As we all try to squeeze in quick, effective workouts this holiday season, here’s a little gift from me to you:
a new Tabata workout!
Just 4-minutes to a sweaty, cardio extravaganza that will enable you to burn more calories throughout the day, even during holiday festivities.
Some things to keep in mind:
-Honor your body and injuries. Modify as you need to and always talk with a doc before making any fitness changes
-Tabata training is an advanced style of interval training. If you’re getting started in fitness, start with steady state cardio (gradually increasing the amount of time) and when you’re ready, gentle speed or hill intervals. Fitness is a process and there’s no need to try and jump from point “A” to point “D”- it’s just an invitation for injury.
-Always properly warm up before doing any type of interval training. I usually prefer some jump roping or 5-7 minutes on a cardio machine of choice
-Tabata training: 8 rounds of 20 seconds HARD, 10 seconds easy/recovery = 4 minutes. You can choose any move you like for this style of training, but it needs to be one that will blast your heart rate UP (bicep curls need not apply). You can repeat the video up to 3 times throughout the day.
-Remember that your heart is a muscle (your most important one!) and needs rest, too. Make sure to alternate cardio intensities and avoid working your heart to its maximum capacity every.single.day. Always do interval training on non-consecutive days, 2-3x max per week. For more info on Tabata training, check out this post, and here’s a post with the best research-based High Intensity Interval Training methods if you’re looking for ways to switch up your cardio.
Enjoy! <3
Your challenge: take 4 minutes out of your day to try out this workout, or any of the pervious Tabata Thursday routines. For extra credit, combine with an ab burner and leg burner!
Happy training 
xoxo
Gina
Text version:
How’d it go? I’m always grateful for your thoughts and feedback.
What’s on your workout plan for the day??
Hi, I'm Gina. Welcome to The Fitnessista! I love blogging about my adventures as a new mom, military wife and fitness instructor, as well as sharing new workouts and recipes. Check out the About page for more info - thanks for stopping by!
I can’t wait to try the rotating burpees – what a great way to make a hard (for me anyway) move even harder!!!
where are your pants from!?
I’m pretty sure they’re the Wunder Under Crops from lulu lemon
yep! thanks for answering for me. i’ve heard the fabric has changed, though- this is an old pair. anyone else know?
lululemon wunder under crops
Like most people, I’ll be traveling for the holidays, and I struggle with maintaining my workout routine on the go (especially this time of year!). Thanks for continually posting effective workouts you can do anywhere, I look forward to trying this workout this weekend!
I can’t wait to try this workout tonight! I love your Tabatas!!
I’m all about quick but efficient work outs. I get bored way too easily!
This is actually perfect, and- dare I say it- looks super fun!? I’m stuck at home – snowed in today (20+ inches of snow!) so my only option would be to snowshoe to the gym….or work out at home
Thanks for addin’ some sweat to my day!
And let me just add – your blog is one I consistently check because I know it will make me FEEL good. So many others are often triggering for my ED pasts, and that’s a rocky road. But I know I can depend on yours for a refreshingly healthy and positive perspective, every single day. Thank you, Gina! I appreciate you more than you know.
I too struggled with an eating disorder and your blog has been a key positive source for me and my recovery. So, so grateful for people like you Gina. Thank you.
sarah and caitlin,
comments like yours warm my heart more than you can imagine. that means the world to me. keep up the amazing job of taking care of yourself, and thank you so much for reading.
sending lots of love and positive wishes to you! thanks for making my day <3
xoxo
LOVE your workout videos! Thanks so much
thank you, kelsey!
I’m a little scared of Tabata, but the allure of having a higher calorie burn all day afterward might actually get me to try it out with this one. I think I’m ready!
how’d it go?!
My heart soared when I saw this post! I do your tabata workouts every week, 2X a week. I’m so excited to have a new video to put in the mix!
whoo hoo!!!
Hi Gina – love your blog and i def want to try this, however knee intensive work outs dont always work for me due to an old injury. Will you do an Tabatas that are a bit easier on the knees in the future?
sure- maybe i’ll do a low impact tabata workout for the next one
Love these posts, headed to the gym later (hopefully…)!
I love how you post workouts so consistently…and I always know they’ll be great!
I love tabatas! I think I am doing upper body, back and shoulders tonight
Cant skip muscle groups 
Love this workout. Can’t wait to try it. Random question, do you work out in the same shoes you run in?
This is probably a dumb question, but how do you set up your timer that like on your phone? Where you have the 20 sec. interval with the 10 sec. rest period. Is that an app or special thing with your timer? Thanks for sharing this workout!
I was wondering the same thing! That is a great tool to let you know when your next interval ends and begins. Can you tell us what it is that you’re using?
it’s the tabata pro app!
what app do you use for the training? Does it go with whatever music you are playing on your phone?
i use the tabata pro app. it doesn’t go with the music, but you can play your music along with it
Hey—word to the wise. Target’s Neiman Marcus collection is 50% OFF today! Stock up
shut the front door. i’m on it
I’m excited to give this a try! Right now, I’m all about short, but effective workouts.
I can’t wait to try this at the gym tonight… looks killer (in a good way)
Do you recommend combining a Tabata workout with another form of exercise for a complete workout? Or is the Tabata a complete workout on itself?
Thanks for posting these videos! They’re great!
it’s a cardio workout in itself but you can combine it with strength training. a great way to do it is complete a few sets or circuit rounds, then a tabata set, more strength, tabata, strength, tabata
At first I’m all “Yeah i can do this”…by the end, I’m dying on the floor! Crazy. love it
yeahhhhhh
Love it! Thanks for posting
How is no one commenting on the awesome name?!?!
It’s definitely an awesome name!
mike came up with it
thanks again, mike!
YAY!!! It’s back! I just finished doing the vid 3x. Btw, Volcano Girls by Veruca Salt is an awesome Tabata song!
good to know, i’ll download it. so happy you liked the workout!
Shucks, I thought you were going to do the workout wearing the hat. ; )
Love tabatas. The torture is over with quickly.
i was planning to!
Loved it, definitely one I will repeat!
so glad you liked it!
What is the difference between Tabata and HIIT? Also, do you know of a way to make the video full screen?
tabata is a style of hiit training, but it’s specified interval times (the 4 minute set of 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off is classified as tabata)
Looks awesome! I’m traveling a lot over the holidays, so I’ll have to try this out in my family’s living room! haha can’t wait!
I have never tried one of the Tabata Thursday workouts but will definitely be trying this when I get home today. Looks great!
Wow! I just discovered your blog after another nursing mama left one of your recipes in our lactation room. I LOVE IT!! Can’t wait to dive into the workouts and try the recipes….my little man is 6 months and I will be doing a workout today while he naps. Thank you!
aww thank you so much!
xoxo
My husband and I did a run this weekend with the dog and the stroller and then did this work out together in the living room! So fun!! Love how your music is timed and we can just follow along. Our little guy watched us and the dog tried to get involved too.
Gotta love family work outs! Thanks.
Just got to trying this this morning with strength intervals in between. Awesome, thank you again!!!