Tabata Complex

Here's a great workout for you.  It's quick (literally 16 minutes long -- if you can make it to the end!), it's intense, it should burn a lot of calories (both during and after the workout) and it should kick your fat-burning hormones into high gear.  I call it the Tabata Complex.  Let me start by explaining each part, then I'll explain how I combined them. 

Complexes are a form of continuous resistance exercise.  I like to call them "hybrid" workouts or "resistance cardio" because they seem to encompass both modalities and fit nicely into neither one!  The concept of a true complex is to pick a few (4 to 8) exercises that you can do with the same amount of weight.  Typically these will be done with a bar, but dumbbells, bands, kettlebells, and body weight works also.  Next, pick a target.  Choose a number of repetitions or a set amount of time for each exercise.  Start your complex and move from one exercise to the next without taking a break or even setting down the weight.  When you've finished all of your exercises, then you can take a break.  Repeat as many times as your body will allow.

The Tabata Protocol was developed by Japanese researcher Isumi Tabata.  He experimented with speed skaters a number of years ago and concluded that they had all sorts of improvements (strength, speed, endurance, etc) by doing these specialized intervals.  In the protocol, you are supposed to pick an exercise and do it at maximal intensity for 20 seconds.  You then rest for 10 seconds and repeat 7 more times for a total of 8 rounds.  Here's the clincher: the workout only lasts 4 minutes.  One group known as Crossfit has taken the Tabata Protocol to even more of an extreme by creating other workouts called "Tabata This," "Tabata That," and "Tabata Something Else."  In these variations, you do multiple Tabata drills, each with its own exercise, with a minute of rest in between.  You can find a convenient Tabata timer at www.beach-fitness.com/tabata

Finally, my spin on the two workout modes is to combine them into one workout.  If we apply the complex concept to the Tabata Protocol, we end up with 4 exercises, each done for 20 seconds with a 10 second rest before going on to the next movement.  Twice through the series is equivalent to one full Tabata.  The full version of the Tabata Complex would be 8 rounds of each exercises (32 total rounds, 4 full Tabatas, and 15:50 total time -- 16 if you count the last rest period).

I leave you to your own devices to choose your own exercises, but don't wimp out and choose easy stuff.  Pack on the most difficult moves you can stand.  Try to use different parts of the body (i.e. choose a leg exercise, a pushing exercise, a pulling exercise, and a core exercise or a full body exercise).  The more joints you can move at once, and the greater distance you can move a weight, the better!

Post to the comments the movements you used and your experience with this workout.