A few weeks ago, we talked about 20 Core Exercises that didn’t include traditional crunches or sit-ups. This week we’ll be doing Core Workout #2, the second 6-minute workouts focused on the core.
As you know, my goal is to show you how to get fit at home, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect by any means, and I’m okay with that. Most of the time I record them early in the morning to kick start my day. They are real-life workouts.
This is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Core Exercises: Vertical Scissors and Vertical Toe Touches. One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout. That will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning, like I do. The descriptions for each exercise are listed below.
Clock Abs
Prop up on elbows with floor
Hold legs at 45-degree angle
Circle legs CW twenty seconds, like you’re drawing a circle on the wall with your toes
Heel Touches
Lie on back w/ legs bent in chair position and arms straight in the air
Reach to the right side and touch right hand to right heel, then alternate to other side
Keep shoulders in contact with the floor at all times
Even if you don’t touch your heels, you should still get a good side crunch.
The Next Steps
Next week, I will feature two more exercises in another workout. The workout will be approximately 6 minutes long.
Last week, we talked about 20 Core Exercises that didn’t include traditional crunches or sit-ups. This week we’ll be doing Core Workout #1, the first of many 6 minute workouts.
As you know, my goal is to show you how to get fit at home, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect by any means, and I’m okay with that. Most of the time I record them early in the morning to kick start my day. They are real-life workouts.
This is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Core Exercises: Vertical Scissors and Vertical Toe Touches. One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout. That will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning, like I do. The descriptions for each exercise are listed below.
Vertical Scissors
Start with hands under butt and legs straight
Lift legs to 45-degree angle
Then alternate legs between 45-degrees and 75-degrees
Vertical Toe Touches
Lie on floor with hands at sides
Start with legs straight up in the air
With legs straight in the air, lift shoulders off floor and try to touch toes with hands
Options:
Both arms at the same time*
Reach R arm to R foot, then switch
Reach R arm to L foot, then switch
The Next Steps
In the coming weeks, I will transform these 20 core exercises into a series of Tabata workouts. Each workout will be 6 minutes long and feature two exercises.
My goal is to show you how to get fit at home in six minutes, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect, and I’m okay with that. This video is actually the fourth of a five-part series. Let’s just call this one 6-minute low-impact workout 4. However, it is my fourth and final 6-minute low-impact workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Low-Impact Exercises: Side Leg Lift and Chair Squats.
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
Featured Exercises
Side Leg Lift
Stand with feet together and hands on hips
Lift one leg out to the side
Return to starting position
Options:
Hold onto a chair for balance*
Lift leg in air and return foot to floor
Lift leg in the air and lower foot without letting it touch the floor
Chair Squats
Place chair directly behind you
Perform squatting motion
Return to standing position when you feel the chair on your legs
Next Week
We’ll be starting a brand-new video series that focuses on the core. You can have a super-strong core without doing tons of sit-ups or crunches. Next week, you’ll see how
My goal is to show you how to get fit at home in six minutes, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect, and I’m okay with that. This video is actually the fourth of a five-part series. Let’s just call this one 6-minute low-impact workout 3. However, it is my third 6-minute low-impact workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Low-Impact Exercises: Rear Leg Lift and One-Legged Jumping Jack.
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
Featured Exercises
Rear Leg Lift
Stand with feet together and hands on hips
Lift one leg to the back
Return to starting position
Options:
Hold onto a chair for balance
Lift leg in air and return foot to floor
Lift leg in the air and lower foot without letting it touch the floor*
One-Legged Jumping Jack
Stand with feet hip-width apart and arms at your sides
Step out to the side with one leg while raising arms up in the air
Step leg back to starting position while lowering arms back to sides
Options:
Lift arms only as high as your shoulders*
Lift arms all the way up as if doing jumping jacks
Kick legs out to the sides
Next Week
There will be another 6-minute low-impact workout featuring different exercises. It will be the final workout video in this series.
My goal is to show you how to get fit at home in six minutes, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect, and I’m okay with that. This video is actually the third of a five-part series. However, it is my second 6-minute low-impact workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Low-Impact Exercises: Torso Twist and Standing Side Crunch
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
Featured Exercises
Torso Twist
Stand with knees slightly bent and feet hip-width apart
Point elbows to the floor
Keep abs engages
Rotate from side to side
Options:
Stand still
Squat
Squat and add knee lift on every third twist*
Standing Side Crunch
Stand tall with feet hip-width apart
Lift right arm overhead to the left
Pull arm down while actively engaged the right obliques (side core muscles)
Repeat desired number of reps
Switch sides
Options:
Keep both feet on the floor
Lift right leg while crunching on right side
Place one hand behind head and opposite hand toward floor*
Next Week
There will be another 6-minute low-impact workout featuring different exercises.
My goal is to show you how to get fit at home in six minutes, so I post workout videos from the comfort of my own home. These videos are not perfect, and I’m okay with that. This video is actually the second of a five-part series. However, it is my first 6-minute low-impact workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Low-Impact Exercises: Speed Bag and Back Fat Blaster.
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
Featured Exercises
Speed Bag
Stand tall will both arms raised overhead and up to the side
Keep abs engaged (stomach muscles pulled in tight)
Rotate your arms wrist over wrist toward the ceiling
Switch sides
Options:
Stand still
Squat
Shuffle
Bounce *
BackFat Blaster
Stand tall with arms up in the air like football goalposts
Slowly lower elbows toward ribs while adding resistance by squeezing muscles in the upper back
Return to starting position
Options:
Stand still
Squat*
Jump Squat
Next Week
There will be another 6-minute low-impact workout featuring different exercises.
This video is actually the third of a five-part series. However, it is my second 6-minute gliding disc workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Gliding Disk Exercises: knee tucks and slide crunch.
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
Featured Exercises
Knee Tucks
Start in a straight arm plank position with weight evenly distributed
Keep gliding disks under your feet
Bend both knees simultaneously and slide them toward your chest
Return to starting position
Options:
Slide knees to the center toward the chest*
Alternate knees to right elbow then left after returning to starting position
Slide knees to the right-start, center-start, left-start, center-start, and repeat
Mermaid pose.
Sliding Side Crunch
Sit in a “mermaid” pose with right leg in front
Extend right arm to the floor with a gliding disk under your hand
Slide to the right, maintaining your balance
Return to starting position
Switch to the left side
Next Week
I’ll feature two more gliding disk exercises in another six-minute workout.
This video is actually the second of a five-part series. However, it is my first 6-minute gliding disc workout. It is a Tabata style workout that features 2 Gliding Disk Exercises: Wax On/Wax Off and Gliding Jacks.
One round of Tabata is four minutes long. By adding a short warm-up and a quick cool down, we get a six-minute workout that will jumpstart your metabolism today…especially if you do the workout first thing in the morning.
This is a tough workout, but it’s a quick one.
Featured Exercises
Wax On/Wax Off
Start in a straight arm plank position with weight evenly distributed
Keep gliding disks under your hands
Transfer weight to left hand and both feet
Draw a circle on the floor with the right hand
Return to starting position
Options:
Stay on one side to complete continuous reps
Alternate arms*
Rest on knees instead of remaining on your feet
Gliding Jacks
Start in a straight arm plank position with weight evenly distributed
Keep gliding disks under your feet
Slide right hand out to the side
Slide right hand back to the starting position
Options:
Stay on one side to complete continuous reps
Alternate legs
Move both legs out and in at the same time*
Next Week
I’ll feature two more gliding disk exercises in another six-minute workout.
If you’ve been checking in for the past few weeks you know that I’m a huge fan of both Body Weight Training andTabata Training. I almost got a bit carried away last week and went into information overload. Then something occurred to me! I could continue that conversation by weighing in on the benefits of Tabata Training.
Although there are countless benefits of Tabata Training, I will only focus on four that simply cannot be denied.
Benefit #1: Improves Aerobic and the Anaerobic Energy Systems
Aerobic means “with oxygen”. The aerobic energy system requires blood or oxygen to operate. Aerobic exercises are typically continuous, repetitive movements that greatly benefit the heart.
Anaerobic means “without oxygen”. The anaerobic energy system doesn’t require blood or oxygen to operate. Anaerobic exercise typically includes intense physical activity, and usually can’t be done for a long period of time.
Tabata Training allows you to activate both systems simultaneously so that you improve both your endurance level as well as build muscle.
Benefit #2: Easy to Customize Workouts
One Tabata round is four minutes long. It consists of eight 20-second rounds that are each followed by a ten-second rest period. You can do one exercise for all 8-rounds. Or you could do four rounds of two different exercises. You could even opt for two rounds of four different exercises…it’s all up to you.
Tabata workouts are extremely easy to customize. If you know you’re only going to have to exercise for 20 seconds, that really opens up tons of possibilities. You can include exercises that you either don’t like or you can’t do for a long period of time.
Benefit #3: Experience “After Burn”
Like other forms of high-intensity interval training, Tabata Training works on the theory of EPOC (excess post oxygen consumption). In other words, once the workout is complete, your body still continues to burn calories.
Admittedly, it’s a bit more technical and scientific than that. However, to help put this in perspective, other forms of exercise don’t work that way.
When you’re done running, you stop burning calories. The same goes for swimming and other forms of cardio (aerobic) based exercise form.
Since Tabata Training activates both the anaerobic and aerobic systems, it allows the body to respond differently to exercise.
Benefit #4: Burn Tons of Calories
The average person burns about 100 calories per mile, so if someone were to run for 20 minutes, they could burn up to 200 calories, provided that they were able to run ten-minute miles. However, that same person could burn about 15 calories per minute when participating in a Tabata Training workout.
In other words, a twenty-minute Tabata Training workout could allow someone to burn 300 calories during that workout out. T
he key to burning more calories lies in the intensity of your workout, so be sure to give your all during the twenty-second exercise round, so you can burn the most calories possible.
Talk is Cheap
You’ll be able to find several Tabata style workout video on the Get Fit with Charity YouTube Channel. I want you to experience the benefits of Tabata training first hand.
I can’t wait to start working out with you!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
Today’s Weekly Wednesday Weigh-in will be a little different. I will be talking about HIIT vs Tabata (or High-Intensity Interval Training and Tabata Training).
A couple of weeks ago, I talked about my specialty area: Bodyweight Training. Tabata training is my preferred method for incorporating bodyweight exercises. People are often confused when we talk about Tabata training. Most of them have never heard of it. Some of them even ask me how Tabata Training is better than High-Intensity Interval Training, and they typically walk away. They say that they prefer High-Intensity Interval Training, and Tabata Training sort of sounds like a gimmick to them.
What is High-Intensity Interval Training?
High-Intensity Interval Training or HIIT is a form of exercise that’s gained quite a bit of popularity lately. In short, HIIT is exactly what it sounds like, but it’s easier to explain by breaking it down.
The word “intensity” refers to the amount of force, strength or effort it takes to do something. In terms of exercise, there are low, moderate and high intensity levels.
“Low intensity” exercises require minimal effort. They can be done for prolonged periods of time without leading to exhaustion. Things like walking or dog or pushing a sleeping baby in a stroller. On a scale of 1 to 5, low-intensity exercises would definitely be a 1.
“Moderate intensity” exercises require a little more effort, but why still aren’t that strenuous. A brisk walk or a light jog would fall in this category; these are exercises that you can do for a while. However, you would have to pace yourself, so you don’t tire out too easily. Moderate intensity exercises would score a 3 on a 1 to 5 scale.
“High intensity” exercises require all of your energy and effort. Since you give your all during these exercises, you won’t be able to perform them for very long. These are difficult exercises, like burpees or mountain climbers. They would be the highest on the one to five scale.
An “interval” can be defined as a space or span of time. So interval training is an exercise form consisting of an exercise period (or interval) immediately followed by a resting period. The intervals repeat in an AB pattern.
Putting It All Together
High-intensity interval training alternates between strenuous exercise and rest for specific periods of time.
Generally speaking, the resting interval in HIIT is a bit shorter than the exercise interval. That’s because it gives the body just enough time to recover but not enough time to relax. There is no specified amount of time for HIIT intervals. One can exercise for 40 seconds and rest for 20 seconds. Or you could do a 60 second “on” and 30 second “off” workout or some other combination. The key to maximizing your HIIT workout: make sure you’re able to go all out during the exercise interval. That’s where Tabata Training comes in.
What is Tabata Training?
Tabata Training is a HIIT format adapted from a 1996 study conducted by Dr. Izumi Tabata and a group of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan. The results: workouts with short bursts of high-intensity exercise had better effects than workouts with longer moderate-intensity exercises.
A Message from Dr. Izumi Tabata
In the featured video clip, Dr. Izumi Tabata said, “Tabata Training is a form of high-intensity interval training which enables us to improve both aerobic and anaerobic cardiac systems simultaneously.” In other words, Tabata Training allows you to strengthen your heart and develop your muscles in less time than a traditional workout. However, Dr. Tabata stresses that the exercise interval should bring people to the point of exhaustion for them to receive maximum benefits.
Dr. Tabata stated that when the papers were published in 1996 and 1997, he expected that high-level athletes would participate in the training. He was surprised that many members of the general population are creating their own Tabata workouts.
What’s the difference?
I want to recap the common questions associated with HIIT and Tabata Training are:
What’s the difference between Tabata Training and HIIT?
Which method is better: HIIT or Tabata Training?
There’s really no way to answer those questions because (1) Tabata Training is a form of HIIT, so there’s no difference between the two. Beyond that (2) HIIT and Tabata Training follow identical formats of exercise/rest/repeat, so it’s not possible for one to be better than the other.
Perhaps a better question is: what is the most effective form of HIIT? The answer – without a doubt – would be Tabata Training!
Hopping on the Scale! Don’t forget to hop on the scale and see where you are this week. Remember: if you were able to maintain and not gain, that’s still a win!
