Characteristics of Good Tabata Exercises – This is Why Most Tabata on YouTube is Useless

In Tabata each 20 seconds of exercise must be done to your absolute capacity each and every time.  Good Tabata exercises satisfy 2 basic criteria:

1. They engage the whole body
2. They are capable of being performed repeatedly at maximal capacity.

Good examples include:

• Sprinting

  

• Rowing (machine or water)

  

• Cycling (static or spinning)

  

• Cross-trainer

  

• Squat thrust

These are not the only options.  Trouble is that most of the exercises shown on YouTube are useless for Tabata.

Remember – whatever exercise you use it must engage the whole body and you must be able to repeat it 8 times at maximal effort.