Tabata Squats
To perform a squat, stand with your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, with your hands across your chest, pointed straight ahead, or behind your head. Sit back and down, keeping your weight on your heels, until you reach a comfortable depth. Ideally, the top of your thigh should be parallel to the ground. Once you hit depth, stand back up, pushing through your heels.
To perform squats in a Tabata workout, make sure you can see a clock or timer and set it for four minutes. Begin squatting, doing as many repetitions as possible in 20 seconds while maintaining good form. Once 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds until the 30-second mark. Then, begin squatting again for another 20 seconds, doing as many repetitions as possible while maintaining good form. Once the 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds. Continue repeating 20 seconds of squats and 10 seconds of rest until the four minutes are up.
Tabata Lunges
To perform a lunge, begin standing with your feet together. To initiate, step forward a comfortable distance and lunge down to where your knee nearly touches the ground. Make sure to control your knee and not let it cave in. Return to the standing position by pushing through the heel of the foot that you lunged with.
To perform lunges in a Tabata workout, make sure you can see a clock or timer and set it for four minutes. Begin doing lunges, doing as many repetitions as possible in 20 seconds while maintaining good form. Once 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds until the 30-second mark. Then, begin lunging again for another 20 seconds, doing as many repetitions as possible while maintaining good form. Once the 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds. Continue repeating 20 seconds of lunges and 10 seconds of rest until the four minutes are up.
Tabata Step Ups
To perform a step up, begin standing with your feet together, with a chair or step directly in front of you. Step one foot onto the chair/step and stand up on the chair/step by pushing through your heel. Then return to the floor. Alternate the leading foot.
To perform step ups in a Tabata workout, make sure you can see a clock or timer and set it for four minutes. Begin doing step ups, doing as many repetitions as possible in 20 seconds while maintaining good form. Once 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds until the 30-second mark. Then, begin stepping up again for another 20 seconds, doing as many repetitions as possible while maintaining good form. Once the 20 seconds are up, rest for 10 seconds. Continue repeating 20 seconds of step ups and 10 seconds of rest until the four minutes are up.
-Nick M., University of Tennessee Health Science Center
Down Dog to Plank
Begin in a forward fold with your hands touching your toes. Place your palms flat on the ground and begin to walk your feet back into down dog. Knees can be slightly bent and feet are hip-width apart. From here, gently glide out into a plank. Push your bottom down and have your shoulders stand right over your wrists. Make sure your core is engaged and then slowly push back to down dog. Do 10 reps for 3 sets. To modify, put your knees down in a plank, which is called table top.
Chair Pose to Airplane
Begin in a standing position with the feet hip-width apart. Place all of the weight into your heels and bend your legs so you are in a chair pose. Make sure your knees are over your toes. Then, raise your arms up near your ears and reach for the sky for about 10 seconds. Slowly stretch into a standing pose again and lift your right leg to the back with arms raised by your sides. Balance and engage your core. Place your foot down and repeat it again on your left side. Do five repetitions for three sets. To modify, adjust how far you bend and how high you lift your leg.
Low Jumping Jacks
Start in a standing position with hands placed behind your head. Bend your legs and jump your feet out. With legs still bent, jump your feet in. Feet should be flat on the ground. Do 25 reps for 4 sets. To modify, adjust the height at which you lower down to jump.
Arm Circles
Starting in a standing position with your hands by your side, raise your arms so they are elongated and straight. Begin by moving your arms in a forward circular motion for 20 seconds and then reverse. To advance, move your arms quickly and to modify, move your arms slowly. Do four reps for five sets.
Plank Jumps
Start in a plank on your forearms or on your hands. Engage your core and keep your bottom down. While up on your toes, jump your feet out so they make a "V" shape and then jump them back into plank position, or hip-width. Do 10 reps for 3 sets. To modify, you can walk your feet out and then walk them back to plank position.
-Eliza S., University of Massachusetts Amherst
Warm-Up
Jumping Jacks
Beginners, warm up with 50 jumping jacks that will circulate the blood and heat up the muscles to prepare for working out. Advance to 100 jumping jacks based on your fitness level.
Thigh Stretch
Upright on knees, reach one arm back to the same side leg and stretch the heel toward your bottom for 30 seconds. Switch to the other side and stretch the other leg. Repeat twice.
Circuit
Lean Backs
Upright with knees apart, lean back with the whole body and then come to the upright position again. Beginners, go back only as far as the legs can maintain, no more than 6 inches. Advanced may go back to a 45-degree angle. Tighten the buttocks as well as the abdominals to support good posture. Repeat 30 times.
Ankle hold
Reach back both arms and grab the ankles. Arch the back, drop the head for a stretch, and hold for 30 secs.
Horse kicks
Hold yourself parallel to the floor on hands and knees that are shoulder-width and hip-width apart. Kick back one leg 30 times and then switch to the other side. Advanced levels: include elongating the opposite arm of the leg kicking for the duration of the set.
Cat-camel
In the same position as the previous exercise, arch the back, lifting the belly button toward the spine. Drop the head and feel the stretch along the back and shoulders. Hold for 5 seconds. Relax the belly and drop the back while lifting the head to look up. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat 10 times each.
Glute lift
Stay in the same position and while balancing, lift one bent leg so that the knee is at hip height. Repeat 30 times and then switch sides.Advanced levels: include kicking the lower leg out upon lifting the knee.
Threading the needle
In the same position, balance while lifting one arm back toward the ceiling, following the arm with your eyes. Return to the original pose and repeat 30 times each side. Beginners: reach hand only to shoulder height and repeat only 10 times on each side.
Forward-back kicks
Begin upright on knees. Reach one arm toward the ground while the same side leg lifts up. While keeping the upper body in a parallel position toward the floor, kick the leg that’s lifted forward and backwards 30 times. Switch sides.
-Airyn, Bryan University
