Christmas Tabata Workout Fun

HIIT It for the Holidays! Save time with your workout by implementing the high intensity interval training of tabata!

The holidays are a wonderful time of the year. As exciting as the holidays can be, they can also be very busy and crazy. Your eating habits and exercise routines usually get put on the back burner around the holidays. Your exercise routine can be disturbed by traveling or with family. Which is why you need a workout that everyone can enjoy anywhere at any time. This type of workout that I am going to share with you is called Tabata. It is a HIIT workout, which means high-intensity interval training. Tabata is so quick and easy, it makes it so you have NO excuse not to workout.

"Tabata training was discovered by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo."

Tabata training is high-intensity interval training consisting of 8 reps of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off. Repeat that for 10 minutes or 15 minutes or 45 minutes.

Why is Tabata the perfect solution to a busy, crazy, fun-filled Christmas? Because it saves you time!

A Tabata workout can be a cardio type workout or a strength workout. Basically, it can be incorporated into whatever exercise regimen that you enjoy best. Before you complete this workout, make sure to warm-up or cool-down for 5–10 minutes before and after the workout. One other thing to consider, you should be breathing hard, and your heart rate should be high during the 20 seconds, and by the end of the workout, if you do it right, you will feel worked!

Here are some options to help you complete this workout:

Bike (Either inside or outside): You can do hard resistance repeats, hills, or flat and fast repeats. Set a timer for the whole time you want to do the workout, then divide that time into those 8 reps of 20, 10. Pick up that pace for the 20 seconds, then easy bike for 10 seconds before the next one. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next one.

Run: You can complete this workout similar to the bike Find hills and complete the intervals up the hills or find a flat spot and do them on that. Set a timer for the whole time you want to do the workout, then divide that time into 8 reps of 20, 10. Pick up the pace for 20 seconds, then easy jog or walk for 10 seconds before the next one. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next one.

Walk: Set a timer for the whole time you want to do the workout, then divide that time into 8 reps of 20, 10. During the walk, pick up the pace (speed walk) for 20 seconds, then go back down to an easy walk for 10 seconds before the next one. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next one.

Outside Winter Sports: Snowshoeing, Cross-Country Skiing, Skate Skiing, Fat Biking, Ice Skating, Telemark Skiing, etc. You can complete this workout similar to the bike. Find hills and complete the intervals up the hills or find a flat spot and do them on that. Set a timer for the whole time you want to do the workout, then divide that time into 8 reps of 20, 10. Pick up the pace for 20 seconds, then go easy for the 10 seconds before the next one. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next one.

Strength Training: Before you complete this workout pick 4–6 body weight exercises (or with weights if you have that access). For each exercise, complete 8 reps of 20/10 before moving on to the next exercise. For example, if one of the exercises you choose is push-ups, set a timer for 20 seconds and then do as many push-ups as you can in that time, then rest for 10 seconds, then repeat 8 times total. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next exercise. Grab some water if needed. Here are some examples of body weight exercises you can perform anywhere: lunges, lunge jumps, side lunges, mountain climbers, burpees, push-ups, dips, calf raises, squats, narrow squats, wide squats, squat jumps, push-up variations, pull-ups, and more.

Other Cardio Machines: The Tabata workout can be performed on any machine, like the stair stepper, rowing machine, elliptical, Nordic ski machine, or a curve treadmill. Set a timer for the whole time you want to do the workout, then divide that time into 8 reps of 20, 10. Pick up the pace for 20 seconds, then go easy for the 10 seconds before the next one. After every 8 reps, take 1 minute easy before you head into the next one.

There you go! Get after it! Enjoy! Have fun!

And for post workout nutrition, Get illuminated with an illumin8 slimming shake!

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