Tabata Training is not New Age and is a very serious and well-researched form of exercise.

Designed by Dr Izumi Tabata of Japan, this training protocol involves 20 seconds of all-out effort, 10 seconds of rest, repeated eight times, in the course of about four minutes. He monitored the Japanese speed skating team in the 1990s and noticed that short spurts of extreme exercise was just as effective as hours of traditional training. This led to the development of Tabata training.

Some of the exercises used during Tabata training include pushups, body weight squats, medicine ball slams, and sprinting or jumping rope. These intervals are conducted for 20 seconds, followed by a 10 second rest. A 10-minute warm-up and cool-down completes the workout.

As Dr. Tabata explains on the Ritsumeiken University website: "In general there were two types of exercises, low-intensity exercises for longer periods of time that improved endurance, and exercises such as sprints that improve your ability to sprint, but have no effect on aerobics or endurance. In contrast, the Tabata Protocol draws on the advantages of each."

Tabata training is good for fat loss and to improve endurance and strength.

It is not for the faint-hearted, however, and beginners are encouraged to work with a professional trainer in order to ascertain an appropriate intensity level.

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