This is the first of a series of articles where Gazette reporter Amy Crofts will try a different workout each month in an attempt to inspire people to start their fitness New Year’s resolutions early, rather than just in January. If you have a workout idea, email: [email protected].
Last Saturday morning I learned – the hard way – not to jump into a high intensity fitness regimen feet (and hands) first.
Under the perhaps delusional impression that I am moderately fit, I attempted Tabata Trek at Servus Credit Union Place in St. Albert, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program done with a spin bike and a series of body weight exercises.
The workout regimen consists of four minutes on the spin bike, with a 10-second break to get off the bike and onto the floor, then four minutes of floor exercises such as burpees, jumping lunges, pushups and planks. The routine is then completed eight times.
The class is 45 minutes in length including rest time, but your body is essentially moving at maximum output for a total of 32 minutes.
The best way to describe it is merciless.
Starting off on the bike cycling at 100 revolutions per minute seemed simple enough at first, but then came the 20 second sprints – increasing the tension to simulate an uphill climb, while maintaining the same speed with your butt off the seat.
I pressed on as Tabata instructor, Gina Geres, motivated the class.
“Pumpkin pie, whipped cream, mashed potatoes, gravy. You push for that dish!” she yelled above the whirring of the 20 spin bikes, referring to the high fat, high sugar dishes that many of the class participants would surely be indulging in over the Thanksgiving weekend.
“My class is like Saturday morning confession,” she chuckled.
First four minutes are up and I’m already taxed. We get a 10-second break before starting the jump squats.
Five, 10, 15 jump squats. I feel light headed. I try a couple more of the modified version before I stop altogether. Better to park myself in front of the fan and admit defeat before I faint, I figure.
Less than 10 minutes into the workout and it has already kicked my butt.
But then again, Tabata was designed to do just that, take everything out of you.
Although Servus Place only began offering Tabata Trek in September, the concept dates back to 1996 with Dr. Izumi Tabata and his study involving Olympic speed skaters.
The study tested two groups: the first one performed moderate intensity steady state cardiovascular exercise at 70 per cent maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max, a measure of aerobic capacity) for one hour, five days per week. The other group used the Tabata protocol: a 10-minute steady-state warmup followed by 20 seconds of ultra-intense exercise at 170 per cent VO2 max (basically to complete exhaustion), then 10 seconds of rest. This regimen was repeated for four minutes (eight cycles) four times per week, plus another day of steady-state training.
The end results showed the steady state exercise group had a higher VO2 max at the end but the Tabata group had gained more overall in terms of aerobic and anaerobic capacity.
I left the Tabata Trek class feeling slightly defeated, yet also in awe of those who powered through – faces cringing and sweat dripping.
It was comforting to learn that a lot of them started out like me, having bitten off more than they could chew the first time before working up to the ideal 20:10 activity to rest ratio.
“It was extremely difficult when I first started and it’s still really hard,” admitted Debra Michaud, who started Tabata one year ago. “You just find a different level of fitness and push yourself towards that.”
The mother of four, including two-and-a-half-year-old twin boys, said round six is usually where she starts to peter out, but then she remembers, “If I had twins, I can do almost anything for 20 seconds.”
Tabata Trek is a registered class at Servus Place that runs on Saturdays from 9:15 to 10 a.m. until Dec. 14.
