hour work-outs. Regardless of your goals, remember that it’s a good idea to include strength, cardio and flexibility work into your weekly workouts. The quickie workout you choose on any given day will depend on which area you’re most needing to shore up at the moment. ➺

Your tough week at work just got worse: You’re juggling multiple deadlines, it’s your turn for the kids’

afternoon carpool, and now the boss has scheduled an early-morning meeting for the one time slot where you thought you might still fit in a solid workout.

Time to scratch exercise off your to-do list this week? Not quite. Whether you’re committed to building muscle or cardio endurance, focused on burning fat, or just taking care of your health, you can still make meaningful progress toward that promise in 45 minutes or less.

We can promise you this, too: You’ll feel a lot better than if you’d bagged your workout altogether. And the rest of your busy day is likely to go a whole lot better as a result. All you have to do is show up – and keep your eye on the clock.

Poetry in Motion When you’re pressed for time at the gym, you’ve got three priorities: Keep moving, keep focused and keep your intensity up.

Whether your cardio objective is endurance or fat burning, try some interval training. For resistance training, stay on the go with supersets and combo lifts.

Why intervals? While you may be used to burning fat with the slower-and-steadier cardio approach, ratcheting up your cardio intensity for intermittent bursts will help you burn more calories in a short period of

time. It also boosts your metabolism longer after the workout. Over time, such workouts will also improve your body’s cardiovascular and muscular fitness, making your workouts feel easier and revving up your body’s me-tabolism in ways that make you more likely to burn more calories even while at rest.

Renowned heart-rate training expert Sally Edwards, author of The Heart Rate Monitor Guidebook to Heart Zones Training (Heart Zones Co., 1999) and founder of Heart Zones (www.heartzones.com), offers another reason that interval training is in the busy person’s best interest: “When your body becomes accustomed to repeating the same activity at the same intensity, it learns to conserve energy by working on a kind of ‘autopilot,’” she says. But when you vary the intensity of your workout, she notes, “you keep your body responding and adapting.” It also teaches your body to be more efficient at higher intensities, resulting in better physical conditioning. That creates a level of challenge that makes an abridged workout worthwhile.

Why supersets and combo lifts? With super-setting, you complete a full set of one lift and then move immediately to the next lift – no pauses until you’re done with the pair. The best way to do supersetting is to alternate between the upper and lower body, alternate using the front and back of the body, or alternate opposing muscle groups. “Supersetting saves time

Fit in a FlashNo time. No problem. You can still squeeze in a worthwhile cardio or weightlifting workout on even your busiest days.

By Megan McMorris

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March 2006 / 2

your elbows bent to about 90 degrees, palms facing each other. Push weights toward ceiling, straightening arms; slowly return to starting position.

BICEPS CURLS TO UPRIGHT ROWS For biceps curls: Stand holding dumbbells down at your sides, palms facing forward. Bend your elbows and curl dumbbells toward shoulders. Slowly return to starting position. For upright rows: Start with dumbbells in each hand, arms hanging in front of legs with palms facing the body, hands a little closer than shoulder-width apart. Draw the elbows outward to lift dumbbells to shoulder height, keeping the dumbbells close to your body. Once the dumbbells reach shoulder height, lower them slowly to starting position.

LAT PULLDOWNS TO TRICEPS EXTENSIONS For lat pulldowns: At a lat pulldown machine, grasp the lat bar from the high pulley with hands a little farther than shoulder-width apart. Ease into sitting position with arms extended over-head. Pull bar straight down (without swinging or leaning back) until it is even with your upper chest. Return slowly to starting position. Immediately after you complete the set, stand for triceps extensions: Stand holding the end of one dumbbell overhead with both hands, elbows close together and bent to 90 degrees so the dumbbell is directly behind your head. Lift the dumbbell by straightening your arms; slowly return to starting position.

0:35 – 0:40 Cool down with a few minutes of stretching for the key areas you’ve worked, and a low-intensity stroll back to the locker room.

0:00 – 0:05 Warm up with a slow walk, bike or run. (Warming up is extra important for short workouts because you’ll be ramping up your intensity quickly.) 0:05 – 0:35 Three to four supersets of the lifts below; 10 to 20 reps of each exercise. Between each superset, spend 30 to 60 seconds doing stretches or ab exercises.

LUNGES TO SHOULDER PRESS For lunges: Start by holding dumbbells down at your sides, and step forward about three to four feet with the right leg, bend-ing your knee until your thigh is parallel with the floor (make sure your knee is aligned directly above your ankle and doesn’t go beyond your toes). Return to the start position, then repeat with left leg. Immediately after you complete a full set with both legs, go into shoulder press: Hold dumbbells at shoulder height with your palms facing forward, elbows bent. Extend arms overhead; slowly return to the start position.

SQUATS TO CHEST PRESS For squats: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells at your sides, and slowly bend both knees as if you’re sitting in a chair. The tops of your thighs should end up parallel to the ground; make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes. Slowly straighten your legs and return to the start position. When squats are complete, without hesitating, get in position for your chest press: Recline on a bench (or, for a better core workout, a fitness ball). Position the dumbbells just above your armpits with

Muscle Up in 40 minutes with this superset routine:

0:12 – 0:18 Return to a moderate intensity and maintain.

0:18 – 0:19 Increase your resistance/cadence for one minute at a level just below your anaerobic threshold. 0:19 – 0:25 Return to a moderate intensity and maintain. 0:25 – 0:28 Cool down with low-intensity cycling, jogging or walking. 0:28 – 0:30 Complete some 30-second stretches for hamstrings, quads, calves and hip flexors.

0:00 – 0:05 Warm up with low-intensity cycling, jogging or walking. 0:05 – 0:11 Speed up to a moderate intensity and maintain. 0:11 – 0:12 Increase your resistance/cadence for one minute at an intensity just below your anaerobic threshold. (For more on finding your anaerobic threshold, ask a personal trainer or group fitness staff member.) Or, you can try to increase your speed by one or more miles per hour, until your exhales become more rhythmic and pronounced. You should still be able to talk, whistle or even sing, but in bursts, and with labored breathing.

Burn Fatin 30 minutes with this cardio-focused approach:

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— for example, side raises, chest presses, triceps extensions, over-head shoulder presses, biceps curls. Remember to move quickly from one exercise to the next without resting.

Even when you’re not supersetting, combo lifting or circuit training, you can still make good use of your rest time between resistance sets by doing ab exercises, suggests exercise physiolo-gist and American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)–certified trainer Tom Holland, author of The 12-Week Triathlete (Fair Winds Press, 2005).

Circuit training cuts your rest time even more so than supersets and combo lifts.

During circuit training, you move through a series of five exer-cises, one after another, without taking a break. Complete one set of each lift before moving on to the next exercise. While you’re working one muscle group, you’re resting the muscle you just worked, so you’re saving time.

A good way to do circuit training is to alternate between exercises that target a different body part than the one you just worked

Hit the Circuit

LUNGE WITH BICEPS CURL Start by holding dumbbells down at your sides (palms facing your body), and step forward about three to four feet with the right leg, bending right knee until thigh is parallel with floor (make sure your knee is aligned with your ankle and doesn’t go beyond your toes). Simultaneously, bend your elbows and curl dumbbells toward the shoulder. Lower dumbbells slowly and step back to the start position, then repeat with left leg. SQUAT WITH SIDE LATERALS Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding dumbbells down at sides (palms facing your body), and bend both knees as if you were sitting in a chair. The tops of your thighs should be parallel with the ground. Make sure your knees don’t go beyond your toes. As you bend your knees, bring arms straight out to the sides until your arms are parallel with floor.

0:00–0:05 Warm up with a light activity (walking, biking or running slowly). 0:05–0:30 Three to four combo lifts of 10 to 20 reps; stretch or do ab exer-cises for 30 seconds to one minute between each set. UPRIGHT ROWS TO OVERHEAD SHOULDER PRESSES Start with dumbbells in each hand, arms hanging straight down in front of legs with palms facing body, hands a little closer than shoulder-width apart. Lift dumbbells up to shoulder height, keeping the dumbbells close to your body and drawing elbows outward. Once the dumbbells reach shoulder height, lower only your elbows while rotating your hands so palms face forward, then raise dumbbells overhead until arms are straight. Slowly lower dumbbells to shoulder height, and complete the movement by drawing elbows out and lowering the dumbbells until your hands and arms are back in the starting position.

Killer CombinationSince combo lifts work two body parts at once — either by using both your lower and upper body simultaneously or by moving smoothly from one body part to another — they provide a tough, total-body workout. Many combo lifts also necessarily engage your core and proprioceptive (balancing) muscles, making for an even more efficient use of your time and energy. Below is an

0:20 – 0:25 Cool down; low-intensity activity.

0:25 – 0:30 Stretch

0:00–0:05 Warm up for five minutes with a low-intensity activity.

0:05–0:20 Alternate between one minute at just above your anaerobic thresh-old and two minutes at a moderate intensity, for 15 minutes total.

Fat BurnerIf you’ve deemed it a cardio day, you can burn fat in 30 minutes flat with this approach:

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break. Tense and release your ab muscles while at your desk or in meetings. Use a fitness ball as a chair to keep your core muscles engaged all day.

FEEL THE SQUEEZE: Practice isometric movements while you're talking on the phone or reading emails (a bonus for the cubicle-filled corporate world: These exercises are discreet enough that no one can tell what you're doing). For triceps, place your hands on your desk and push down, arms bent, resisting your desk. For biceps, place your hands face up underneath your desk and press up, arms bent, resisting your desk. For quads, hover just above your chair and as though you're about to sit in it. Do each isometric move three times, holding for 15 to 20 seconds.

TAKE A WALK: Add steps to your day by parking at the far end of the lot at work. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. If you've got a minute, throw in a couple of extra flights, or take the steps two at a time (for lunges). Choose a takeout place for lunch that's a 10-minute walk from your office. Find a coworker to walk with during lunch, or start a walking group in your office. Pace the few steps to a coworker's desk for a quick chat instead of sending an email.

GO STRONG: Build in some resistance training by doing calf raises while standing in line at the coffee shop. Work in a few squats while you're on the phone. Complete a round of triceps dips or pushups against your desk when you have a short work

At-Work WorkoutsMissed the gym this morning? Brian Waldo, personal training department head at the Life Time Fitness in Eagan, Minn., offers the fol-lowing tips for building in some extra activity without abandoning the office.

Uncramp Your StyleEven when you’re cramped for time, you can avoid cramped muscles by taking just a few moments to stretch. If you lift weights or breeze through a cardio routine without stretch-ing afterward, your muscles will tighten up. As a result, you’ll be more likely to feel sore the next day, not to mention more

Reap the BenefitsNext time you’re tempted to scratch your workout, think twice: There is almost always a way to slip an efficient, effec-tive fitness routine into even the busiest of days. A brief exer-cise session can help you manage your stress, increase your energy and improve your immunity – benefits you’ll feel at

susceptible to injury. For strength workouts, save time by briefly stretching the muscle you’ve just worked following each weight-lifting set. After cardio, take advantage of your still-warm state to loosen up the muscles that got you where you wanted to go.

home and at work. Keeping to a regular exercise schedule can also improve your mental and emotional outlook, so you’ll leave the gym more focused, more upbeat and better prepared to tackle your to-do list – instead of your boss.

Megan McMorris is a freelance writer based in Portland, Ore.

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ity. One circuit with each leg is sufficient.

• Knee to chest: From a standing position, lift and bend your right leg, grab your knee with both hands and hug it to your chest for two seconds. Return to the start-ing position and then hug your left knee. Be careful not to flex your trunk — that is, bring your knee to your chest, not your chest to your knee. Avoid hyperextending your lower back, as well. Repeat with both legs, six to eight times per leg.

• Glute Activation: Lie face-up with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart. Push your heels into the floor and raise your hips so your body forms a straight line from neck to knees. Squeeze your glutes and hold for two to three seconds. Be careful not to hyperextend your back. And relax your hamstrings — let your glutes do all the work. Repeat eight to 10 times.

The WorkoutAfter completing your warm-up, do the following five exercises in circuit fashion — that is, complete each exercise one after the other without resting between them. Rest for one minute after you complete each full circuit, or, even better, perform a minute of the mobility exercises you did ➺

It’s been one of those days. Since the moment you hit the snooze button this morning you’ve been behind schedule.

Now it’s well past your normal workout time and you haven’t even changed into your gym clothes. There’s no way you can squeeze a beneficial strength workout into the 20 minutes still available to you. Or can you?

“It is possible to get a great strength workout in under half an hour,” says Tony Gentilcore, CSCS, who guides clients through such workouts at Cressey Performance Training Center in Hudson, Mass. The key to eking out fitness gains in less time than it takes to watch a Seinfeld rerun, says Gentilcore, is smart exercise selection.

Start by replacing “isolation move-ments” that activate individual muscle groups (think hamstrings curls on the ma-chine) with workouts featuring multijoint movements — such as squat variations — that cover major muscle groups with fewer exercises. Also, emphasize exercises that involve extension or retraction (such as row variations) rather than those that involve sitting, curling and flexing, says Gentilcore. And, build in variety and pro-gression — to make consistent progress, you need to change it up and keep chal-lenging yourself.

The following 20-minute strength circuit combines five exercises that activate more than half the major muscle groups, says Gentilcore, so you still get a whole-body strength workout with just a handful of movements. Another bonus? Each requires minimal set-up time and little or no equipment (at most a pair of dumb-bells), so you can move quickly from one to the next.

The Warm-UpNo matter how hurried you are, be sure to take a few minutes to warm up properly. A good warm-up will prepare your body to perform the following strength exercises more efficiently and with less chance of injury. Gentilcore recommends these three moves:• Lunge Matrix: Beginning in a normal standing position, feet shoulder-width apart, take a big step forward with your right foot and sink down into a deep lunge, then return to the start position, being sure to push off your heel to engage your glutes and generate more power. Next, lunge 45 degrees to the right, 90 degrees to the right, 45 degrees to the rear, and then directly backward with the same leg, returning to the start position between each lunge. Keep your chest high and your core tight to maintain core stabil-

The Squeeze-It-In Strength WorkoutOnly have a half-hour to get your resistance workout done? These five moves will do the trick.

By Matt Fitzgerald

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March 2009 / 6

cage, keeping your elbow in. Now slowly lower the dumbbell. After completing eight to 10 repetitions, reverse your stance and switch arms.

That’s it. In a cool 20 minutes, you’ve breezed through a better workout than most people get in an entire day. If you have time, complete your squeeze-it-in strength workout with a cool-down consisting of a few dynamic stretches and mobility exercises like those you did in your warm-up and between sets. The next time you do the workout, swap out one or more of the exercises with other movements that challenge multiple muscle groups and keep you on your feet. Remember, varia-tion is one of the keys to fitness progress.

Visit www.experiencelife.com/video/squeeze-it-in-the-workout/ for a video demonstration of the prior exercises.

Get-Fit-Quick TipsHere are some tips from Tony Gentilcore, CSCS, co-owner of Cressey Performance Training Center in Hudson, Mass., on how to avoid frittering away precious workout time.

Arrive prepared. Have a plan (like this one!) mapped out ahead of time — even if it’s a list of five exercises — so you don’t waste time meandering between machines.Keep your eyes on your work. It’s difficult to perform most strength exercises properly while watching the tube.Plug your ears. Listening to an iPod or other music device will help you “tune out” distractions and draw your focus inward. It will also discourage people from slowing you down for a chat.Don’t waste time on cosmetic or ineffec-tive lifts such as biceps curls and machine leg extensions. Instead, focus on whole-body exercises that provide more real-world benefits, such as lunges and pushups.Set a time limit for your workout. You’ll accomplish more when you’re focused on completing a set task in a set amount of time.

in your warm-up — you’ll get an extra benefit from the workout without making it any longer. Complete two to four total circuits.

1. Goblet Squat: A great strengthener for the thighs, glutes, lower back and abs. Stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Grasp a dumb-bell vertically with both hands, the top close to your chest or even resting lightly against it. Push your hips backward, then bend your knees and lower your butt to-ward the floor. Squat as deeply as you can without rounding your back or straining your hamstrings. (The deeper you go, the stronger you’ll become throughout your full range of motion, but don’t sacrifice good form to gain more depth.) Generate force from your hips as you press pow-erfully upward to return to the starting position.

Do eight to 10 repetitions using the heaviest weight you can lift with good form. Concentrate on keeping your chest high, and keep the dumbbell close to you at chest level — don’t let your arms drop or your knees go beyond your toes. For a greater challenge, switch to another squat variation, such as the barbell back squat.

2. Pushup: Works the chest, back, upper arms, shoulders and abdominal muscles.

Position your hands just outside shoul-der-width apart. Imagine your body being a straight line from your ankles to the top of your head; don’t allow your hips to sag or your butt to stick up too high. Tuck your chin slightly so your neck is in line with your spine. Lower your chest to within an inch or two of the floor. Look at the floor the entire time, and keep your core braced tightly. Press back to the starting position.

Do 10 to 20 repetitions. If you can’t do at least 10 standard pushups, instead do elevated pushups with your hands posi-tioned on an exercise bench. If you can do more than 20 pushups, do resisted push-ups with a resistance band wrapped over your shoulder blades, the ends pressed to the floor under your hands.

Feeling the burn? It’s no wonder, notes Gentilcore: “It would take four or five dif-ferent machine exercises to do all that the pushup does.”

3. Reverse Lunge: Strengthens the hips, glutes, hamstrings and quads, and also recruits the abdominal stabilizers for bal-ance.

Stand neutrally, your arms hanging at your sides. Take a long step backward with your right leg, keeping most of your weight on your left heel and maintaining an upright-torso posture. Use the left leg to decelerate your descent and propel your body back up to the starting position. That’s one rep. Complete eight to 10 rep-etitions with the right leg, and then work the left leg.

If you can complete more than 10 lunges, then do this exercise while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Use the heaviest dumbbells with which you can complete at least eight reps. For an even greater chal-lenge, perform an elevated reverse lunge, stepping down from an exercise step.

4. Plank: Strengthens the abs, hips, lower back and glutes; increases endurance of spinal stabilizers. Assume a standard pushup position with your upper-body weight supported on your forearms in-stead of your palms. Maintain a 90-degree bend in your elbows and make sure they are placed directly underneath the shoul-ders so you have a strong base of support. Brace your core and glutes, keeping your hips in line with your legs and torso. Hold the position — without sagging — for up to 30 seconds.

If you can hold the plank longer than 30 seconds, make it more challenging by doing it with one foot elevated a few inches above the floor.

If you do only one core exercise, choose the plank, says Gentilcore.

5. Three-Point Row: Strengthens back and shoulders; challenges the body to stay level and prevent rotation, thus emphasiz-ing balance, as well as core strength and stability.

Stand with your right foot one big step ahead of your left. Bend both knees moderately and lean forward about 45 degrees. Place your right hand on your lower right thigh, but keep your weight on your feet. Grasp a dumbbell in your left hand and begin with your left arm fully ex-tended toward the floor. Pull the dumbbell toward a spot just outside your lower rib

Matt Fitzgerald is the author of numer-ous books, including Maximum Strength (Da Capo, 2008) with Eric Cressey.

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Nancy LeBlanc, 40, used to stick to slow and steady cardio. An executive assistant and avid tennis

player in Waltham, Mass., LeBlanc went for brisk walks and rode the elliptical trainer at the same moderate intensity week after week. But she just wasn’t getting the results she wanted. So she hired strength and conditioning coach Tony Gentilcore, CSCS, of Cressey Performance near Boston, who introduced her to a gut-busting, super-swift aerobic workout technique called high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

HIIT features short sprints (lasting no longer than one minute) performed at very high intensities, interrupted by brief rest periods. The workouts can be applied to any cardio activity, and they seldom take more than 15 minutes to complete. This makes them different from the longer, slower interval workouts many endurance athletes employ. And, unlike Tabata inter-vals, which consist of 20-second sprints followed by 10-second recovery periods, a typical HIIT workout has recovery periods that are longer than the sprints.

Under Gentilcore’s guidance, LeB-lanc began on the stationary bike with repeated 30-second sprints followed by 90-second slow-pedaling recoveries. Despite the brevity of these workouts, they were harder than anything she had experi-

enced. “It was total torture,” she recalls.Almost immediately, however, she

noticed results. “My energy level increased tremendously,” she says, “and I lost a ton of fat.” That’s because HIIT stimulates big increases in mitochondria (the body’s intracellular energy factories) and elevates metabolism for hours after each workout. As LeBlanc got fitter, the HIIT workouts became less tortuous, so Gentilcore kept changing their format to keep them chal-lenging. As a result, LeBlanc dramatically improved her tennis game. “I never get tired now,” she says.

LeBlanc’s experience with HIIT is not unusual. If you’re looking for a time-effi-cient way to improve your sports perfor-mance or boost your energy, HIIT is it.

Faster, Leaner, FitterA recent study conducted at the University of New South Wales in Australia found that after 15 weeks on a three-times-a-week HIIT program, women lost an average of 2.5 kg (about 5.5 pounds) of body fat, representing an 11.2 percent decrease. In contrast, the control group that main-tained its activity level and a group that did three steady-state cardio workouts per week over the same period actually saw slight increases in body fat. The difference, experts say, is likely due to what’s known as

the “afterburner” effect.“What happens is that after an interval

workout is completed, because it’s so intense, the metabolic rate stays elevated longer, and you continue to burn calories at a higher rate [long after you’ve stopped exercising],” explains Martin Gibala, PhD, an exercise physiologist at Canada’s McMaster University who has conducted more than a half-dozen studies on HIIT.

These studies and others have shown that HIIT boosts fitness as well as it burns fat. A 2007 study published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exer-cise found that subjects who performed two different types of HIIT workouts boosted their VO2 max (a measure of aerobic fitness) by 5.5 percent and 7.2 percent in eight weeks — significantly more than those who used steady-state workouts.

HIIT strengthens the aerobic system by increasing the heart’s pumping capacity and the blood vessels’ elasticity, explains Gibala. These changes have a direct im-pact on sports performance. A 2006 study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport reported that runners who engaged in a weekly regimen of two steady-state runs and two HIIT workouts improved their 3,000-meter race times by 7.3 percent in six weeks, while others ➺

HIIT It!Get more results in less time with high- intensity interval training, a super-intense cardio workout.

By Matt Fitzgerald

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December 2008 / 8

• 6 x 1 minute high intensity/2 minutes low intensity



• 10 x 1 minute high intensity/90 seconds low intensity

• 10 x 1 minute high intensity/1 minute low intensity

• 6 x 20 seconds high intensity/1 minute low intensity



• 6 x 30 seconds high intensity/90 seconds low intensity



A Natural ProgressionThe following 11-step HIIT workout progression can help you dramatically improve your fitness over a number of weeks. You’ll know you’re ready to move from one step to the next when the workout you’re doing becomes noticeably easier, or when you’re able to do your intervals at a greater speed or power-output level.

11-Step Workout ProgressionStart with workout No. 1 and complete it two to four times before advancing to the next workout. Do no more than two HIIT workouts per week. (Be sure to warm up with five minutes of light activity, and cool down with another five easy minutes.)

cardio, which remains a classic endurance builder.

“Too many people go to the extreme, performing three or more HIIT sessions a week,” says Gentilcore. “But even athletes do intervals just once or twice a week.”

He recommends building your HIIT workouts to peak levels once or twice a year — timing these peaks to provide maximum fitness when you need it most — and then taking a few weeks off before starting a new HIIT cycle.

“High-intensity interval training is a good thing,” says Gentilcore. “But there can be too much of any good thing.”

who did only steady-state runs saw no significant improvements.

“The bottom line is that HIIT enables you to maintain a higher level of perfor-mance for a longer duration,” says Gen-tilcore. “Show me an athlete who doesn’t want that!”

Getting StartedIf you’ve never done HIIT before, it can be challenging to push yourself hard enough to get the most out of these short work-outs. This doesn’t necessarily mean that each sprint has to be all-out, says Gibala, but you need to get out of your comfort zone and go hard if you expect results.

During your first few HIIT sessions, simply focus on determining how hard you can go. It’s better to complete the workout as planned than to start at an unrealisti-cally high effort level and conk out before you finish. If, on the other hand, you complete your first HIIT session and think,

“That wasn’t so bad,” you’ll know to take it up a notch.

Pay attention to workout numbers, such as your watts on a stationary bike or your speed on a treadmill. In each workout, try to meet or beat the numbers from your last session.

Exactly how hard you go depends not only on your fitness level, but also on the duration and number of intervals and the duration of the intervening rest periods. Typically, Gentilcore has his clients start with shorter intervals and longer rests. “A good place to begin is 20-second intervals with 60-second recoveries,” he suggests. As with any exercise plan, those with medical conditions should consult their physician before trying HIIT.

Limitations of HIITA little HIIT goes a long way. Too much will exhaust you and hamper your ability to strength-train and, yes, do steady-state

• Reduce the resistance and your pedaling cadence back to warm-up levels for 60 seconds.

• Complete five more (six total) 20-second high-intensity inter-vals followed by 60-second active recoveries.

• Cool down with five minutes of easy pedaling.

• Warm up with five minutes of easy pedaling on a stationary bike.

• Do your first high-intensity interval by increasing the resistance on your bike and increasing your pedaling cadence until your ef-fort level is 9 on a 1-to-10 scale. Continue for 20 seconds.

How to HIITThe following workout, designed by Tony Gentilcore, CSCS, is appropriate for those who have never done HIIT before, but have a good fitness foundation in steady-state cardio.

Matt Fitzgerald is a running and triath-lon expert the author of numerous books, including Maximum Strength (Da Capo, 2008) with Eric Cressey.

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eventually became known as the Tabata Protocol, the rest periods (10 seconds) are half the length of the high-intensity inter-vals (20 seconds). “This format makes the workout very challenging — and beneficial — for both the aerobic system and the anaerobic system,” says Alex Koch, PhD, a professor of exercise physiology at Truman State University in Kirksville, Mo.

The aerobic system uses oxygen to perform work at low to moderately high intensities, while the anaerobic system performs high-intensity work for short periods of time without oxygen.

In Tabata’s classic study of the protocol, athletes demonstrated an impressive 14 percent increase in aerobic capacity and a whopping 28 percent increase in anaero-bic capacity after doing the workout on stationary bikes five times a week for eight weeks. Over the same eight-week period, a control group rode stationary bikes for one hour ˙ at a moderate intensity five times a week and experienced a smaller 9.5 percent improvement in aerobic capacity and no improvement in anaerobic capacity.

Trying Tabata The Tabata Protocol is not for everyone. If you’re fairly new to exercise, spend time building a fitness foundation with less ➺

As with many things, fitness results have to be earned. The fact is, nothing works if you don’t, and

there may be no better proof of this prin-ciple than the Tabata Protocol. This unique workout has been shown to produce as-tonishing fitness gains, despite taking just 14 minutes to complete — and that’s if you include a five-minute warm-up and a five-minute cool-down. In other words, the workout itself takes a mere four minutes. But be forewarned: It is one tremendously tough workout.

Just ask Ed Reis, 33, a management consultant in Mission Viejo, Calif. He’s very familiar with the Tabata Protocol, which consists of six to eight 20-second intervals performed at absolute maximum intensity on a stationary bike (or any appropriate exercise), separated by 10-second periods of rest. He was introduced to the workout by his personal trainer, Brian MacKenzie, CFT, CCS, owner of Genetic Potential and CrossFit Newport Beach, training facilities in Newport Beach, Calif.

“The first time I did Tabata,” Reis recalls, “I looked at my heart-rate monitor about a third of the way into the session. I saw a bigger number than I had ever seen before, and I thought, I have how many more of these?!”

Reis was able to complete the workout,

but admits he still gets butterflies every time MacKenzie prescribes another set of Tabata intervals. “Some days I would definitely rather do a longer workout than go that hard!” he says. “But the results are worth it. Within a couple weeks, my legs got stronger, I had more energy, and I could play soccer and basketball for much longer before I got tired.”

MacKenzie concurs. “Doing Tabata intervals will enhance the overall benefits you get from training, from fat loss to strength development.” In other words, if you want to crank up your fitness and you’re willing to work hard to get there, Tabata might just be the ticket.

A World-Class Pedigree The Tabata Protocol is named after Izumi Tabata, PhD, a former researcher at Japan’s National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, who studied the workout after learning of it from the coach of the Japanese national speed-skating team.

Tabata was intrigued by the un-usual work-rest ratio. In a typical interval workout, the rest period that follows each high-intensity interval is longer than the intervals themselves — for example, 20-second sprints might be followed by 60-second recoveries.

By contrast, in the workout that


The Tabata Tune-UpThe Tabata Protocol isn’t easy, but it can dramatically increase your aerobic and anaerobic capacity in just minutes a month.

By Matt Fizgerald

experiencelife.com


March 2008/ 10

Two of the most popular strength options are front squats and the Tabata thruster (see next page for details).

Completing a Tabata workout once a week is plenty for cardio, and twice a month is adequate for strength. Make sure your workout schedule allows for at least a day’s recovery time.

Whether or not Tabata proves right for you depends mostly on your appetite for exercise intensity — and your hunger for full-tilt fitness results.

Matt Fitzgerald is a running and triath-lon expert the author of numerous books, including Maximum Strength (Da Capo, 2008) with Eric Cressey.

intense workouts before you try Tabata. “It’s not something you should mess

with if you’re 40 and haven’t exercised since college,” says Koch. If, on the other hand, you’ve been working out four or five times a week for the past six months, with one or two of those days at medium to high intensity, you’re probably ready to roll.

Even if you’re in top shape, avoid Tabata if you have any type of injury likely to be affected by the workout, even if it’s fairly mild. “Tabata puts a tremendous strain on the working muscles and joints,” says MacKenzie.

Treat your first few Tabata workouts as practice sessions, no matter what you think you can handle. “It takes a little practice to find the ideal tension level for all-out sprints on the stationary bike, and to master the timing and so forth,” says MacKenzie. As long as you are going all-out (at your all-out pace, that is), the

number of sets you complete doesn’t really matter. And take heart — almost everyone struggles with this workout, so just do your best.

While the stationary bike is the most popular way to apply the Tabata Protocol, it also has been successfully applied to running (steep hill sprints are best, so you can stop quickly for rest periods), rowing, swimming and other cardio activities.

You can even perform strength-train-ing versions of the Tabata Protocol. These workouts follow the same format: a single full body weightlifting exercise done six to eight times in 20-second bursts followed by 10-second rest periods. ˙

It’s very important that you practice your chosen weightlifting exercise before using it in a Tabata workout. “You won’t be able to prevent your technique from deteriorating somewhat toward the end of the workout, so it’s important that you start with perfect form,” says MacKenzie.

experiencelife.com


March 2008 / 11

To incorporate the thruster into a Tabata strength workout:• Warm up by doing 10 to 12 thrusters without dumbbells at a slow tempo.• Assume the start position for the thruster exercise, making sure you’re in a position where you can see a wall clock to track elapsed time. Use a very light pair of dumbbells the first time you do this workout. If they’re too light, you can always increase the weight next time.• Do thrusters for 20 seconds at an explosive but controlled tempo. At the ideal tempo, you will complete eight thrusters in this time period.• Rest for 10 seconds by placing the dumbbells on a bench in front of you. Time your rest period so that you begin the next set of thrusters at the 10-second mark. Don’t time it so that you’re just moving to pick up the dumbbells again at the 10-second mark!• Complete a total of six to eight high-intensity intervals of 20 seconds, with a 10-second rest period after each. Don’t worry too much at first about how many reps you’re able to do — just stick to the clock and good form.

To do a Tabata thruster:• Stand with your feet positioned a little farther than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. Begin with a light dumbbell in each hand, elbows sharply bent so the dumbbells are just above your shoulders.• Squat deeply, lowering your butt as close to the floor as you can while keeping your knees positioned as close to over your ankles as possible.• With a smooth, powerful motion, extend your hips and knees and stand fully upright. As you’re accelerating upward, use your core muscles and shoulders to transfer your body’s upward momentum to the dumbbells and press them overhead. Pause briefly, lower the dumbbells back to your shoulders and immediately squat again.

Tabata Cardio WorkoutThe original Tabata Protocol — the one used in Izumi Tabata’s groundbreaking study — involved stationary cycling, and for good reason: It’s the safest and most convenient way to do the workout. Here’s how Brian MacKenzie, CFT, CCS, owner of Genetic Potential and CrossFit Newport Beach, in Newport Beach, Calif., does it with his cycling clients:

• Stop pedaling and rest for exactly 10 seconds — not a tick longer!• Complete a total of six to eight maximum-intensity intervals of 20 seconds, with a 10-second rest period after each. After complet-ing your last interval, note the total distance you covered (if your bike has a monitor). Try to beat this number the next time you do Tabata. The more you do it, the more consistent your mileage will be during each 20-second bout.• Cool down with five minutes of easy pedaling at a low tension level.

• Get in a comfortable position on a stationary bike, adjusting the seat position and foot straps as necessary.• To warm up, pedal at a high cadence (90-plus rpm) and a very low tension level for five to 10 minutes.• Increase the tension and pedal moderately hard for 10 to 20 sec-onds, then reduce the tension and pedal easy for 10 to 20 seconds. Repeat this process two to three more times, working a little harder each time. Your last warm-up interval should be a 90 percent effort at the tension level you feel is appropriate for your maximum-intensity Tabata intervals.• Pause briefly and reset the workout time and distance to zero.• Pedal as hard as you can for 20 seconds. You may remain seated or stand on the pedals — whichever position feels most comfortable.

Tabata Strength WorkoutThe key to performing an effective strength workout using the Tabata Protocol is to choose a good exercise, because it’s a single-exercise workout. The best sorts of exercises challenge the whole body, are explosive (meaning you can do them at a rapid tempo) and may be done safely even when you are extremely fatigued. Many Tabata proponents prefer the front squat, explosive (or plyometric) pushups, and an exercise called the thruster.CrossFit Newport Beach, in Newport Beach, Calif., does it with his cycling clients:

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