6/28: Tabata Thursday
*Or Tabata Wednesday and a half, but I wanted to have this up tonight for the Thursday morning early gym-goers (even though you can totally do it at home!)
It was a clumsy day over here.
You know, the kinda day where anything you touch seems to spontaneously erupt into flames and crumble into a pile of ash on the floor.
That was me… I knew it would turn out like that when I put Livi down for her morning nap, came downstairs to make coffee and get ready for work. I dropped my mug and spilled coffee everywhere, including that space along the side of the fridge. It was fun trying to clean up the coffee lake.
I also dropped my shirt into the toilet at work but that’s an entirely different story. Thank goodness I had a backup :/
During pool class, I prayed for rain.
Even though the storm clouds came, the class went on, and just like all of my other pool classes, it was totally fine. I dread pool every single time -even though class is always fun and I try to give them an awesome workout, it’s just way out of my comfort zone and makes me super nervous- and the hardest part, like anything else, is the anticipation. As soon as I’m done, I’m always like, “Hmmm. That really wasn’t so bad”
Some eats:
A salad beast with quinoa, lentils, greens, turkey and tahini sauce (from Trader Joe’s)
I’ve been LOVING the tahini sauce lately- it’s especially amazing on salads and stir fries
amazeballs at work
and a fancy appetizer I made while waiting for the Pilot to get home.
Crackers and vino FTW.
__________________________________________________________________________
Tabata Thursday is here again!
Thank you so much to those of you who rocked out the workout last week and let me know how it went! Glad I wasn’t the only one shaking afterwards 😉
This week is a similar setup with different moves.
Some things to remember:
-Tabata training is INTENSE – not the best choice for new exercisers. If you’re just getting started, try building up to interval training by adding some power surges in your workouts (more speed, more resistance or a combo of the two). A great place to start is 2 minutes easy, 1 minute challenging. Shorten the challenging intervals and decrease the rest gradually over time as you get stronger.
-Just like your biceps, triceps, everything else, your heart is a muscle- it needs rest, too. High intensity intervals of any sort should NOT be completed on consecutive days. Alternate interval training with rest days or steady state so your ticker can get some recovery time.
-Always warm up, cool down, and talk with a doc before making any fitness changes. If you have any injuries, be mindful of those, exercise wisely and modify as necessary.
–Tabata in a nutshell: 20 seconds HARD, 10 seconds easy, 8 rounds = 4 minutes. (For more info on Tabata, check out this Focus On post.)
That’s it! 4 minutes to a sweaty, awesome, fat-torching workout. Complete this workout up to 3 times in one day, with a decent amount of rest in between rounds (at least a couple of minutes so your heart rate can come down)
-Feel free to listen to the moves and form cues, and then add your own music (around 2:30) if you’d like to rock out while you finish the workout. I’d love to hear what song you chose! I actually ended up having to make the video 3 times, since YouTube banned my video in 214 countries for trying to add music to the workout song. Maybe I’ll have to make and record my own music next time? [I think that’s something we all don’t want, haha]
The video:
The moves:
-High knees
-Sumo jumps
-Side jumps (different than last week)
-Mountain climbers (any variation you prefer)
Each move is repeated twice.
So, how’d it go?!?
Leave a comment to check in when you finish it, how many rounds you did and how you feel!
I think we all have 4 minutes to spare 😉 GIT IT!
#tabatathursday= attractive faces
Happy jumping! <3
xoxo
Gina
New on the Family page: Calming my fears
Fashion: Meg’s eyeliner how-to
Something to think:
RIP Nora Ephron <3
(“I Remember Nothing” is a fantastic read, if you’re looking for something light and witty)
142 Comments
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Haha, I guess I’m one of those early morning birds! It’s actually pretty early (for Weds) where I live. I love Tabata workouts, but I always feel like I’m thisclose to dying when I do them… my husband also comments on the amount of swear words that come out of my mouth!
To make up for my extremely short workout yesterday, I did twenty minutes of cardio (somewhat plyo-style) and your Workout 3. Should I do Tabata tomorrow (Thursday), or should I wait another day?
i would wait another day since you did workout 3 yesterday
xoxo
Thank you! 🙂
Question: if you jump into things too quickly or just generally don’t take enough rest days, does this really have an effect on the immune system? I feel like I get sick whenever I get into a new training program – is this coincidence or am I pushing too hard? It’s so hard for me to tell whether I am pushing myself in a good way or overdoing it.
Also way to have inspirational shoulder muscles in your tabata pic!
it can compromise your immune system, that’s what it’s important to be sure you’re getting enough food, water and rest.
<3
I love your salad bowl and the timer in the video! Where can I find them?
salad bowl: kohl’s
timer: tabata pro app
That sky looks crazy! How cool, I love a good storm! 🙂
the salad & sweet potato look fabulous and dropping your shirt in the toilet at work should automatically mean you get to go home and have a do-over kind of day 🙂
right?! that’s what i was thinking, too
We don’t have TJs here so I can’t buy that sauce, but I love drizzling tahini on everything too! Lately I’ve been eating it with quinoa, steamed greens, mushrooms and fried eggs – it’s amazing!
what a way to start my morning! you’re right, we all have 4 minutes!
i waste 4 minutes throughout the day alll the time- totally worth a quick workout instead!
Whew, 2 rounds of Tabata Thursday= great start to the day! Those sumo jumps were kinda fun 🙂
great job!! i love the sumo jumps, too 🙂
I love Tabata workouts, especially those with no weights needed! Hope your day goes more smoothly than yesterday!
Just completed one round, it definitely got my heart rate up!
whoo hoo!
I loved the sumo jumps and it even entertained my baby! Thanks again!
your salad looks delicious! Can’t wait to try the new Tabatha 😀 xxx Nadja
Great way to move it! Question-what type of turkey do u buy? I am leery of most lunch meats. Your food always looks so awesome and I love deli turkey on salads. It’s really good with chopped green apple and hummus/tahini.
Thanks!
I made my Husband a taco salad beast last night, he approved. I think more beasts will be in our future since I’m trying hard to incorporate better eating in our family.
I can’t until our Trader Joe’s opens! 1.5 more months!! 🙂
I love your face in that last picture. hehehe
I was totally clumsy at work the other day (Part time second job at Bath and Body Works). I ran into the wallflower table, candle shelf, dropped several items (luckily the floor is a cork-type floor, so nothing broke). It was just one of those days, I guess.
Tahini sauce looks amazing. I should try that sometime.
i guess we all have those days- here’s to a non-clumsy one today! 😉
Your arms look amazing Gina! That’s the one part of my body that I’ve always been a bit critical about but lately I’ve started to see more definition. Any secrets or tips? You have great arms!
thank you! i really think it’s from carrying my 17 lb kettlebell (livi) around all day- i haven’t been strength training much at all lately
Ha! That’s too funny and true! I don’t have my very own 17lb live kettlebell (yet), and that would be awkward to carry around a real one!- so I’ll keep up the SSU 🙂
Tahini has been my addiction. Pretty much everything has been covered in my little dressing of tahini, greek yogurt, lemon juice, maple syrup, dried dill, and salt & pepper. I seriously can’t get enough.
Funny that you mention Nora Ephron. Yesterday I received a mystery package from a book company I have never heard of, but it was addressed exactly to me at the correct address. Opening it I discovered Nora’s book Love, Loss and What I Wore. I scoured the front and back covers looking for a note from someone. Flipped through the pages doing the same. Nothing. The book it so totally me, and I just kept thinking, whoever sent this to me totally knows me because this is exactly the kind of book I enjoy. A few hours later I was telling my husband and some friends who were over for cigar night about my little surprise, and my husband revealed he had ordered it a few weeks ago. Long story to tell you, you should totally check out that book. I will def. be looking into others she wrote because of it.
that sounds GLORIOUS
what an awesome surprise! i love books as gifts- i think it’s one of the most thoughtful things someone can give. that was really sweet of your husband! i’ll download it on my kindle tonight 🙂 definitely check out “i remember nothing”- it was wonderful
Completed 3 rounds of the Tabata workout this morning – it was killer! Love these short workouts, so easy to do before work, in the comfort of my own basement, and then will enjoy the afterburn the rest of the day. I blasted Starship – Nicki Menaj for the workout, mostly because my kids love it.
Thanks for another great video – keep them coming!
i’m so glad you liked it!!
xoxo
I’m gonna try this out Saturday, high knees are my nemesis so this should be a challenge!
high knees are KILLER
I love that action shot, tre cool!
Shirt in the toilet – been there done that, not fun!
Question: is this the only cardio you should do for the day? Would it be okay to do this 3 times, wait a few hours, and then go for an easy run?
yep, this can be your only cardio for the day (and will continue to burn calories after the 12 minutes are over)
you can definitely go on an easy run if you’d like to, but it’s not necessary
xoxo
Hi there – love, this workout! what is that app you are using? thanks!
how did it go?
it’s the “tabata pro” app- i think it was $3?
I love the idea of combining TJs lentils and cooked quinoa in the same container – that would make the perfect salad topping! Also, you look awesome in that Tabata Thursday picture – your arms and back look ripped!!! Get it gurl!
thanks, friend!
and yes, it’s my favorite salad topping right now
Awesome video to follow along, thanks! Where are your shorts from? Love them!
thank you! lululemon
Hi Gina-
I’m three weeks into Insanity, and I can’t help but wonder if doing it every day counts as doing too much HIIT. I know that all of the workouts aren’t HIIT, but most seem to do the “balls-to-the-wall circuit then rest x30sec” thing. I don’t feel like I recover completely in just 30 seconds (HR still in 140s at the end usually). I know you completed Insanity a couple of years ago, and thought maybe you would have some good insight. I love the program, and I don’t feel like it’s too much for me but I always hear not to do HIIT more than 3x per week. Thanks!
i noticed that with insanity, i was definitely overtraining. it wasn’t “too much” but my heart rate stayed elevated throughout the day from pushing so hard. if i were to do insanity again, i’d do it on non-consecutive days alternated with easy steady state and strength train on the insanity days
xoxo
YES … I need to try this tonight!! Thanks for the challenge 🙂
can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Ha I love your “appetizers” just my kind of appetizer 🙂 Thanks for the Tabata workout- definitely going to do this at the gym tonight!
what a great workout! and i hate clumsy days — i definitely have my fair share!
i have a question — i no longer live near trader joes and was wondering if the tahini sauce was straight tahini or if TJ added something to it? i only have access to plain tahini and was wondering if i needed to add anything to it so i could use it the way you were mentioning like in stir fries.
i think they added garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper and it has a whipped texture- i would add a little water to thin it out and some olive oil
xoxo
thanks gina 🙂 i appreciate how you answer questions even if theyre as trivial as trying to imitate trader joe’s tahini sauce.
are you kidding? this is serious business 🙂
xoxo
Great tabata workout. Thanks for making a video for it–that’s really helpful, and I feel more motivated to follow through with trying it because I will do the workout “with” you. Thank you!
Just finished round one and resting for a few before another! Thanks for another great Tabata workout!
just finished it! I’m still dying on my floor! I loved the sumo jumps, and the mountain climber were killeeeers but i loved it!!! Feels so good to do a workout that only lasts 4 minutes when you have a lot of other things to do (as for example getting ready for my last highschool exam!) xxx Nadja
oh yeah and i listened to Pitbull “una manos lava la otra” that you made me discover a while ago! (was a bit less than 4 minutes but i put it twice)
Thanks for a great Tabata Thursday workout! I blogged about it today.. Definitely going for it again 🙂
I really want to visit Arizona. The clouds and mountains always look SO beautiful in your pictures!!
I love Tabata but there’s always that psych-myself-out moment before I start it. I like the idea of it, I like it during and I like it after but right before I’m always like “ugh, how much am I going to hate this?”. Lol. Looking forward to trying yours!
Do you have some suggestions for high intensity moves that could replace jumping? I have noticed that if I do too many jumping moves in one workout, that it’s really hard on my knees. Thank you!
Ugh, I’ve been slacking hard on fitting my workouts in, tabata could be just what I need to jump back in. I definitely have 4 minutes!
Those side jumps are what did me in! So hard. Question though….was I supposed to do more than the 2 sets in the video? I wasn’t sure
Gosh, I feel like this speaks to SO much of life: “it’s just way out of my comfort zone and makes me super nervous- and the hardest part, like anything else, is the anticipation. As soon as I’m done, I’m always like, “Hmmm. That really wasn’t so bad” ” Right??
I was wondering…when you make the amazeballs for a pre-workout snack, do you usually have all 4 or just 2? I didn’t know if all 4 was too heavy for a snack. I know you posted the nutritional stats and that was for the whole recipe right?
i just have 2- the perfect amount
Hmmm, I couldn’t click to check in, but I LOVE tabata Thursday’s!!!
Finished Tabata Thursday! I love the quickie sweat sesh 🙂
I already took spin this morning, so I just did one round of the tabatas. Great workout!
I liked it a lot, the sumo jumps were my favourite 🙂
i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE tabata Thursday!! it makes me feel a little bit like a super star. 😉 doing circuit 3 tomorrow since i did it yesterday instead of tuesday. now off to shower off all the sweat.
um, because you ARE a super star 🙂
xoxo
myself, rachel c, and esther v rocked out circuit 3 today 2 times through and then did the tabata work out after – – we are all beat, but feel GREAT!!!
great job, girls!!
love your tabata Thursdays Gina 🙂 you are amazing! And, as always, I am proud of you for stepping out of your comfort zone <3
I did one round of tabata Thursday as a warm-up to my week 3 weights today! Planning on trying to fit in another round this evening sometime before or after softball. I did LMFAO’s “Sexy and I Know It” for the Tabatas…I work out! 😉
haha your comment made me think of this: http://lockerz.com/s/213003027
Ahaha that is awesome! I hadn’t seen it before. I’d forgotten about my earlier vow to do another tabata round…but I just busted it out! You’re totally keeping me accountable, Gina. Awesome!
Did a 4-minute set while waiting for water to boil! Now my heart is beating and the water is bubbling 🙂
that is some seriously awesome multi-tasking right there
I used to teach water aerobics and always felt the exact same way. I would dread it all morning (it was a lunch time class) and then always thing how silly I was afterwards. I think it’s because I was always afraid I would run out of things to have them do. Hmm I don’t know! I’m so sorry you had a rough morning!
i feel like that too- i’m always thinking “oh no, what do i do next?”