An entrepreneur and physician, Dr. Shilesh Iyer co-founded myDoqter.com, a networking platform for medical professionals and patients. In his free time, Dr. Shilesh Iyer enjoys running and practicing high-intensity interval training (HIIT).
As a cardiorespiratory training technique, HIIT encompasses short and intense bursts of exercise followed by shorter rest periods. HIIT covers several types of training, and Tabata is one of them. It was developed in 1996 by Dr. Izumi Tabata, and it has many benefits, such as a faster metabolism, a boost in aerobic and anaerobic fitness levels, and an increase in lean muscle mass. A 2013 study confirmed that people doing a 20-minute Tabata session with bodyweight and plyometric exercises saw positive effects on their cardiorespiratory endurance.
A traditional Tabata workout consists of eight rounds of exercising for 20 seconds followed by resting for 10 seconds. The movements can include burpees, pushups, squats, mountain climbers, crunches, and reverse lunges. The total period of a complete tabata exercise is four minutes, making its briefest format an accessible option for people who do not have a lot of free time.