Workout of the week: 20-min full-body Tabata workout

27th June 2022

ALL LEVELS / full-body Tabata workout / 20 minutes

Equipment: Dumbbells, kettlebell & gym mat

Unlike many fitness fads around, Tabata training has solid scientific essence. So much so that this type of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) workout owes its name to a real doctor: Izumi Tabata, dean of the Ritsumeikan University Graduate School of Sport and Health Science. At EVO, we love these short bursts of intense activity combined with short rest periods. They’re the perfect combo between cardio workouts and strength training, allowing athletes to boost cardio and muscular endurance.

We love it so much that this full-body Tabata workout combines, in fact, 4 Tabatas. Each of them has 5 rounds, and only after completing these, you’ll move to the best Tabata. As it happens in all Tabata’s, you’ll exercise for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. Make your resting period between Tabatas as short as possible to make this session extra effective. All combined, this workout will take you around 20 minutes to complete.

1st Tabata

Push-up
Dumbbell lunge

2nd Tabata

Deadlift to row
High squat jumps

3rd Tabata

Lunge and press
Leg tucks

4th Tabata

Burpees over mat
Kettlebell swings

Ready to HIIT this Tabata? Let’s do this!

WORKOUT SETUP

4 groups
2 exercises each
5 rounds each group of Tabata
20 sec on, 10 off each exercise
20 minutes
Equipment: Dumbbells, kettlebell & gym mat

WORKING OUT FROM HOME? NO PROBLEM.

If you don’t have the equipment originally needed for this workout, you can substitute it with these everyday items or use these alternative exercises.

Alternative equipment

Dumbbells = water bottles filled with water and / or sand
Kettlebell = bag with some weights, such as books, cans of food

WORKOUT EXERCISE LIST

1st TABATA

5 rounds

1 – PUSH-UPS

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Start in a plank position with arms straight, shoulders above wrists, and body in a straight line.
Engage the core and glutes.
Keeping the shoulders over the wrists, lower the whole body towards the floor, dropping comfortably as low as you can.
Push the body upwards and return to the start position. Repeat.

2 – DUMBELL LUNGE

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Stand tall and hold the dumbbells by your shoulders.
Step your right leg forward keeping the heel down.
Raise the heel of the left leg.
Then, lower the torso until the back knee touches the ground, with a full hip and knee extension.
Repeat.

2nd TABATA

5 rounds

1 – DEADLIFT TO ROW

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Standing up proud, hold two dumbbells in each arm.
Now, bend forward until your upper body is slightly above parallel to the ground. Your back should remain under tension/straight throughout the motion.
Row the dumbbells up and down one time. Bend your elbows and retract your shoulder blades.
With your arms returned to the lower position, raise your upper body back up.

2 – HIGH SQUAT JUMPS

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Position your feet a little wider than your hips and lower your body down into a squat position.
Using your feet as springs, explosively jump through your feet. Try to jump as high as your body will take you.
As you jump, lift your arms above your head for more impact.
Squat down again and repeat.

3rd TABATA

5 rounds

1 – LUNGE AND PRESS

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Hold a dumbbell in one hand at shoulder level and stand with feet hip-width apart. Keep the shoulder set and the core engaged.
Take a step back with the leg on the side where you’re holding the dumbbell and bend down towards the floor. Aim for both knees to bend to 90 degrees comfortably.
While you do this, press the dumbbell over your head, extending the arm fully.
Return to the starting position and repeat with the same arm.
Change arms between rounds, and in the last round do 10 seconds on each arm.

2 – LEG TUCKS

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Place a dumbbell at the end of your mat.
Seated on an exercise mat, make a 45-degrees angle with your back using your elbows for support.
Raise them off the floor, stretching them as much as you can.
With your core engaged, move your legs over the dumbbell from one side to another.

4th TABATA

5 rounds

1 – BURPEES OVER MAT

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Stand tall, parallel to the mat and engage the core.
Begin the movement by quickly bending down, reaching the hands towards the floor in front of the feet. As you do this, simultaneously jump, bringing your legs back and land on the floor in a push-up position.
Drive the hips up rapidly and jump into a squat position.
Then, in a single movement, explosively jump over the mat while returning to the upright position.
Repeat.

2 – KETTLEBELL SWINGS

20 sec on, 10 sec off

Hold the kettlebell with your TWO hands and hinge the hips to initiate a swing.
Make sure you keep your core tight and squeeze the shoulder blades together.
Rapidly drive hip extension to swing the kettlebell upwards.
Control the down swing with a hip hinge swinging the kettlebell between the legs.
Repeat for 20 seconds.