Amping Up Tabata

Sailing Lesson, Corpus Christi Bay

Today I decided it was time to give my Tabata session a tweak so I edited my Android Tabata Timer app to bump the exercise period from 20 seconds to 25 seconds. I kept the 16 sessions and the 10 second rest period, just added 5 seconds per session.

You wouldn't think adding 80 seconds to a 320 second exercise session would make much difference, but I can tell you, it does! I was winded, extra sweaty, and quite exhausted after my workout today. On my 20 lb shoulder presses I couldn't even continue pressing the entire 25 seconds on each side. I decided after that to drop to the 10 lb weight to perform the windmill because I knew I wouldn't be able to support the 20 lb weight for the entire 25 seconds and I wanted to be sure to windmill for the entire period as it is an ab exercise and my exercise emphasis is on toning my abs. I figured, "better 25 seconds at 10 lbs than 15 seconds at 20 lbs."

I still added the extra Kettlebell swings afterwards, but kept having to mentally egg myself on after 15, 20, and 25 reps because I really wanted to quit. I completed 30, which I felt was sufficient for today's workout given the extended Tabata timing.

About the picture - my wife and I decided to take sailing lessons last fall and in some ways we found it was a lot of fun, but we also came to the realization that it wasn't an activity for us. The instructor thoroughly emphasized the risks of running over sandbars and wrecks and pipes by sitting quivering over his GPS worrying if we were about to crash into something unseen beneath the waters. I don't see how one can have fun sailing if, as an experienced sailor, one has to sit staring at charts and GPS's perpetually worrying about the next imminent wreck.