The tabata workout I posted a couple weeks ago got me thinking. How could I run a similar drill with out a timer? How could I free my eyes up to spend more time running a good workout and less time… timing?
This workout is the result of this pondering. It’s a great for beginners and advanced alike.
Self Timed Tabata
Type: Aerobic, HIT
Time: 60 minute (45 minute with just 6 rounds per exercise)
Set Up
Set three cones in a line, each 20 metres apart. At the bast cone set up your mats and other equipment that you need.
Concept
This workout runs just like a tabata drill. The only difference is that instead of timing with a stop watch, clients will run to a cone and back.
Split the group into 8 teams. If you don’t have enough people split them into 4 teams or 6 teams or whatever works for you. Less then 8 teams will just result in more running.
Here’s the order of action. I thought dot points might make it easier to follow.
- Clients line up in their teams along the base cone mats.
- All clients start doing star jumps except for the team on the right which run to the far cone and back.
- When they get back they yell ‘STOP’ and then intermediately run to the closer cone and back (the middle cone). The rest of the clients stop and rest.
- Once they get back they yell ‘GO’ and start doing star jumps while the next team along begins the run.
- Continue this stop/go tabata style intervals until all teams have run or if you have less then 8 teams, until 8 rounds have been completed.
- Take a short 30 second break to demonstrate the next exercise and then continue. Take a longer drink break every two exercises.
*Please comment below if that makes no sense.
Rounds
Run the above process with each of the following exercises:
Round 1** (example used above) – Star Jumps and Mountain Climbers
Round 2 – 1.5 rep squats – squat with a pulse at the bottom
Round 3 – Super crunch – left oblique crunch, right oblique crunch, double crunch
Round 4 – Hand release push ups
Round 5 – Split squats (alternate legs each round)
Round 6** – Plank and Partner Sit Ups – lock legs for sit ups
Round 7* – 5 push ups, 5 squats, 10m shuttle*
*Bonus round. No timing on this last round. Just do 8 rounds at your own pace.
** For rounds with two exercises, have clients alternate exercises each work period. Eg. Plank, rest, sit ups, rest, plank etc.
Cooldown
Stretch out after your last round.
Exercises
Super Crunch
Hand Release Push Ups
Split Squats
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Image and videos: weskriesel and Mine!
Kyle Wood created Bootcamp Ideas in 2010 when he was hunting around on the internet for workout ideas. He ran a successful bootcamp in Victoria, Australia and spends his spare time managing this site, adventuring (or lazying) with his wife and find new ways to make bootcamps even better.
So this will work well a long as you keep the motivation up on the runners.. They will use this as a rest round and try to run slow giving more of a workout time rather than a fast tabata time frame..
A lot of running and motivation is required from head instructor to keep pace at a fast interval..
Love the idea though, keep the eyes off the clock.
Mic (Motivate to Train) / Bootcamp Bendigo
Thanks Mic. Yes the rounds got slower as the workout progressed, but so did the ‘work’ part of the run so the ratio stayed about 2:1.
Your philosophy was actually a part inspiration for this idea 🙂
Hi Kyle
It does make sense and I think its a great concept,very unique. I think it would would also work well in pairs.
P.S did you have a chance to read my book?
Leon – Unique Bootcamp Workouts
Thanks for the feedback Leon. I have read some, I would like to do something with you for it. I will send you an email in the next couple weeks.
I used your workout this week for my Saturday morning bootcamp and the group loved to hate it. 🙂 Hated it during the middle, but loved it at the end. I broke them up into two large teams for the first round, so it was easier for everyone to get the hang of what we were doing (early Saturday morning can be tough to get some dialed in, haha!) and then we broke it up into teams of 2. Worked out really, really well. Thanks for all you to do keep this site updated! I get a lot of ideas/inspirations from here.
Cheers Kyle. I just did this with my morning class and we all loved this workout! It made it so easy for me to get more involved and motivate.
Awesome, glad to have helped Angus
hi
just explain to myself…. so team 1 will run for 8 cycles then become team2
Not quite.
Team 1 runs 1 cycle. Team 2 runs he next cycle. Team 3 runs the third cycle and so on until 8 rounds have been done.
So if you have 4 teams we would do it twice before starting next exercise right?
Yep that’s it!
Hi Kyle, i have been to your MTT Level 1 course back in March, and i was wondering whether you have any suggestions for a fun type circuit for Tuesday morning for my Bootcamp group. My group love themes and as it is Melbourne Cup day was looking to do something special for them for that day. I did a great Halloween Themed type bootcamp on Thursday morning with pumpkins etc., and they really got into the session and had heaps of fun. I have tried to find some ideas on the internet but with no success, and would love to have your advice on something that we could do, whether we just use it for the warm-up, main set or finisher. My sessions run for 60 minutes and after warm-up usually do around 30 minutes for a main set. We train on a cement type basketball court sized area. I appreciate any ideas you can throw my way??? Thanks heaps, Karen
Hi Karen,
I’d love to say it was MY Motivate to Train course but unfortunately that’s not me, although I am fans of their work.
I am doing a cup day workout tomorrow, it involves a lot of relay type work (one person exercise and one runs) and I’ve given them all racing or horse related names.
Nothing spectacular 🙂