Tabata Training - Can 4 Minutes of Exercise Really Burn Fat?

The tabata protocol was made by the head trainer of the Japanese speed ice skating team. It was named after Dr. Izumi Tabata who carried out research using this work out to observe its usefulness.
Tabata training is a type of interval training workout which makes you work hard for a time period of 20 seconds, and then a ten second recovery period before repeating another 20 second intense bout again. This will be repeated for four minutes, so a total of 8 repetitions. You can repeat the tabata protocol again, but be sure to give yourself a little 2 minute rest.
Can a 4 minute routine really burn up fat?
This workout doesn't burn as much body fat during the workout like steady state cardio does, but elevates your metabolism for numerous hours following the exercise. Steady state aerobic exercise will burn more calories during the actual workout, but the tabata protocol will burn up more overall calories. By using up glycogen within the muscle tissue, it will force the body to use fat for metabolic processes, so don't be so fast to grab your post workout protein shake. Leave it for at least an hour or two.
This Seems Too Easy!
Don't ever believe this is gonna be easy; the truth is this would likely to end up a lot more like 4 minutes of torment to those not in great shape. Even those in great shape will find tabata training tough. When done with full high intensity this can be a very strenuous workout which will leave you gasping for breath and wishing it was over.
During Dr. Tabata's study, it was documented that a few of the skaters were forced to quit after just 6 rounds in their first couple of attempts.
Tabata training as mentioned earlier is a type of interval training so resembles a HIIT workout somewhat. Both are a kind of high intensity interval training. Tabata training is done using a much shorter rest break and a 2:1 work to rest ratio and reduced duration all round. A HIIT workout is done utilizing similar work intervals however does have lengthier rest intervals and often will last around 10-20 minutes instead of 4 minutes.
The benefits of tabata training are that it greatly increases your aerobic as well as anaerobic conditioning developing you in to a more complete athlete. It is also short in duration, and really makes use of the after burn affect very well. Tabata training is really flexible, and you can almost use any exercise to perform it. My favourite is to do shadow boxing, but doing burpees works really well and makes it more challenging. The drawbacks are obvious, it is a very difficult exercise, it can be hard to motivate yourself to perform it and if used to often can leave you fatigued.