When I saw this article in the Victoria Times Colonist paper yesterday, I had a little bit of an “I told ya so!” moment. Looks like us crazy, kool-aid drinking CrossFitters might be onto something after all…
The article was written about the latest fitness trends in 2011. Surprisingly at the top of the list was none other than (drumroll please…..) the TABATA workout!
“Jazzercise, step aerobics, and the idea that fat makes us fat have all come and gone, though Jane Fonda, now 73, is back with updated DVD versions of her old workouts and new exercise discs for the prime-time set.
What are other health trends for 2011?
A trend is defined as “a general direction in which something tends to move.”
If that “something” is your body, anything that starts you moving and keeps you moving is a hot trend this year, says Edmonton fitness guru Marjorie O’Connor.
Tough, interval, circuit-training-type workouts such as boot camps and the Tabata protocol are grabbing attention.
“Tabata gives you the biggest bang for your buck in the shortest period of time,” O’Connor says.
Designed by Dr. Izumi Tabata and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Tokyo, Tabata is based on the workouts of the Japanese speed-skating team.
The program involves working hard at maximum intensity for 20 seconds — doing burpees, squats or pushups for example — then resting for 10 seconds, repeating the sequence for a minimum of eight sets. The whole workout can be done in 20 minutes, which is perfect for people strapped for time.
But because of the intensity, you really need to ease into this workout slowly, cautions O’Connor.
“I progressed people for a whole year to get to a point where they are able to accomplish it without feeling sick.”
Quite honestly, any 20 minute long Tabata workout would make ME feel sick! Yuck!
I’ll admit that the article also goes on to praise workouts that involve “Zumba” and “X-Box” as well. However, at least we can agree with them about the Tabata bit. Of course we’re not going to change anything we’ve been doing now that this ‘revolutionary’ method is becoming more widespread. If anything, at least maybe it’ll mean that you get less confused and dirty looks when you try and do this type of WOD in a Globo-Gym! Thank heaven for small miracles…
Today’s Workout
Buy-in: Speed Sumo Deadlifts – 6 x 3
- If you know your 1rm for regular deadlifts, try and hit 60% of that for all 6 sets
- If you don’t know your 1Rm, go with a weight that allows you to move smoothly and quickly
- Perfect (STRONG) back posture, get weight moving as quickly off the floor
- Push the floor out to the sides with your feet
- Pause on the ground between each rep
WOD: “Two Step”
5 rounds for time of:
- 400m run
- 10 steps walking lunge (holding 25/45lb weight plate – any way you like)
- 10 knees to elbows
Zone 3: scale lunge weight to 15/25
Zone 2: scale to double crunch, scale lunge weight as needed
Zone 1: scale as needed
Cash-Out: Follow the leader stretching. Hit up H-Bombs going away party at Angry Kittens after 6:30pm. You should have received an email with all the information. (If not, email Deanna@crossfitzone.ca)
