When you want to get fitter, it comes down to training hard and smart. By doing the correct workouts, you can make the right adaptations to your body so you can become fitter, stronger, and much more efficient.
You might have heard of endurance training to become better at riding long distances or high-intensity training for building power. A modern way many people choose to get their fitness fix in is by doing a Tabata workout. Still trying to figure out what it is? No worries, this article will tell you everything you need to know by discussing:
- What is Tabata?
- Example Tabata Workouts
- What Are The Benefits Of A Tabata Ride
What Is Tabata?
Tabata was developed by a Japanese research doctor called Dr. Izumi Tabata. It all started in the 1990s when he started studying the effects of high-intensity exercise on athletes.
The format showed great improvements in fitness, not just from explosive power but also from having benefits on the endurance side.
It has always been a very popular way to work out, but the industry has leaned over to using it more and more in modern times. You might have heard of it while riding your Peloton, or maybe your local fitness center coaches are running Tabata classes. Sooner or later, you will come across it as it is very popular.
Tataba can be done with nearly any kind of exercise. You could do it with running, weight lifting, skipping, and even rowing. In its most basic form, it is 20 seconds at max effort and 10 seconds rest for 8 rounds.
Example Tabata Workouts
What is important to understand is Tabata workouts can be done in many different ways when it comes to cycling.
Here are some examples of Tabata workouts we recommend when you’re on the bike. These are best done on the turbo trainer but can be done on the road if required.
Standing Power
The first workout we call standing power. In this workout, we follow the Tabata structure switch between a seated and a standing climb. Here’s what you need to know:
| Warm Up | 5 Minutes | Build up the legs over 5 minutes slowly bringing in more resistance |
| Complete Once | ||
| Standing | 20 Seconds | Standing attack full power for 20 seconds |
| Seated | 10 seconds | Sit down and rest for 10 seconds do not stop pedaling |
| Repeat 8 times with no break in between. Repeat set as many times as required | ||
| Cool Down | 5 Minutes | Slowly drop the resistance down while letting the legs cool off |
Cadence Play
The next workout, we call cadence play. This is where you warm up and then get to a low RPM with a good amount of resistance in the bike. We leave the gear where it is and ramp the cadence when required to create more intensity.
| Warm Up | 5 Minutes | Build up the legs over 5 minutes slowly bringing in more resistance |
| Complete Once | ||
| 110 RPM | 20 Seconds | Speed up the legs and attack full power for 20 seconds |
| 60 RPM | 10 seconds | Slow down the legs and rest for 10 seconds do not stop pedaling |
| Repeat 8 times with no break in between. Repeat set as many times as required | ||
| Cool Down | 5 Minutes | Slowly drop the resistance down while letting the legs cool off |
The Resistance
Finally, we have what I call the resistance. This is where you follow the Tabata method of riding how you want, but to increase the intensity, you just gear up and add resistance.
| Warm Up | 5 Minutes | Build up the legs over 5 minutes slowly bringing in more resistance |
| Complete Once | ||
| Heavy Resistance | 20 Seconds | Add resistance to the legs and attack full power for 20 seconds |
| Light Resistance | 10 seconds | Reduce resistance to the legs and rest for 10 seconds do not stop pedaling |
| Repeat 8 times with no break in between. Repeat set as many times as required | ||
| Cool Down | 5 Minutes | Slowly drop the resistance down while letting the legs cool off |
What Are The Benefits Of A Tabata Workouts?
If there’s one thing we can tell you about Tabata rides, they come with a huge amount of benefits. In our opinion, they are one of the best ways to work out, and here’s why:
Amazing Calorie Burn
The first thing to mention is the number of calories you burn is huge. With Tabata being such an intense form of exercise, you will find the calorie burn of over the four minutes is very high.
Another knock-on effect of that is that recovery calories are high too.
Excellent For Explosive Power
Tabata is an excellent way to build explosive power. With it being such high intensity and short shorts blasts, it pushes the body to its limits and adapts the muscles to have much more explosive power.
Benefits Endurance
Although you might think a 4 minute round isn’t going to help endurance, surprisingly, it has been shown to. Just like base endurance miles help you find high-intensity power, high-intensity power also benefits base endurance miles.
Time Efficient
With Tabata sessions being so intense, the workouts are generally much shorter. So if you haven’t got a lot of time, a Tabata workout is ideal for quickly pushing the body to its limits.
It Can Increase Metabolism
High-intensity training has been shown to increase your metabolism. When we speak about metabolism, we are speaking about the rate your body naturally burns calories which is ideal if you are trying to lose weight or tone up.
A Final Note
Using the Tabata training method, you can really ramp your fitness up to the next level. We highly recommend trying it at least once, as it comes with so many benefits.
We hope you enjoyed our article and are now getting your cycling gear ready to train.
Robbie Ferri has spent years working in a bike shop, has worked with industry leading brands on product creation, has been a semi pro athlete, and is a fully qualified strength and conditioning coach. He has broken World Records, bikepacked all over the World and raced ultra distance at a top-level.
