Running is an excellent way to lose weight. Regular running training can help you get fitter, improve your muscular endurance, and burn calories, which all add up to a lighter, leaner body. All types of running programs can enable you to get results, but one method in particular is more effective than any other when training for weight loss.
Tabata Training
The Tabata method of training is named after the Japanese researcher Dr. Izumi Tabata, who discovered it along with colleagues at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Japan, when conducting a study that investigated how training at different intensities affected improvements in fitness and energy production.
How It Works
You can perform Tabata running outside or on a treadmill; you will need an interval timer or stopwatch programmed to count down 20 seconds. Start the timer off, and sprint as fast as you can for 20 seconds. When the 20 seconds is over, rest for 10 seconds before resetting the timer to 20 seconds and repeating the sprint/ rest interval again. You should do a total of eight rounds of these intervals.
Benefits
While a Tabata running session may only last four minutes, it is extremely demanding. Strength coach Dan John believes that Tabatas are one of the most effective ways to train if you're looking for quick improvements in fitness and weight loss. It is also believed that Tabata training can raise your metabolic rate -- the rate at which your body burns calories, for far longer after you've finished the session than if you were doing slower, steady-state running, meaning that you could lose weight faster.
Guidelines
Ensure that you warm up fully before attempting a Tabata session. A warm up should include some dynamic activities, such as bodyweight squats and lunges, arm swings and hip mobility drills, as well as static stretching on any muscles that may be tight. You should also do three to five sprints at around 60 percent of your full speed before starting. When you perform Tabata, make sure you work as hard as you can, and constantly strive to get faster. After the session, perform five minutes of moderately paced jogging, and 10 minutes of stretching to cool down.
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