Tabata music mixes
A Tabata is a form of interval training named after a speedskating coach. One Tabata is 20 seconds of hard work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated non-stop for 8 rounds. Work, rest, work, rest. It only takes 4 intense minutes, and it's a very efficient, effective, and (I think) fun protocol.
Either pick a single full body exercise (kettlebell swing, exercise bike), or set up a series of stations. That can work well for groups, or to make it more interesting for yourself.
The hardest part for me was watching the clock while I was trying to push hard in an exercise, so I built a couple of music tracks that handle the timing for you. This let you just focus on moving. I found a couple of music timers online, but all of them were just a song with a timer laid over top, or that faded in and out, and never in time to the music. I built mine so the beats line up exactly with the 20 and 10 seconds intervals so the rhythm of the music itself lets you know when you are about to switch from work to rest or back to work. Beats a Gymboss timer hands down.
There is one "slow" mix and one "fast" mix. The fast mix has twice the beats per minute of the slow mix, but both of the mixes have the same :20 work/:10 rest timing. Each starts with 10 seconds of get-ready time, and then the work starts. The music tells you when you go and when to rest. I recommend clicking on the players below and watching the timer. You'll see and hear how the timing works. There are horns (speed) or a keyboard (grind) at the beginning of each round that tells you which round you are starting (1-8 notes). Remember, the first interval is a 10 second rest, to allow you to hit start and then get your body in position and ready for the first 20 second work interval.
They are both set up to be able to stack several times in a playlist for multiple Tabatas with one minute rest between. The drums start up halfway through the rest to let you know you only have 30 seconds left.
Download the files, and get to work! :)
Either pick a single full body exercise (kettlebell swing, exercise bike), or set up a series of stations. That can work well for groups, or to make it more interesting for yourself.
The hardest part for me was watching the clock while I was trying to push hard in an exercise, so I built a couple of music tracks that handle the timing for you. This let you just focus on moving. I found a couple of music timers online, but all of them were just a song with a timer laid over top, or that faded in and out, and never in time to the music. I built mine so the beats line up exactly with the 20 and 10 seconds intervals so the rhythm of the music itself lets you know when you are about to switch from work to rest or back to work. Beats a Gymboss timer hands down.
There is one "slow" mix and one "fast" mix. The fast mix has twice the beats per minute of the slow mix, but both of the mixes have the same :20 work/:10 rest timing. Each starts with 10 seconds of get-ready time, and then the work starts. The music tells you when you go and when to rest. I recommend clicking on the players below and watching the timer. You'll see and hear how the timing works. There are horns (speed) or a keyboard (grind) at the beginning of each round that tells you which round you are starting (1-8 notes). Remember, the first interval is a 10 second rest, to allow you to hit start and then get your body in position and ready for the first 20 second work interval.
They are both set up to be able to stack several times in a playlist for multiple Tabatas with one minute rest between. The drums start up halfway through the rest to let you know you only have 30 seconds left.
Download the files, and get to work! :)
| tabata_repeater_grind.mp3 |
| tabata_repeater_speed.mp3 |
Example of a station setup for up to 18 people in a 25x20 space
This was the setup I used for a college hockey team. We would do this every week in an ice rink lobby that had a rubber floor. A really nice unexpected benefit was the team camaraderie that developed by doing this every week.
The specific movements and gear we used aren't that important. I just set up stations alternating between upper, lower, push, pull, gear, or bodyweight. One reason was to maximize systemic fatigue while limiting local fatigue for any muscle group. Do one round of legs, then your next station would be pushups. Your legs get a break, but your cardiovascular does not. :)
It adapts well to whatever gear you might have laying around, or even bodyweight. I had pulled together a decent set of gear that I used to haul back and forth from my house for every practice. Here's some of what you'll see in my diagram:
The specific movements and gear we used aren't that important. I just set up stations alternating between upper, lower, push, pull, gear, or bodyweight. One reason was to maximize systemic fatigue while limiting local fatigue for any muscle group. Do one round of legs, then your next station would be pushups. Your legs get a break, but your cardiovascular does not. :)
It adapts well to whatever gear you might have laying around, or even bodyweight. I had pulled together a decent set of gear that I used to haul back and forth from my house for every practice. Here's some of what you'll see in my diagram:
- 35 and 53 lb kettlebells.
- 12 lb medicine balls (leather Wilson basketballs I filled with sand and then sealed with a tire plug repair kit).
- 25 foot ropes about 2" diameter. Bought them at a military supply store. Instead of regular rope waves, we would do John Brookfield's Battle Ropes. That was one person at each end of the two ropes, one in each hand. You then try to use the waves to shake the other person off the ropes.
- 88 lb duffel bag with two heavy duty plastic contractor trash bags, one inside the other, filled with sand, knotted and taped.
- hockey stick "barbells" unevenly loaded with plastic jugs of cat litter (excellent stability challenge). Just feed the stick through the handle holes.
| tabata_12_station_titan.pdf |
FYI: The original and proper Tabata is nothing like this. It was only one set of 8 rounds of :20 on and :10 off. It was performed at maximum intensity on an exercise bike that had the brakes on. Dr. Izumi Tabata developed it as a training method for the Japanese Olympic Speedskating Team. It's absolutely brutal. Despite being Olympic athletes and "only" 4 minutes, most of the team didn't make it through all 8 rounds.
Our version was intentionally watered down for different purposes. Most internet versions are also watered down. A 45-minute Tabata workout might have :20/:10 timing, but no one does an original Tabata for 45 minutes. I was not in the business of risking hurting any players, or turning them off to general interval training by seeing how miserable I could make it.
The closest thing I've found in intensity to what I think the original felt like is CrossFit Fran. Or maybe pushing the hardest I can for a single all-out Tabata on my Schwinn Airdynne exercise bike.
Our version was intentionally watered down for different purposes. Most internet versions are also watered down. A 45-minute Tabata workout might have :20/:10 timing, but no one does an original Tabata for 45 minutes. I was not in the business of risking hurting any players, or turning them off to general interval training by seeing how miserable I could make it.
The closest thing I've found in intensity to what I think the original felt like is CrossFit Fran. Or maybe pushing the hardest I can for a single all-out Tabata on my Schwinn Airdynne exercise bike.
