Tabata vs. HIIT Workout : What Sets The Two Training Styles Apart

“A way I like to look at how hard the efforts in a HIIT workout should be is on a scale of one to 10,” says Amato, referencing the Modified Rate of Perceived Exertion Scale (MRPE). People of all fitness levels can get in on the HIIT party; the only requirement is that you give it your all, Amato says.HIIT workouts take many forms, from 20 minutes of 30 seconds of tread sprints alternating with 30 seconds of walking, to time-based circuits of various movements. (Tip: You'll want to stick with exercises like burpees over biceps curls to really get your heart pumping.)If you're feeling bold, you can even do multiple Tabata workouts back-to-back to create an eight- or 12-minute sweat sesh, Amato says.A simple tabata workout could consist of eight rounds of 20 seconds of burpees followed by 10 seconds of rest, Amato suggests. While both workouts demand that you go hard, "HIIT’s level of max effort is about an eight out of 10, while Tabata’s is a definite nine," Hammond says. If you're sweating with the goal of shedding fat, know this: “Both [Tabata and HIIT] have really great benefits, and can help you reach your fitness goals fast,” says Amato.In fact, HIIT (which, remember, includes Tabata) can support healthy body composition changes, meaning muscle-building and fat loss, suggests research published in Obesity Reviews in 2017.To get all the goods out of your training, Amato recommends building up your total workout time and intensity over the course of a few weeks and continuing to challenge yourself as you get stronger.