Tabata Training As Your Only Workout

A friend of mine asked me about setting up a workout program for her and she asked me if the only workouts she did were Tabata's how would that work for her?

Well the short answer is Yes you could do just Tabata's and get in good condition aerobically and anaerobic.

What I suggested to her was to tweak it just a little. I started her on a total body workout twice a week.

As great as Tabata training is no one form of exercise is the end all to get to your fitness, lean muscle building or weight loss goals.

Her weight training workouts are built around compound exercises( if you have read any of my other lenses you know I'm a big believer in compound exercises.

Her other two workout days of the week are tabata complexes using kettlebells. The more I get into using kettlebells the more convinced of the value of kettlebells. Kettlebells may be the single most effective instrument for all around fitness, strength, endurance, weight loss, flexibility and adding lean muscle.

Tabata training complexes are a little different the the pure one exercise Tabata training workouts. I have her do 3, 4 or even 5 kettlebell exercises done in a complex of one right after the other.

She loves these workouts. She is getting a total body workout, weight loss and strength work. Variety may be the biggest plus to setting up your workouts in a similar way. The variety and the results you see will keep your motivation high.

As an added bonus since she is a very busy person none of her workouts go longer than 45 minutes.

Tabata Training And Kettlebell Training Together

Kettlebell training and Tabata training in the same workout?

Get ready to take your workouts to a new level. A total body workout for gaining lean muscle, lose that excess body fat and take your cardio conditioning to the highest level.

*What is a Kettlebell?*

Picture a bowling ball with a handle on it. Kettlebell training when done right may be the most effective training system we have. Short but intense workouts a kettlebell workout of 2 exercises and a total workout time of 10-15 minutes can give you an intense and effective total body workout.

* What is the Tabata Training method?*

Tabata training is one of the most brutal training techniques out there. It consists of performing an exercise for 20 seconds straight, followed by 10 seconds rest. This is repeated for another 7 times, or 8 total rounds for a total of 4 minutes of extreme training.

You can perform Tabata with cardio, bodyweight, weight training or kettlebell training. Done with Kettlebell training, it completely changes your idea of an intense total body workout.

.Kettlebell training is tough, but when you combine them with a high intensity technique such as Tabata training, you can create an intense, total body workout.
* A Lower Body Kettlebell Training and Tabata Training Workout*

Kettlebell Swing - uses your hamstrings, firms your butt, strengthens your lower back and great for cardio and fat loss. The kettlebell swing has been called by some the single best exercise there is. It really is a total body workout in itself.

Kettlebell Front Squat - works your thighs strengthening and toning, your abs and your butt.
Thats it. You'll only need two exercises to completely destroy your legs. And really you can consider this a total body workout.

The key to developing a proper Kettlebell training Lower Body Tabata training workout is to combine one hamstring dominant exercise with a quadricep dominant exercise.

Additional Kettlebell exercises for your Hamstrings:

Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell Clean
Kettlebell Snatch

Kettlebell Training Thigh Exercises

Kettlebell Front Squat
Kettlebell Overhead Squat
Kettlebell Clean and Front Squat

Kettlebell training - Kettlebell Clean + Front Squat is another great kettlebell exercise that can be a total body workout all in itself.

Kettlebell Snatch + Overhead Squat.

Don't just stop there. Use the same techniques to train your upper body. Here's a bonus Upper Body Tabata training workout Using Kettlebell training for again what is really a total body workout.

Complete 8 Tabata Training Intervals for each exercise:

Kettlebell Push Press
Kettlebell Bent Over Row

Tabata Training: Tabata Training The Ultimate Weight Loss Workout?

Is Tabata Training The Best for Weight Loss ?

Tabatas are a very intense form of Interval Training. I use and believe in Interval training and Tabata training methods for Weight loss.

The long cardio sessions are usefull but take too much time (and are boring).

Yes I do believe Tabatas and Intervals are the best training you can do for fat loss, cardio and don't discount the anaerobic benefits that you don't get with spending an hour on an exercise bike.

But Tabata Training is a very advanced form of training. Warning!! if you want to try Tabatas they are not for the weak hearted or unconditioned.

If you are a beginner, Learn Interval Training from the best Craig Ballantyne is the man when it comes to interval training. Check out Weight Loss Fitness And Bodybuildingfor more on Interval training and Craig.Check out the free interval workout I have posted there.

Start out slowly and gradually work into a full workout. As with any exercise program get a full physical check before you begin.

Combining a Weight Training program 3-4 days a week with Tabata's and/or interval training 2-3 days a week ( combined with a solid nutrition plan) will get you in the best shape( aerobic and anaerobic ) of your life.

That many workouts a week is for the well conditioned check out the workout I came up wih for a friend of mine shown below. Tabata's and Intervals twice a week and two total body weight training sessions a week. With any form of exercise you chose persistance and consitency are keys to success.

Tabata Training: Is Tabata Training The Best for Weight Loss ?


Tabata Training click the link for the history, how tabata training works and why and exercises you can use for tabata training.

Tabata Training And HIIT

It has been scientifically proven high Intensity Interval Fat Loss Training is one of the most effective total body workout available for rapidly losing bodyfat and improving your cardiovascular conditioning.

Not only do you burn many more calories while your performing the training, you also stimulate your metabolism to a far greater degree than with lower intensity training, which is traditionally used for fat loss.

Even though it's more challenging than low intensity training, High Intensity Interval fat loss Training offers tremendous benefits to you: You are doing a total body workout.


High intensity interval fat loss training burns more calories than low intensity training, meaning you can burn more fat in shorter workouts.

Doing a total body workout at higher intensities stimulates your metabolism far more AFTER the workouts than lower intensity training. This means you continue to burn calories and fat for long periods after your done with your total body workout. Not so with low intensity training.


In general, interval fat loss training is best done 2 or 3 times per week. It is a challenging form of cardio done as a total body workout and requires recovery time in between sessions. Interval sessions can last anywhere between 5 to 30 minutes or more.

Interval fat loss training is based on a very simple concept: go fast then go slow. Repeat. It sounds easy doesn't it?.

Near-Maximal Interval Fat Loss Training For A Total Body Workout

Near Maximal Interval fat loss Training in a total body workout allows you to work at near-peak levels for long periods of time. This has the benefit of burning a tremendous amount of calories for longer periods of work time than is possible with normal intervals.

You work at a pace somewhat short of your max. This type of training allows you to perform near your max for longer periods of time. It is a very challenging and unique form of interval fat loss training.


Here are some sample intervals you can use with this training style:


Work Rest
20 sec. 5 sec.
25 sec. 5 sec.
30 sec. 10 sec.
15 sec. 7 sec.
40 sec. 10 sec.

Interval Fat Loss Training in a total body workout lean muscle gains, fast fat loss lung busting cardio conditioning.

Tabata Training And Kettlebell Training

Kettlebell Training and Tabata training in the same workout?

Get ready to take your workouts to a new level. A total body workout for gaining lean muscle, lose that excess body fat and take your cardio conditioning to the highest level.

*What is a Kettlebell?*

Picture a bowling ball with a handle on it. Kettlebell training when done right may be the most effective training system we have. Short but intense workouts a kettlebell workout of 2 exercises and a total workout time of 10-15 minutes can give you an intense and effective total body workout.

* What is the Tabata Training method?*

Tabata training is one of the most brutal training techniques out there. It consists of performing an exercise for 20 seconds straight, followed by 10 seconds rest. This is repeated for another 7 times, or 8 total rounds for a total of 4 minutes of extreme training.

You can perform Tabata with cardio, bodyweight, weight training or kettlebell training. Done with Kettlebell training, it completely changes your idea of an intense total body workout.

.Kettlebell training is tough, but when you combine them with a high intensity technique such as Tabata training, you can create an intense, total body workout.

* A Lower Body Kettlebell Training and Tabata Training Workout*

Kettlebell Swing - uses your hamstrings, firms your butt, strengthens your lower back and great for cardio and fat loss. The kettlebell swing has been called by some the single best exercise there is. It really is a total body workout in itself.

Kettlebell Front Squat - works your thighs strengthening and toning, your abs and your butt.
Thats it. You'll only need two exercises to completely destroy your legs. And really you can consider this a total body workout.

The key to developing a proper Kettlebell training Lower Body Tabata training workout is to combine one hamstring dominant exercise with a quadricep dominant exercise.

Additional Kettlebell exercises for your Hamstrings:

Kettlebell Swing
Kettlebell Clean
Kettlebell Snatch

Kettlebell Training Thigh Exercises

Kettlebell Front Squat
Kettlebell Overhead Squat
Kettlebell Clean and Front Squat

Kettlebell training - Kettlebell Clean + Front Squat is another great kettlebell exercise that can be a total body workout all in itself.

Kettlebell Snatch + Overhead Squat.

Don't just stop there. Use the same techniques to train your upper body. Here's a bonus Upper Body Tabata training workout Using Kettlebell training for again what is really a total body workout.

Complete 8 Tabata Training Intervals for each exercise:

Kettlebell Push Press
Kettlebell Bent Over Row

Tabata Training - get a complete decription of tabata training here.

Kettlebell Training - exercise descriptions, video and everything kettlebell