The Genius Workout Strategy That Burns More Calories Than Running
With this technique, any circuit workout becomes a serious calorie scorcher.
Photo: monkeybusinessimages
We know—you're just not into running. (You're bored! Your knees hurt! It's cold outside!) So let us introduce you to one of the best options for getting a big calorie burn without pounding the pavement: Tabata.
The name refers to any workout where you do one move in a 20-seconds-on/10-seconds-off pattern for four minutes total (you can add more rounds and moves to make your workout longer). People who did a 20-minute Tabata workout (consisting of full-body exercises like push-ups, burpees, box jumps and more) burned an average of 15 calories per minute, according to research from the American Council on Exercise. Compared to running, that's nearly 30 percent more calories burned (a 140-pound woman running a 10-minute mile burns slightly more than 10 calories per minute).
It's easy to take any circuit-style workout and turn it into a Tabata. For each move in the circuit, follow the 20-seconds-on/10-seconds-off pattern for four minutes, rest for one minute then repeat with the next move and continue repeating. Be sure to push yourself during each 20-second bout of work, as the high intensity is key to the calorie burn, according to the study.
Here are five workouts you can turn into Tabatas:
The Full-Body Workout You Can Do with One Dumbbell
Jennifer Lawrence's Trainer Shares His 15-Minute Full-Body Workout
3 No-Equipment Workouts You Can Do Anywhere
The Back-to-Basics Workout That Never Fails
No-Equipment Workouts That Tone Your Whole Body
Want more stories like this delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Oprah.com Healthy Body Newsletter!
The name refers to any workout where you do one move in a 20-seconds-on/10-seconds-off pattern for four minutes total (you can add more rounds and moves to make your workout longer). People who did a 20-minute Tabata workout (consisting of full-body exercises like push-ups, burpees, box jumps and more) burned an average of 15 calories per minute, according to research from the American Council on Exercise. Compared to running, that's nearly 30 percent more calories burned (a 140-pound woman running a 10-minute mile burns slightly more than 10 calories per minute).
It's easy to take any circuit-style workout and turn it into a Tabata. For each move in the circuit, follow the 20-seconds-on/10-seconds-off pattern for four minutes, rest for one minute then repeat with the next move and continue repeating. Be sure to push yourself during each 20-second bout of work, as the high intensity is key to the calorie burn, according to the study.
Here are five workouts you can turn into Tabatas:
The Full-Body Workout You Can Do with One Dumbbell
Jennifer Lawrence's Trainer Shares His 15-Minute Full-Body Workout
3 No-Equipment Workouts You Can Do Anywhere
The Back-to-Basics Workout That Never Fails
No-Equipment Workouts That Tone Your Whole Body
Want more stories like this delivered to your inbox? Sign up for the Oprah.com Healthy Body Newsletter!
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