Today I have 2 (4:00 each) tabatas that you can add into your workout routine when you need a fast cardio blast. Try one or, if you’re feeling spicy today, try them both!
Tabatas are a great explosive cardio addition to your workout routine! They are a great way to get all the benefits of cardiovascular exercise without overdoing it. This type of high-volume cardio is short and efficient and gets your heart rate up while also loading your joints and strengthening your muscles.
Tabatas are a type of HIIT – high intensity interval training- where we pair 0:20 of maximum effort with 0:10 rest periods which you repeat for a total of 4 minutes. The key to getting the most out of this is to really give it YOUR ALL!
These short burst cardio sessions are ideal, especially if you are transitioning in perimenopause, because we’re more sensitive to the cortisol (stress hormone) response during that time. Doing too much cardio can really tax your immune system, run you down, and burn you out.
So join me for a quick cardio blast – let’s go! I’ve got low impact variations and mods built right in, and I’ll guide you with form cues as you go!
I might do a workout like this on a day I wanted to focus on plyometrics or explosive cardio alone, or combine it with a resistance training workout. You’ll find these fast, fun sessions in many of my workout programs, as I’ve been using them for maximum benefit for years, and recommend them at every life stage.
And hey, if you’re in perimenopause and want to dive into more strategies that support your body composition goals, strengthen your valuable muscle tissue and help you efficiently burn body fat even as your hormones are changing, the new PerimenoFit program is coming out very soon!
Get on the list to be the first to know when PeriMenoFit is released!
Full Body Tabata Burn
Click to expand and see all workout move descriptions
Tabata 1:
Box Jumps
- Begin by standing facing the box (or any sturdy elevated surface) you are jumping onto.
- With a braced core, slightly bend your knees and power through your heels to explode off the balls of your feet onto the box (use your arms to propel you and land softly on the balls of your feet), squeezing your glutes as you stand upright.
- Jump or step back down and repeat for allotted time.
- MOD 1: Make this low impact by removing the jump and perform step ups with alternating legs, being mindful to drive through the heel as you step onto the box.
- MOD 2: If you don’t have a box to jump onto, perform broad jumps:
- Begin standing at one end of the mat with feet hip distance apart, core braced, and chest upright.
- Drop down a little into a quarter squat, engaging through the glutes to explosively jump to the other side of the mat.
- Turn around and repeat for allotted time.
Squat Thrusts
- Begin standing at the top of your mat with your core braced and chest upright.
- Bend your knees, plant your hands on the mat, and jump your feet back into a tall plank position with shoulders stacked over wrists, braced core, back flat and neutral gaze (not looking up or down).
- Jump your feet up to your hands and drive through the heels to come back to standing, using your momentum to immediately power you up into a jump.
- Repeat this sequence for the allotted time.
- MOD: Perform this movement with your hands on an inclined surface, like a chair, couch or ottoman. You can make this low-impact by coming up from a body squat rather than taking a jump.
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Tabata 2:
Pop Squat Alternating Front Kick
- Begin standing with feet hip distance apart, core braced, and chest upright.
- Send your hips back as you come into a squat, bracing your core and keeping your chest up, allowing your knees to track in line with your toes.
- Powerfully drive through your heels to jump and land lightly with a braced core and evenly distribute your weight along each entire foot while allowing your hips and knees to bend to absorb force.
- Perform a front kick with your right leg.
- Repeat for allotted time, alternating between right and left front kicks.
- MOD: Make this low impact by removing the jump and performing a body squat, driving through the heels to stand and squeezing your glutes at the top.
- You can also use a chair/couch to guide your squat form and hold on to for balance.
Reverse Burpees
- Begin by standing at the front of your mat with your core braced and chest up tall.
- With control, shoot your hips back to move through a squat and all the way down to sit on the mat, rolling onto your back, drawing your knees in towards your chest and lifting your hips towards the ceiling to create a backwards rocking motion.
- Using this momentum, rock your body forwards to land on your feet and drive through the heels to finish with a jump, being mindful that your knees aren’t buckling inwards as you stand)
- Repeat for allotted time.
- MOD 1: When you’re learning this move, keep your hands down at your sides to support your stand to jump or use a chair/elevated surface to help you stand up.
- MOD 2: Remove the jump and/or just practice rocking back and forth, learning how to get your feet steadily back underneath you and hovering your hips to build up to eventually standing.
Great job Rockstar! Keep showing up for yourself consistently on and off the mat. Be sure to check in and let me know how you’re doing today – I love hearing from you!
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