Tabata Madness

It's difficult for me and the Mrs. to get to the gym.  During work hours I'm usually on the road to and from this place or that and when I get home it's all about the family; dinner (which takes 5 times longer with a baby slinging food around and trying to climb out of the high-chair), cleanup, bath, diaper, story, bed... it's eight thirty before either of us could even think about getting to a gym. 

Bryan has been trying to get me into a gym for years and to this day I can barely find it on a map; so he pointed me toward the Tabata method (It's an HIIT method, or High Intensity Interval Training - Check the link in the top right corner of the page). 

I'm still on the first level of intensity and I'm already seeing results - and the best part is I can do them at home without any equipment.  Yes! 

The first level is to do whatever exercise you're doing as hard as you can for 10 seconds, then rest for 20.  Repeat 7 more times.  It's 4 minutes per exercise.  Later it'll be 15 seconds on 15 off, and at this point I can certainly appreciate how much more of a workout that will be.  Ten seconds is a long time when you're going all out.  Ask a bull-rider if you don't believe me. 

Example:  Last night the wife and I did push ups, Russian twists/bicycle crunches and jumping squats.  Three tabata exercises, twelve minutes (plus a minute or so of rest between each exercise).  I hit my personal best for push ups last night, with 87 total in the four minute period. 

I can usually do about 45 or 50 push ups.  With tabatas, I almost doubled that number.

I know those numbers aren't amazing for a lot of people.  I know folks who can hammer out a hundred push ups and not even be proud of themselves, but I'm not that guy.  For me, 87 is a huge number and I am proud of myself! 

You can use the Tabata method with any exercise.  I still need to incorporate pull-ups, jumping lunges and a few others into my routine.  Tabata sprints are fun!  I did those tonight.  I'm getting faster and faster every time.  It's cheetah speed, short bursts at top speed; the neighbors must think I'm a whack job, sprinting up and down the street in my five-toed shoes for ten seconds at a time.

Let em think whatever they want. 

TSN