Tabata for triathletes

Gyms around NY State are offering Tabata classes, but most people don’t understand the philosophy behind the class. Dr Izumi Tabata said "this protocol [was] invented to stress the cardiovascular systems of top Japanese [speed] skaters who got medals in the Olympic games. Therefore, the protocol is very tough. The subjects lay down on the floor after the training." Tabata wondered how many people would "feel eager to do this type of exercise." So what is it? In his study he had elite athletes follow a 6 week program of moderate intensity endurance training. It was at 70% of VO2max for 60 minutes a day for 5 days a week. After the training was completed they found that anaerobic capacity did not increase significantly but VO2max went from 53 +/- 5 ml.kg-1 min-1 to 58 +/- 3 ml.kg-1.min-1. Seven subjects then performed an exhaustive intermittent training exercise for 5 days a week for 6 weeks. Their workout consisted of 7-8 sets of 20 seconds of exercise at 170% of VO2max with a 10 second rest between each round. After the training the VO2 max increased by 7ml.kg-1min-1 and the anaerobic capacity increased by 28%. As a result Tabata and fellow researchers concluded that “this study showed that moderate-intensity aerobic training that improves the maximal aerobic power does not change anaerobic capacity and that adequate high-intensity intermittent training may improve both anaerobic and aerobic energy supplying systems significantly, probably through imposing intensive stimuli on both systems.”

Most athletes probably think they are working intensely without ever getting near 100% of VO2max and yet this study was 170% of VO2max. So what is VO2max? “VO2 is the amount (expressed as a volume or V) of oxygen used by the muscles during a specified interval (usually 1 minute) for cell metabolism and energy production. Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2max) is the maximum volume of oxygen that can be used per minute, representing any individual's upper limit of aerobic (or oxygen dependent) metabolism. It can be expressed as an absolute amount (again as a volume per minute) or as a % of each individual's personal maximum (%VO2max).” (From cycling performance tips website)

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Our everyday triathlete can typically stay at or above VO2max for a very short time. By pushing that ceiling you can raise your VO2max and your ability to perform for a longer period of time at that level. To understand your ceiling you can either get your VO2 measured by someone trained to administer the test with specific equipment or get an approximation based on your resting heart rate. In theory, an athlete could exercise at any intensity up to their VO2 max indefinitely. However, this is not the case even amongst elite athletes. As the exercise intensity gets closer to VO2 max, blood lactate accumulation increases and the athlete fatigues after the lactate threshold is broken. In world-class athletes lactate threshold typically occurs at 70-80% VO2 max. In less or untrained individuals it occurs much sooner, at 50-60% VO2 max.

The reality is that for most athletes performing a Tabata protocol class would be extremely difficult and you would really only be able to complete a workout of about 20 minutes total. That would be including a warm up and cool down. The research had the athletes do this workout 5 days a week for 6 weeks. An average triathlete might want to incorporate this type of workout into their training with adequate recovery in the spring to help boost VO2 a bit after a good winter season training. Most Tabata classes have people sweating a lot, but not really punching that ceiling and then falling into bad form in exercises to last for an hour long class. Focus on your form in every workout. Are you a Tabata follower? Email Kristen Hislop at hislopdesigns@hotmail.com