New workout: Tabata

**DISCLAIMER: this post contains no christmas content whatsoever. But in advance, i would like to wish you a happy Christmas and new year**

Lately I've had to squeeze in whirlwind 20 minute workouts due to my early starts at the juice bar and unwillingness to hit the gym when I'm tired after work, in the mayhem of peak hours.

Tabata (not sure how to pronounce...TAbata...taBAta....tabaTA???) is a method that's growing in popularity and is said to be THE way to burn fat and improve fitness in a minimum amount of time. You push yourself at a high intensity, with minimal rest for a range of exercises. It's kind of like the HIIT (high intensity interval training) of the circuits.

The format that I've been working with follows the same structure as the first one I ever did - one I followed on YouTube(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQp8q1aDKA4&feature=youtube_gdata_player). Here's what I do:
- I select 4 or 5 exercises
- I perform the first for 20 seconds, then I rest for 10 seconds (the quickest 10 seconds of my life!)
- Do this 7 more times, so it lasts 4 minutes in total.
- I then give myself about 30-45 seconds to have some water and to allow my heart rate to become more comfortable
- Move onto the next exercises for 4 minutes each in the same format.

So what exercises can be applied? Because I've been working out at home without any equipment, the following body weight exercises have been more than sufficient:
- Jogging in place, high knees
- Free punches (into thin air...but if you've ever done boxing on Wii console, you'll KNOW this works your back)
- Press ups (from knees at the moment)
- Burpees
- Plank
- Push up plank
- Alternating lunge jumps
- Squat jumps
- Crunches or reverse crunches
- Tricep dips
- Mountain climbers
- Wall sits (I'm talking 90 degrees)

If you have dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, resistance bands then your repertoire grows exponentially. Seriously, you will never be doing the same workout twice, nor will you plateau as you are continually pushing yourself to your personal highest intensity.

And it will make you SWEAT! I could seriously rename this blog Hannah Does Sweaty...I should've taken a pic after my tabata this morning, and it was only a baby 16 minutes! Perhaps just a regular 'Hannah Does Sweaty' feature will suffice...

Have you tried tabata yet? Any tips or exercises you'd like to add?

(Happy Christmas)

Hannah xx