Tabata Burpees

How this TABATA workout works

This is a Tabata session: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, eight times through for a four-minute block. The protocol comes from a 1996 study by Dr. Izumi Tabata and colleagues on Japanese Olympic speed skaters, and the intervals are meant to be genuinely maximal rather than merely brisk.

Count your reps in the first round and treat that number as the target for all eight. The conventional score is your lowest round, which is a deliberate check on going out too hard. If round eight is less than half of round one, you started too fast.

Who this intermediate workout suits

This session assumes you can already pace yourself across a full workout without your technique falling apart. The volume is higher and the rest is shorter than a beginner equivalent. If you are having to stop mid-set to recover, treat it as a signal to scale rather than a reason to push through.

How to scale each movement

Scaling is how this workout stays useful across a range of abilities. Pick the version of each movement that lets you keep moving at a steady pace, and note what you changed so the next attempt is a fair comparison.

Burpees — easier: step back and step in rather than jumping, and skip the jump at the top. Harder: add a push-up at the bottom and a tuck jump at the top.

What you need

No equipment at all. Everything here is bodyweight, and floor space roughly the size of a yoga mat is enough. This one works in a hotel room, a garage or a corner of the living room.

Warm up before you start the clock. Five to ten minutes of easy movement plus a few light reps of each movement in the workout is enough, and it matters more on short, intense sessions than on long ones.

Common questions

How long does Tabata Burpees take?

About 10 min of working time, plus five to ten minutes of warm-up beforehand and a few minutes of easy movement afterwards.

Do I need any equipment?

No. Every movement is bodyweight, and floor space about the size of a yoga mat is enough.

Can beginners do this workout?

It is written at intermediate level, but the scaling options above let you run it at a lower intensity. Reduce the reps and choose the easier movement variations.