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Distances for 14 to 18 km\u002Fh, and what it really does for runners.",[15,16],"gps_watch","track",[18,21,23,25],{"citation":19,"url":20},"Tabata I. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1996;28(10):1327-1330",null,{"citation":22,"url":20},"Tabata I. et al., Med Sci Sports Exerc 1997;29:390-395",{"citation":24,"url":20},"Hov H. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2023;33(2):146-159",{"citation":26,"url":20},"Helgerud J. et al., Scand J Med Sci Sports 2023;33(11):2193-2207",{"h1":28,"summary":29,"purpose":40,"execution":67,"feel":89,"mistakes":96,"not_for":133,"faq":141,"evidence":195},"Running Tabata (8 × 20 s \u002F 10 s)",{"type":30,"children":31},"root",[32],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":35,"children":36},"element","p",{},[37],{"type":38,"value":39},"text","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.",{"adaptation":41,"for_whom":53,"when":60},{"type":30,"children":42},[43,48],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":44,"children":45},{},[46],{"type":38,"value":47},"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.",{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":49,"children":50},{},[51],{"type":38,"value":52},"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.",{"type":30,"children":54},[55],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":56,"children":57},{},[58],{"type":38,"value":59},"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.",{"type":30,"children":61},[62],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":63,"children":64},{},[65],{"type":38,"value":66},"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.",[68,75,82],{"type":30,"children":69},[70],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":71,"children":72},{},[73],{"type":38,"value":74},"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.",{"type":30,"children":76},[77],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":78,"children":79},{},[80],{"type":38,"value":81},"Eight all-out 20-second efforts, held evenly, each followed by 10 seconds' walking. At 16 km\u002Fh, you'll cover 107 to 133 metres, between 3:08 and 2:30\u002Fkm: 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.",{"type":30,"children":83},[84],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":85,"children":86},{},[87],{"type":38,"value":88},"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.",{"type":30,"children":90},[91],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":92,"children":93},{},[94],{"type":38,"value":95},"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.",[97,106,115,124],{"title":98,"body":99},"Calling any 20\u002F10 a Tabata",{"type":30,"children":100},[101],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":102,"children":103},{},[104],{"type":38,"value":105},"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.",{"title":107,"body":108},"Blowing up on the first reps",{"type":30,"children":109},[110],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":111,"children":112},{},[113],{"type":38,"value":114},"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.",{"title":116,"body":117},"Adding sets too soon",{"type":30,"children":118},[119],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":120,"children":121},{},[122],{"type":38,"value":123},"One set done properly is already very hard. Several sets only make sense for experienced runners, with 4 to 5 minutes' walking between them.",{"title":125,"body":126},"Neglecting the warm-up",{"type":30,"children":127},[128],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":129,"children":130},{},[131],{"type":38,"value":132},"Eight all-out efforts on cold muscles put your hamstrings and calves at risk. The strides in the warm-up aren't optional.",{"prerequisites":134,"avoid_if":137},[135,136],"A recently measured vVO₂max.","A regular running base and a few interval sessions already done.",[138,139,140],"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.",[142,151,169,178],{"question":143,"answer":144},"How fast should a running Tabata be?",{"type":30,"children":145},[146],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":147,"children":148},{},[149],{"type":38,"value":150},"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\u002Fh, 107 to 133 metres at 16 km\u002Fh, 120 to 150 metres at 18 km\u002Fh. If you finish all 8 efforts without difficulty, you weren't flat out.",{"question":152,"answer":153},"Does Tabata improve VO₂max in runners?",{"type":30,"children":154},[155],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":156,"children":157},{},[158,160,167],{"type":38,"value":159},"A little, in well-trained men, but less than longer intervals such as the ",{"type":33,"tag":161,"props":162,"children":164},"a",{"href":163},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Frunning\u002Fvo2max\u002Frunning-norwegian-4x4",[165],{"type":38,"value":166},"Norwegian 4x4",{"type":38,"value":168},". In well-trained women, no rise was found. Tabata is more an anaerobic capacity and effort-tolerance session than a VO₂max session.",{"question":170,"answer":171},"Why walk rather than stop?",{"type":30,"children":172},[173],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":174,"children":175},{},[176],{"type":38,"value":177},"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.",{"question":179,"answer":180},"Running Tabata or on the bike?",{"type":30,"children":181},[182],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":183,"children":184},{},[185,187,193],{"type":38,"value":186},"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 ",{"type":33,"tag":161,"props":188,"children":190},{"href":189},"\u002Fen-GB\u002Flibrary\u002Fcycling\u002Fsprint\u002Fcycling-tabata",[191],{"type":38,"value":192},"Tabata on the bike",{"type":38,"value":194}," is an option for you, it's the safer version.",{"level":196,"text":197},"limited",{"type":30,"children":198},[199],{"type":33,"tag":34,"props":200,"children":201},{},[202],{"type":38,"value":203},"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\u002Fkg\u002Fmin 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 \u002F 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 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