Hakuna Matata Mr. Tabata (The Tabata Workout)

The Tabata style workout in a nutshell is doing any type of high repetition exercise with an interval of 20 seconds high intensity followed by a 10 second rest period and repeating 7 more times for a total of 8 sets in 4 minutes.

So you're doing as many reps of the exercise as possible in the 20 second slots. Just 4 minutes right? Piece of cake? Well get ready to have your cake smashed in your face! This type of workout is very intense and also very effective!

Named after Dr. Izumi Tabata, Tabata interval training was found to increase one's aerobic AND anaerobic capacity. What does that mean? Let's go over the terms:

Aerobic: With oxygen. Aerobic exercises include those that require high amounts of oxygen intake and consumption. This generally relates to endurance exercises such as distance running or cycling.

Anaerobic: Without oxygen. Anaerobic exercises involve the use of muscle energy at high intensity maintained over time (usually shorter periods). This generally relates to non-endurance exercises such as weight lifting or sprinting.

This high intensity interval training (HIIT) was studied on on the Japan speed-skating team and showed a 14% increase in aerobic capacity and a dramatic 28% increase in anaerobic capacity. The study was compared to more traditional moderate intensity endurance training, which only showed a 9.5% increase in aerobic capacity and no significant increase in anaerobic capacity.

Tabata interval training can be applied to almost all exercises. It is great for body-weight exercises such as push-ups, air squats, or crunches. So what are you waiting for! Tabata workouts are also a great way to lose fat too! And taking only 4 minutes per exercise, you can hammer out a few exercises in Tabata style and be done with your workout before you know it. This type of training provides high results with little time.

All together now... Domo Arigato Mr. Roboto, Hakuna Matata Mr. Tabata!

How To Mix Protein Powder

For those of you at the athlete level or if you just do some pretty intense workouts, workout supplements may help you sustain energy, build muscle mass, and speed up recovery time.

I just got myself some 100% Whey Protein from GNC. They have a few different flavors, but I would recommend the chocolate flavor if you've never taken protein before. The taste is pretty similar to chocolate milk, Ovaltine, or a Yoohoo. If you have negative reactions to whey (from milk), then you might want to opt for the Soy Protein or other type instead. I'll go more in dept about protein in a different post, but let's get going with how to mix this baby.

Let's take a look at the standard options for mixing protein powder. The liquid of choice to use for mixing protein is milk, but again if you have a negative reaction to milk, opt for soy or water.

1) Mixing in a glass or cup using a utensil

Pros: A glass and utensil are usually readily available in anyone's kitchen. Clean up is relatively simple.

Cons: Mixing is slow and protein can easily clump up.

Advice: If you plan on mixing in a glass, be sure to add in the protein a little bit at a time. Keep stirring with one hand and gently tap the scoop of protein in against the edge of the glass with the other hand so that a little bit goes in at a time. It's an art in itself! Adding protein in too fast or mixing too slow will cause clumps! Ew!

2) Using a standard blender

Pros: Very smooth mixes. You can add in other ingredients easily to your shake.

Cons: The clean up, enough said. Also, not very portable and requires electricity.

Advice: There are of course some hand powered blending devices or immersion blenders that might be easier to clean up, but nevertheless it's a bit of a hassle. If you're at home and don't mind the clean up, then by all means use it. With protein shakes, I would recommend throwing in a banana (or two) into your shake to give it a delicious texture, not to mention that you'll be getting some much needed potassium too!

3) Shake it up! (Best Choice)

Pros: Fast and portable. You can throw in the protein and liquid and shake it up, then toss it in your gym bag to drink when you're ready. Clean up is relatively easy. Smooth results achieved using using your arm, so you get a little workout while mixing!

Cons: You have to get a bottle that can be fully enclosed.

Advice: Get yourself a good shaker bottle that has a wide opening so that you can easily pour in the protein and liquid of choice. Make sure the bottle can be fully securely sealed because nobody wants to end up with a mess.