tabata

If you haven't tried Tabata training yet, our friends at Self give you a scientifically backed reason why it may just become your new favorite weight-loss tool.

The American College of Sports Medicine annual conference was last week, which means leaders from all over the fitness world met to discuss their latest research and findings. Exercise physiologist Dr. Michele Olson — we know her as Dr. Abs — dropped quite a bombshell during her presentation on Tabata Training. You may not have heard of Tabata yet, but chances are you will soon: Turns out, it can burn a whopping 13.5 calories a minute — and double a person's metabolic rate for 30 minute afterward!

Tabata is an early form of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), started in the 1990s by Japanese professor Izumi Tabata. (He used it to get speed skaters in shape for the Olympics.) It involves short, four-minute bouts of explosive interval moves done for 20 seconds each for eight rounds, with a 10-second break between each round.

Olson, who measured study participants' calorie burn before, during, and 30 minutes after a Tabata bout, found the routine to be an extremely effective way to boost metabolism fast. "It would take five times the amount of typical cardio exercise, like a 20-minute brisk walk, to shed the same number of calories that result from a 4-minute Tabata," she says.

Now that Tabata has been scientifically shown to produce such amazing results, she says, expect to see fitness instructors incorporating these techniques into personal training sessions and classes. And you can even try incorporating Tabata techniques into your own routine, she told SELF: "It's low-tech, low-cost. You really only need a timer to mark your eight rounds (each with 20-seconds of intense effort plus 10-seconds rest) — like a stop watch or nearby clock with a big second hand."

And the cool thing abut Tabata is you can do it with any type of cardio. Olson likes using squat jumps, which are great for the back, abs and hips, she says, but you can also use non-impact moves like sprints on the Spin bike or even in the pool. (Or you can try our 8-minute Tabata-style CrossFit workout, guaranteed to torch calories.) "Just be sure to put out an effort that's your best, all-out effort," she says. "That's the key to this method."

More from Self.com:

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What's not to love about high-intensity interval training? Not only does HIIT save you time, but it also burns tons of calories, both while you work out and after (even if you're doing nothing at all!). One of our favorite ways to HIIT is Tabata, a type of workout that combines 20 seconds of intense bursts of workouts with 10 seconds of rest in four-minute rounds. Does a short and effective sound good to you? Get started here.

1. Printable Tabata workout: Take it with you; this printable Tabata workout may be the only thing you need all Summer. Packed with so many different types of moves, from backward lunges to burpees, so you don't get bored, this workout will keep you interested in your workout while you burn major calories.
2. 10-minute, no equipment Tabata: For an all-in-one workout, just press play. This 10-minute Tabata workout video combines two Tabata sets with a short warmup and cooldown to get you in and out in just 10 minutes! All you have to do is follow along.
3. And another: Can't get enough of our Tabata workouts? This 10-minute Tabata video workout adds even more intensity to your routine. Play it back to back with the above or on its own for an effective, intense workout.
4. Tabata mashup: Two classic moves, one killer workout. This Tabata mashup workout video combines 20 seconds of push-ups and 20 seconds of squats, along with short rest intervals, for a sweat-inducing HIIT workout.
5. Eight-minute Tabata: Don't have time for a long workout? Tabata makes a great quick and effective workout for when time is limited. This eight-minute Tabata workout is basically two rounds of Tabata, so if you decide to do more, you can repeat this workout.
6. Living room Tabata: Too hot or wet to run outside? Amp up your cardio routine with this printable home Tabata workout. Perfect for any small space, it'll have you doing heart-rate-raising moves like mountain climbers and squat jumps to burn calories fast.

It's well known that too much inactivity can slow down metabolism and lead to health problems, but it can be hard to fit in a long workout if you're just starting an exercise routine. Because research has shown that just a few minutes of activity can both improve your health and increase your calorie burn, make a goal to get a least 10 minutes of exercise a day.

One recent study found that just 2.5 minutes of intense activity can help you burn an extra 200 calories throughout the day. Another found that just four to six 30-second cardio sprints in between short periods of low-intensity exercise can help lower the risk of heart disease and diabetes. The key is to make sure that you are challenging your body with high-intensity interval training (HIIT). It can be as simple as running up and down the stairs, doing 30-second intervals of jumping jacks during an evening walk, or trying one of our Tabata workouts: an eight-minute squat and push-up workout, a 10-minute mat workout, or this 10-minute calorie-blasting Tabata workout. With all the benefits of just a few minutes of exercise, there's no excuse not to work up a sweat!

Tabata interval workouts are all the rage these days, and for good reason. This high-intensity training is fun, blasts calories, and moves so quickly it's hard to get bored. For tabata, you perform an exercise at maximal intensity for 20 seconds, followed by 10 seconds of rest. You repeat this pattern a total of eight times, making one tabata round four minutes.

This time-saving tabata session works your entire body in just under 40 minutes. And with no equipment needed, you have no excuse not to give it a try. Click here for a printable PDF of the workout. Take it to the gym or tape it to your fridge to remind you to get your sweat on — but do the workout and let us know what you think.

Not sure what some of the moves are? Keep reading more detailed instructions on each exercise.

Summer days are basically here, so if you want to burn calories in time for your beach plans, it's time to Tabata.

Tabata is a type of interval training — so you know it burns calories fast! The concept is simple: 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise, followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated continuously for four minutes (after a longer rest, the four-minute rounds are repeated for up to an hour). How intense you're able to sustain your intervals depends on your fitness level, so don't be afraid to take it slowly if you're a beginner. Ready to start? Read on for four Tabata ideas to help you melt away fat!

The living room workout: You can do this 20-minute Tabata workout in any small space, whether it's your living room or your hotel room. The workout gets your heart racing with mountain climbers, squat jumps, burpees, and more.

The 500-calorie burn: Burn 500 calories with an hour-long Tabata gym workout. To do it, choose an area where you can switch from exercise to exercise quickly, and make sure you have all your equipment handy (enough to switch up your exercises every four minutes). Try this trainer-approved version: start with a medicine ball exercise (like the woodchopper or these medicine ball push-ups), move to the cable pulley machine, and finish with twisted BOSU planks, burpees holding the BOSU, or side lunges on the BOSU.

CrossFit style: Can't get enough of CrossFit-inspired workouts? Try our eight-minute Class FitSugar workout video featuring CrossFit trainer Shirley Brown. No equipment needed; work your arms and legs with simple squats and push-ups!

Cardio fun: This fun Tabata workout video from a reader incorporates high knees, spider knees, pliés, and more fun moves for an effective 24-minute workout.

Reader JessicaSmithTV has an easy tabata workout for you — no need to even leave home! She shared it with us in our 10 Pounds Down! FitSugar Community group.

It's raining here today, which means I can't go outside and enjoy my daily outdoor cardio session. So instead, I'm doing this efficient at-home routine to get my heart rate up and spark my metabolism for the day. Want to join me?

Share your own workouts, find a new one, or just get inspired in our FitSugar Community!

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FitSugar community member (and fitness instructor) livinginthin gives us a primer on Tabata training, a type of high-intensity interval workout.

You've probably heard the word Tabata by now (and if you haven't, you will!). So what exactly is this hot new fitness trend, and why you should care about it?

What is Tabata?

The term Tabata was coined after the Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata, who compared the effectiveness of short, very high-intensity training (bursts of maximal effort for 20 seconds followed by 10 seconds of recovery, repeated for four minutes in total) to a traditional 60-minute aerobic workout.

Who should do it?

Anyone looking to amp up their fitness level, maximize their cardio time, burn more calories, and blast off more fat in way less time. The key to a successful Tabata session is being able to hit the high levels of intensity (the participants in the Tabata study worked at 170 percent of their VO2 Max — that's killer!). If you are new to exercise, or returning after a long hiatus, you may want to progress slowly with trying a Tabata workout.

Learn more about Tabata, after the break!