The 4-minute cardio workout

The most common excuse for not exercising is not being able to find the time. The perception that we need a long time to get a good workout is not necessarily so. We need to unearth new ideas and develop new approaches such as the four-minute cardio session to encourage more participation in exercising.

The four-minute workout session is based on the Tabata protocol which is a training method originally used by the Japanese Olympic Speed Skating team.

This can be done by performing almost any physical activity for example running, walking, jogging or cycling as fast as we can based on our fitness status for 20 second with a 10-second rest interval after each all-out-effort for a total time of four minutes. Persons who use the Tabata routine have shown far more improvement in their level of fitness compared to those who do the same activity at a more moderate pace for a much longer time.

The warm-up

The four-minute workout is a high-intensity routine so we do the relevant warm-up routine and not attempt to perform any activities beyond our fitness level because we could experience dizziness, fainting or nausea. The four-minute cardio workout can be made even more beneficial by alternating between two exercises such as push-ups and sit-ups that work different muscles or even the same muscles in a different direction.

This way fatigue does not overtake us as quickly and we are still working very hard at each 20-second interval as you combine a total body calisthenics with a cutting edge core exercise. When cardio exercises are performed for a long period of time they burn fats similar to those in our abdomen and the core exercises will strengthen and showcase our six packs.

The quick workout

The four-minute workout should be quite effective whether we are short on time and need a quick workout or just to add some extra intensity to the end of a longer exercise. These sessions have been used extensively in boot camps to improve the configuration of the programme especially to culminate the camp and assess the level of fitness gained.

As things improve and more time is available we can stack multiple four-minute routines together. We will then be able to rest one minute between every four minutes of exercise. We can also choose exercises that workout our muscles and joints in multiple directions to build a stronger body and improve functional fitness. As we improve, we should take on even greater challenges which can simply be done by doing a variety of activities for four minutes then rest for 40 or 50 seconds as necessary.

Dr Kenneth Gardner is an exercise physiologist at Holiday Hills Research Center; email: yourhealth@gleanerjm.com.