Calling any 20/10 a Tabata
The name now covers dozens of formats, often at a moderate intensity. Only 8 × 20 seconds all out, with 10-second breaks, matches the original protocol.
RunningSpeed and sprintsAdvanced 29 min
Running Tabata (8 × 20 s / 10 s)
Running Tabata: eight all-out 20-second efforts, separated by 10 seconds' walking. Under 3 minutes of efforts in a 29-minute session. An adaptation of the original protocol, which was studied on a cycle ergometer, with more limited evidence in running.
Session profile18 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 29 min
- Main target
- 120–150%vVO₂max7 Z7 · Neuromuscular
- Time at target
- 3 min
- Estimated load
- 31
- Structure
- 8 × 20″ at 120–150% vVO₂max, 10″ recovery
- Level
- Advanced
- Equipment
- GPS watch · Track (optional)
The session in detail
vVO₂max
Time in zone
- Z121 min
- Z25 min
- Z73 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | vVO₂max 14 km/h | vVO₂max 16 km/h | vVO₂max 18 km/h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 120–150% | 7Neuromuscular | 3 min | 3:34/km–2:51/km 93–117 m per rep | 3:08/km–2:30/km 107–133 m per rep | 2:47/km–2:13/km 120–150 m per rep |
| 25–35% | 1Recovery | 1 min | 17:09/km–12:15/km 10–14 m per rep | 15:00/km–10:43/km 11–16 m per rep | 13:20/km–9:31/km 13–18 m per rep |
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What this session is for
Tabata puts a very heavy load on your anaerobic system and your tolerance for maximal effort. The 10-second breaks allow almost no recovery: every effort starts more tired than the last, and your breathing climbs to the end.
The protocol was studied on a cycle ergometer in 1996 by Izumi Tabata, with clear results for VO₂max and anaerobic capacity. In running, recent studies are less glowing: in well-trained runners, the VO₂max gain is real but smaller than with longer intervals, and it wasn't found in female runners.
Who it's for
Regular runners with a solid base and no history of muscle injury. You need a recently measured vVO₂max to set the warm-up and check your distances. Not recommended for beginners or when you're tired.
When to do it
One session of this kind a week at most, over a few weeks, rather than on top of another hard session. Put it after an easy day or a rest day, never the day before a long run or a race.
How to do it
Warm-up
15 min10′ at 60–65% vVO₂max + 5′ at 66–72% vVO₂max
10 minutes of easy running at 60–65% of vVO₂max, then 5 minutes at 66–72%, with a few strides. Pick a track or a flat, non-slippery road.
Main set
4 min8 × 20″ at 120–150% vVO₂max, 10″ recovery
Eight all-out 20-second efforts, held evenly, each followed by 10 seconds' walking. At 16 km/h, you'll cover 107 to 133 metres, between 3:08 and 2:30/km: the 120–150% of vVO₂max range is a guide, don't cap it. The 10 seconds' walking replaces a full stop, which your watch can't programme: walk slowly, without stopping.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 55–65% vVO₂max
10 minutes of very easy running at 55–65% of vVO₂max. Your breathing stays high for several minutes: let it settle before picking up the pace again, even on the way home.
How it should feel
The first two reps seem almost easy. Around the sixth, the effort becomes close to unbearable: heavy legs, breathing maxed out, stride shrinking. Your breathing stays high for several minutes after you finish. Guide: 9 to 10 out of 10.
Common mistakes
Blowing up on the first reps
All out doesn't mean a 60-metre sprint. If the first two efforts leave you with no legs, the next six are run in slow motion. Aim for a very high speed, but one you can hold for 20 seconds.
Adding sets too soon
One set done properly is already very hard. Several sets only make sense for experienced runners, with 4 to 5 minutes' walking between them.
Neglecting the warm-up
Eight all-out efforts on cold muscles put your hamstrings and calves at risk. The strides in the warm-up aren't optional.
When to skip it
Before you start
- A recently measured vVO₂max.
- A regular running base and a few interval sessions already done.
Skip it if
- You're new to running, or going through a tired patch.
- You have pain, a recent injury or a history of muscle injury.
- A long run or a race is planned for the next day.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Limited evidenceLevel 2 of 5
Tabata and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996;28(10):1327-1330), on a cycle ergometer, 7 subjects in the interval group: 6 weeks at 5 sessions a week, 4 of them 7 to 8 × 20 seconds at about 170% of VO₂max with 10 seconds' rest, to exhaustion. Result: VO₂max +7 mL/kg/min and anaerobic capacity +28%. The metabolic profile of the effort is described in Tabata and colleagues (Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997;29:390-395). The 20-second / 10-second format is said to come from coach Kouichi Irisawa, of Japanese speed skating, according to an unverified secondary source. In running, Hov and colleagues (Scand J Med Sci Sports 2023;33(2):146-159): 8 × 20 seconds at about 150% of vVO₂max with 10 seconds' passive rest, in 48 well-trained men; VO₂max +3.3 ± 2.4%, against +6.5% with 4 × 4 minutes. In 81 well-trained women (Helgerud and colleagues, 2023), no rise in VO₂max in this group. The 120–150% range, walking in place of passive rest, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: good evidence for the principle on the bike, limited in running.
Sources
- Tabata I. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996;28(10):1327-1330
- Tabata I. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997;29:390-395
- Hov H. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2023;33(2):146-159
- Helgerud J. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2023;33(11):2193-2207
Frequently asked questions
How fast should a running Tabata be?
All out, but evenly over the 20 seconds. As a rough guide: 120 to 150% of your vVO₂max, or 93 to 117 metres at 14 km/h, 107 to 133 metres at 16 km/h, 120 to 150 metres at 18 km/h. If you finish all 8 efforts without difficulty, you weren't flat out.
Does Tabata improve VO₂max in runners?
A little, in well-trained men, but less than longer intervals such as the Norwegian 4x4. In well-trained women, no rise was found. Tabata is more an anaerobic capacity and effort-tolerance session than a VO₂max session.
Why walk rather than stop?
Because a watch can't programme a full 10-second stop, and walking saves you standing there with stiff legs. Walk slowly: the point is to go again on time, not to recover.
Running Tabata or on the bike?
On the bike, it's the original protocol, the most thoroughly studied, and impact-free. On foot, it's an adaptation: every stride takes your body weight at high speed, which loads muscles and tendons. If a Tabata on the bike is an option for you, it's the safer version.
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