Mistaking a moderate 20/10 for Tabata
Eight lots of 20 seconds at an intensity you can hold comfortably is a 20/10, not a Tabata. The studied protocol is ridden well above your maximal aerobic power, until you can no longer hold the cadence.
CyclingSprint and anaerobicAdvanced 29 min
Tabata on the bike: the original protocol (8 × 20 s / 10 s)
Original Tabata cycling: 8 efforts of 20 seconds at 200–220% of FTP, with 10 seconds' rest between them. Under 4 minutes of work in a 29-minute session. A protocol studied on a cycle ergometer, far harder than most sessions that borrow its name.
Session profile19 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 29 min
- Main target
- 200–220%FTP7 Z7 · Neuromusc.
- Time at target
- 3 min
- Estimated load
- 33
- Structure
- 8 × 20″ at 200–220% FTP, 10″ recovery
- Level
- Advanced
- Equipment
- Power meter · Smart trainer
The session in detail
FTP
Time in zone
- Z116 min
- Z210 min
- Z73 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | FTP 200 W | FTP 250 W | FTP 300 W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200–220% | 7Neuromusc. | 3 min | 400–440 W | 500–550 W | 600–660 W |
| 0–40% | 1Recovery | 1 min | 0–80 W | 0–100 W | 0–120 W |
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What this session is for
Tabata trains two things at once: your anaerobic capacity, for short and brutal efforts, and your VO₂max. The intensity is far above what you can sustain aerobically, and 10 seconds' rest isn't enough to recover. Your body is pushed to its limits on both energy systems at the same time, which steady endurance work doesn't do.
The name comes from Izumi Tabata, a Japanese researcher who studied the protocol on a cycle ergometer in 1996. The format then spread as 'Tabata' for any 20/10, usually at a much gentler intensity. That's no longer the same session.
Who it's for
Advanced riders in good health, already used to maximal efforts. You need a recently measured FTP. If you're new to this kind of intensity, start with all-out 30-second sprints, less brutal for a first go.
When to do it
One session a week is a common guideline, on fresh legs, after an easy day or a rest day. Avoid the day before a long ride, another hard session or a race. To progress, keep to a single set and aim for slightly higher power: Tabata isn't something you build by adding volume.
How to do it
Warm-up
15 min5′ at 45–55% FTP + 5′ at 56–65% FTP + 5′ at 66–75% FTP
15 minutes building from 45 to 75% of FTP, in 5-minute steps. Don't cut the warm-up because the session is short: it's what makes the first reps possible. On a smart trainer, leave ERG mode or set a high resistance.
Main set
4 min8 × 20″ at 200–220% FTP, 10″ recovery
Eight 20-second efforts at 200–220% of FTP, or 500 to 550 W for an FTP of 250 W, each followed by 10 seconds of rest or very light pedalling at 0–40%. Hold a high, steady cadence. In the original protocol, you stopped when that cadence could no longer be held, often on the seventh or eighth rep: if you crack before the eighth, you were at the right intensity.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP, without stopping dead. If you got through all eight reps without real difficulty, raise the power next time: that wasn't a Tabata yet.
How it should feel
The first two reps are deceptive: 20 seconds, no problem. From the fifth, the effort becomes maximal, and the 10 seconds' rest are gone before your breathing catches up. Four minutes is short; that's what everyone tells themselves before the fifth rep. Guide: 10 out of 10.
Common mistakes
Stacking several sets
One set is enough. If you can manage a second, the first wasn't at the right intensity. Raise the power rather than adding sets.
Skimping on the warm-up
The session lasts under 4 minutes, the warm-up 15. Cutting it short means starting the first reps on cold legs, with too little power and a higher risk of injury.
Staying in ERG mode
The trainer takes several seconds to change target: with 10 seconds' rest and 20 of effort, it hasn't got time. A high fixed resistance or slope mode lets you manage each rep yourself.
When to skip it
Before you start
- A recently measured FTP.
- Experience of maximal efforts, sprint or VO₂max.
Skip it if
- You're tired, or a long ride, hard session or race is planned for the next day.
- You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before maximal efforts.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Good evidenceLevel 4 of 5
Tabata and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996): on a cycle ergometer, 5 days a week for 6 weeks, including 4 sessions of 7 to 8 × 20 seconds at about 170% of power at VO₂max with 10 seconds' rest, ridden to exhaustion. VO₂max +7 mL/kg/min and anaerobic capacity +28%, whereas the moderate endurance group did not improve its anaerobic capacity. Small group: 7 participants in the Tabata group. The conversion to 200–220% of FTP, which assumes power at VO₂max of around 120–130% of FTP, the intensity of the 10 seconds, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: good evidence, from a small sample.
Sources
- Tabata I. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996
Frequently asked questions
What power should a Tabata be ridden at?
Here, at 200–220% of FTP: 400 to 440 W for an FTP of 200 W, 500 to 550 W for 250 W, 600 to 660 W for 300 W. The real check is the end of the session: you should struggle to finish the eighth rep. If you get through it easily, raise the target.
Is Tabata set from your FTP?
No. The original protocol is set from the power at your VO₂max, measured in a lab, not from your FTP. As that power is well above FTP, the target in % of FTP is higher than you'll often read. The range given here is a Wattson conversion.
Can you do several sets of Tabata?
Not if it's a real Tabata: one set done properly leaves you unable to repeat it at the same power. The multi-set 20/10 sessions you often see are ridden at a lower intensity. They have their place, but they're different sessions.
How many Tabata sessions a week?
One session a week is a common guideline. In the study, participants did several a week, but within a supervised protocol lasting a few weeks. For most riders, it's better to keep Tabata for one specific session and leave room for endurance.
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