Tabata Timer
Faster results, less time…
Tabata — 20 s / 10 s • 8 rounds
2 sets of 4 exercises (R1→Ex1 → R2→Ex2 → R3→Ex3 → R4→Ex4, then repeat).
How to use it
- Select your 4 exercises and assign each one a distinct color (makes them instantly recognizable at a glance).
- Press Start to launch the workout:
- 6 seconds of preparation with countdown (beep each second, gong at the start).
- 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated over 8 rounds.
- Activate Keep screen awake to avoid your phone going into sleep mode during training.
- The gong signals the start of each work phase.
- The last 3 beeps warn you that the interval is about to end.
- On desktop, you can use the Space bar as a shortcut for Pause/Resume.
- The Fullscreen button improves visibility (or simply use landscape mode on mobile).
Did you know? The original Tabata protocol was performed on a stationary bike.
It didn’t come from a fitness app or a YouTube video, but from a 1996 scientific study led by Dr. Izumi Tabata and his team at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Japan.
RThe exact protocol on an indoor cycling ergometer:
- 20 seconds of all-out effort (~170% VO₂max, way beyond sustainable intensity).
- 10 seconds of rest.
- 7 to 8 cycles (≈4 minutes total).
- Frequency: 5 times per week for 6 weeks.
👉 This is not “a bit of HIIT” or a casual 20/10 circuit — it’s a maximal conditioning session designed to push the body to its limits.
Results: in only 6 weeks, athletes improved their VO₂max (+7 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) and their anaerobic capacity (+28%), thanks to the simultaneous stimulation of both energy systems
Oxygen debt — the key mechanism
At the core of its effectiveness lies oxygen debt: when intensity is too high, the body relies on anaerobic pathways. The greater the debt, the higher the adaptations in lactate tolerance and anaerobic power. The Tabata protocol exploits this principle to the maximum.
What professional coaches do
A professional coach doesn’t just prescribe “time on cardio” — they prescribe a target heart rate zone for a set duration.
That’s why DietHelper includes a maximum heart rate calculator with upper and lower thresholds for fat burning.
👉 Proof: 4 minutes of Tabata can provide similar benefits to 60 minutes of moderate cardio, showing that efficiency is about intensity and zones, not just time spent.
Most common and effective Tabata exercises
(Beyond the original bike protocol, here are the go-to exercises widely used in gyms and validated programs):
- 🚴 Stationary bike (the original Tabata protocol)
- 🏃 Sprints (treadmill or outdoor)
- 🚣 Rowing machine
- 🤸 Burpees
- 🔥 Jump squats
- 🦵 Jumping lunges
- 🏋️ Air squats (fast, bodyweight)
- 🤜 Push-ups (classic or plyometric)
- ⛰️ Mountain climbers
- 🏃♂️ High knees
- ✨ Jumping jacks
- 🛠️ Kettlebell swings
- 📦 Box jumps
- ⛸️ Skater jumps (lateral bounds)
- 🪢 Battle ropes
- 🔄 Russian twists (dynamic, sometimes weighted)
Want to go further?
Download the FREE Tabata Guide (PDF):
✅ 15 key exercises explained
✅ Technical cues & adaptations
✅ Practical tips for coaching sessions
Click here
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Reference
- Tabata, I., Nishimura, K., Kouzaki, M., Hirai, Y., Ogita, F., Miyachi, M., & Yamamoto, K. (1996). Effects of moderate-intensity endurance and high-intensity intermittent training on anaerobic capacity and VO₂max. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 28(10), 1327–1330.