The holidays are coming, and with them come parties, family obligations and holiday-related errands. These added obligations often move workouts to the back of the line in our day-to-day list of priorities. This is especially unfortunate as the more parties and obligations we add to our lives, the more we need stress-reducing, energy-producing workouts.

With that in mind, try introducing Tabata sets into your workouts. Tabata sets will give you an effective yet time-efficient workout that’ll keep you fit and mentally healthy throughout the holidays.

What is Tabata?

Tabata is a form of interval training. In a Tabata set, you alternate 20-second bursts of all-out effort, followed by 10 seconds of recovery, for four straight minutes. Tabata is done in reps of eight.

Tricks to Tabata

• Tabata sets should be intense. The 20 seconds should be all-out. If you don’t feel like you need the 10 seconds of rest, you’re not giving your full effort during the 20 seconds of work
• The 10 seconds of rest isn’t moderate activity – it’s full-out rest. Do nothing for 10 seconds
• Always do a thorough warm-up before your Tabata sets. Any type of cardiovascular activity will suffice
• After your Tabata set is finished, cool down with some light cardiovascular activity. Then stretch the muscles groups you worked during the workout
• Slowly work your way into Tabata training. Start with two Tabata activities and work your way up to four or five total. The trick to not getting injured is gradual progression of activity
• In Tabata training, volume isn’t important. Quality is. You don’t have to do 10 different Tabata sets to get a good workout. In fact, the more you do, the less likely you’re doing the sets with maximum effort
• As a beginner, you may want to start with four repetitions of the intervals (two minutes) and work up to all eight repetitions (full four minutes)
• Be careful with Tabata if you have hypertension, high blood pressure or any type of heart condition, as it will bring you close to your maximum heart rate without significant time to recover. If you have high blood pressure or a heart condition, you need to be careful of working in high heart-rate zones.
• If you do have high blood pressure or a heart condition, I suggest doing more traditional cardio, where you stay in a moderate heart-rate zone. Make sure you do an exaggerated warm up and cool down. If you really want to do Tabata sets, modify the workout. Do a really long warm-up of 15 minutes, and then do 20 seconds of moderate intensity work followed by 40 seconds of easy work.

Sample Tabata Exercises

Mountain Climbers

• Start in a plank position on your hands and toes.
• To perform the exercise, alternate “running” your knees into your chest.

Form Tips:

Think about mountain climbers as predominately a core exercise. Keep your bum down, your pelvis stable and shoulders positioned above your hands. Your abdominals should work throughout the entire exercise.

Up/up/down/downs

• Start in a plank position on your hands and toes.
• Keeping your pelvis stable, lower your right and then left forearm down onto the mat.
• Then return to your starting position by placing your right and then left hand on the mat, which should bring you back to your original plank position.

Form Tips:

The “up/up/down/down” exercise works the core, shoulders and triceps. Keep your bum down, your pelvis stable, shoulders positioned above hands and abdominals engaged throughout the entire exercise.

To make it easier, do the exercise from your knees.

Jumping jacks and shoulder press

• Start standing with your feet together, holding one 5-lb weight between both of your hands at chest height. To perform the exercise, jump both legs wide as you press the weight above your head. To finish, bring your feet back together and your hands back down to chest height.
• To lessen the impact of your jumping jacks, tap one leg at a time out to the side as you press the weight above your head.

Burpees

• Start standing. To perform the exercise, bring your hands down to the ground and jump your feet backwards so that your body forms a plank. Hold for one second, and then jump your feet back towards your hands and stand up.
• To make it harder, add a push-up when you’re in the plank position.
• To make it easier, instead of jumping, step one leg at a time backwards into a plank position.