It seems appropriate at this time when many of us are in lockdown to try and increase or maintain our fitness levels. A few years ago I was looking into the best way to do this at home. Tabata or H.I.I.T was suggested and trying these exercises worked (and still works) for me.
The Histoty of Tabata
High Intenstity Interval Training or Tabata training was discovered by Japanese scientist Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo.
Research was conducted on two groups of athletes. The first group trained at a moderate intensity level while the second group trained at a high-intensity level. The moderate intensity group worked out five days a week for a total of six weeks; each workout lasting for one hour. The high-intensity group worked out four days a week for six weeks; each workout lasted four minutes and 20 seconds (with 10 seconds of rest in between each set).
The results were conclusive; Group 1 had increased their aerobic system (cardiovascular), but showed little or no results for their anaerobic system (muscle). Group 2 showed much more increase in their aerobic system than Group 1, and increased their anaerobic system by 28 percent!
In conclusion, high-intensity interval training had more impact on strength and conditioning.
How does H.I.I.T work?
Each exercise in a given workout lasts only three minutes, but it’s likely to be one of the longest three minutes you’ve ever endured. The structure of the program is as follows:
- Work out hard for 20 seconds
- Rest for 10 seconds
- Complete 3 rounds
You push yourself as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. This is one set. You’ll complete 3 sets. You can of course do more or less depending on your fitness levels.
H.I.I.T for fencing
The benefits of H.I.I.T for fencing are as follows:
- Works both cardio and strength.
- Takes almost no space.
- Takes very little time.
- The H.I.I.T exercises shown in the video work all body aspects.
- You start off at your own level.
- The sets and timing (3 mins) represent both rest and recovery periods in a bout.
- It can be done with no equipment.
You can do pretty much any exercise you wish. You can do squats, push-ups, burpees or any other exercise that works your large muscle groups. If you have more time and space you can combine them with agility ladder workouts or kettlebells.
H.I.I.T is great to get a quick workout if you’re short on time and you want to improve endurance and speed. It’s ideal when you can’t get to the gym!
Have a look at the video below. Leave comments and of course feel free to also subscribe to my YouTube channel “Learntofence”.
Coach Kev's Fencing Blog 