Everything old is new again.....

I received a complimentary GymBoss (it's a programmable timer, that can hook to your waist band to program intervals for your workouts) because of the work I do, and the fact that if I recommend it, my clients might buy it.

In the package was this flyer (of course mentioning GymBoss) which discussed Tabata.

Tabata is a cardio protocol that can be done a couple times a week, which can also be applied to resistance training. As I am reading about the research behind Tabata Interval Training.... I thought, I have seen this before. We called it gorilla cardio..... and it kicked our butts!!! (In fact, I took many students through this training and challenged co-workers to introduce to the clients who needed a push over a hump).

Gorilla Cardio was 4 minutes of running, jump rope and squat jumps.... 20 seconds hard/10 seconds rest. (4 minutes of each protocol--- i generally permitted 2 minutes recovery between modalities). I have randomly done this in a run.

And now..... we are referring to it as Tabata, after the scientist in Japan who did the research and published the work to confirm what I knew as Gorilla Cardio.

Tabata is essentially 4 minutes of cardio or 8 intervals of 20 seconds all out and 10 seconds of recovery. And then it is over. (In gorilla cardio, rest and then tackle a second and third protocol).

For the weight training protocols, one can do a front squat, a dumb bell squat to push press, or another exercise that uses maximum body in the 20 seconds. (Burpees come to mind).

The run can be replaced by jump rope, rowing, stair mill, or some other cardio).

And while I am not negating the research of Dr. T.... this goes to show you, that everything old is new again. Look back and you will see the idea originated from somewhere else.