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The Tabata Protocol sounds like a new Robert Ludlum book. I can imagine a Jason Bourne like thriller set somewhere in western Europe where our hero is running from secret international spy agencies. However, the reality is that the Tabata Protocol is something much different. The tababa protocol is a really an exercise protocol. OK, I know some of you are asking, “What is a protocol?” A protocol is simply a way of doing something. In this instance, the tabata protocol is a particular way to perform an exercise.
If you think that a pushup or a bodyweight squat is a simple exercise to perform then you haven’t done it the tabata way. If you had, both your body and your mind would have remembered it. You will reap tremendous physical benefits from it if you can endure.
The tabata protocol was originally an exercise concept developed by Japaneese exercise researcher, Izumi Tabata. In a nutshell, a tabata exercise routine is a rapid rotation of exercise and rest lasting for 4 minutes. Sounds simple, right? Let take the pushup for example. You would do push-ups for twenty seconds and then rest for 10 seconds. And you will do this for eight rounds. It would look something like this.
| Event | Time |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Push-Ups | 20 Sec |
| Rest | 10 Sec |
| Total Time | 4 Min |
I promise you that at the end of the four minutes you will be in a fat burning zone. Your heart rate will be elevated, your chest and triceps will be aching, and you might even want to cry out for you mama. But we have only just begun. After all, we have only exercised for 4 minutes. If you string five exercises together, you will have a super fat burning workout beyond comprehension. You may have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning but after a couple of days you will be feeling better.
Here are five suggested exercises:
Push-ups
Bodyweight Squats
Pull-ups (or inverted rows)
Crunches
Jumps
Many people are unable to do pull-ups. If this is the case you can do a cheat pull-up (see video) or you can do an inverted row.
For the jumps, I mean nothing more than standing in place and continually jumping as high as you can for 20 seconds.
Give the tabata protocol a try and see what you think. I think you will agree it is one tough calorie burning, fat shredding, muscle ripping, fabulous exercise.
(The tabata exercise protocol and be very taxing. If you are a beginner or out of shape please consult a doctor and if given the go ahead begin with a different time frame. You could possibly to 15 seconds of exercise followed by a 15 second rest. Experiment with what you can handle initially.)
One of the greatest bodyweight exercises is the push-up. This is just the beginning of the quality content that I will be providing on this website. I hope this is of help to you. I want to thank my son for being my guinea pig and allowing me to take pictures of him.
Below you will find video for a number of different types of push-ups. If you use your imagination you could probably come up with a few other variations. Please make sure that you do your push-ups with good form. Good form would include a straight back and your head up and looking forward. Do not rush them. Perform them generally with a 1-0-1 count. That would mean taking 1 second to lower, no pause at the bottom and 1 second to raise back to the starting position. If you want a little more of a challenge them perform them with a 2-0-1 count.
Standard Push-Up
The standard push-up is a great exercise for developing the chest.
httpv://www.youtube.com/v/If7E4tzhvlE
Close Grip Push-Up
The close grip push-up will work the inner portion of the chest more and will give your triceps more of a workout.
One Arm Push-Up
The one arm push-up is really a test of strength. Spread your legs apart for this exercise since you will probably need the wider base to keep your balance.
Feet Elevated Push-Up
This push-up will work the upper portion of your chest to a greater degree.
Triangle Push-Up
To perform a triangle push-up form a triangle with your hands. Your hands should be located a little more forward than they would be for a standard push-up. When you descend place your nose or your chin inside of the triangle.
Triangle Push-Up Hand Position
Push-Up with Clap
This is an explosive movement. You need to provide a lot of upward force so as to be able to get your hands back into position so that you don’t crush your face on the ground. Do not perform these to exhaustion as it could cause injury to you if you are unable to get your hands back into position.
Twist Push-Up
This push-up works on core stability as well.
Push-Up on Ball
This is similar to a close grip push-up. I would recommend performing it on a medicine ball. My son is performing it on a homemade medicine ball but I would use one that is completely round since it forces you to stabilize while doing the push-up
Push-Up with Handles
Push-Up Handle
Push-ups with handles are more difficult. The hand position is slightly different than a normal push-up creating a slightly different stress on the chest. The handles being used are homemade. I will include a post in the next day or so describing how I made them.
Push-Up with Dumbbell
You can also perform the exercise above with dumbbells. It will have the same effect although the push-up handles will probably give you a little bit more of a stretch for your chest since they are slightly higher.
Push-Up with Dumbbell Row
I love this exercise. It will quickly wear you out. You will need a little wider base with your feet to perform it. Try it out, I think you will like it as much as I do.
Push-Up with One Leg Elevated
This is also an exercise that works on your core stability.
Plyometric Push-Up
This is another explosive exercise that will give you a great workout. It requires quite a bit of strength to perform many of them.
Push-Up with Added Weight
If a standard push-up becomes too easy for you then you can add extra weight. Here my son is performing a standard push-up with a 45 lb weight on his back.
Push-Up with Swiss Ball
My swiss ball was kind of flat. Make sure yours has more air. I included this video for a good laugh. I made my son laugh while trying to perform the exercise and you can see the result. This exercise requires great stability strength.
Push-Up on Fists
Here is a picture where a standard push-up is done on the fists.
Push-Up on Fists
Push-Up with Hold
A great and exhausting exercise is to perform a push-up with a 5 – 10 second hold at the bottom or at the midway point.
I read an article today from the UK. I just happened to run across it. Here is the link and here is a direct quote from the article:
“During my hour in the gym with Matt we never touched any of the machines that I would normally use and yet at the end of our workout I felt as if I had exercised every muscle in my body.
“Most gyms are full of equipment, whereas we only use a few pieces of equipment,” says Matt. “I can do a 35-minute circuit without using any of the machines.
“You can use your own body weight to realign your posture and get your muscles working properly.
“Certain machines in the gym can actually make problems worse, especially if you are not using them properly.”
For those of you who have used machines all of your life get ready for the challenge of a bodyweight exercise routine. Over the weekend I will write a post about a great bodyweight workout that is guaranteed to kick your butt and help burn fat and increase muscle. Stay tuned.
I have become a real fan of Body Weight Exercise over the last couple of years. It has probably come about as a result of a combination of factors. The first is that I came across an alternate definition of fitness from Crossfit workouts. Now Crossfit is not just a body weight exercise site. They include a number of power lifts such as Clean and Jerks, Squats, Squat Thrusts, Deadlifts, etc.
Body Weight Exercises with Turbulence Training
The second thing that influenced me was Turbulence Training by Craig Ballantyne. Craig has been a contributing author for Men’s Health for years. He developed Turbulence Training. I began to do some of his workouts and could not believe how much of a workout it provided and how my heart rate stayed elevated. It provided both a gain in muscle and and loss of weight. You can’t beat that combo.
You see I hate running. I have never received joy from running and as I have gotten older now (almost 44) my joints like running even less than I do. So Turbulence Training is right up my alley. And it is effective. I couldn’t recommend it more. When you see the workout, you look at it and think that doesn’t look too hard. Then twenty minutes later after you butt has been sufficiently kicked you have a new definition of what difficult is. It is much easier for me to walk into a weight room and start working out with 200 plus pounds in the bench then it is to go through one of Ballantyne’s body weight exercise routines.
I have been out of commission for a little while do to a damaged tendon in my left wrist (I happen to be left-handed as well). As a result of an inability to even do basic push-ups without pain I have gotten a little out of shape. It is time to crank of the Turbulence Training again. The wrist is still somewhat painful but I am going to give it my best shot. I will begin a blog that follows my progress. As soon as I have the blog set up I will post a link to it on this site and then begin the workout. I will transform before your very eyes.
This site will continue to develop. I hope to make it a great source of information for you about the benefits of body weight exercises. Check back often for the updates.
