Trick-or-Treat Tabata: A High-Energy Halloween Burn
Maria Sollon, MS, CSCS, PES
Ready for a workout that surprises every muscle? This Trick-or-Treat Tabata is a high-intensity, 20-minute Total Gym circuit designed to thrill your body and keep your strength on its toes. Think of it like a bag of Halloween candy: some moves are “tricks” (unexpected challenges that push you), while the short “treat” recovery bursts give your body just enough time to catch its breath before the next scare.
Why Tabata Works
Tabata is a form of HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) where exercises are performed in short, intense bursts: 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, for multiple rounds.
This structure maximizes calorie burn, stimulates fast-twitch muscle fibers, and boosts cardiovascular endurance in a compact amount of time. By alternating push and pull movements, this workout keeps muscles constantly challenged while giving your heart a wickedly effective boost.
Trick-or-Treat Tabata Directions
- Set Up: Cables, Timer APP to clock the exercise sets. (Download a free Tabata APP!)
- Level: Low–medium; adjust the incline to challenge your strength level.
- Structure: Push-Pull order to balance muscle engagement. In the video, pull movements are demonstrated in black and push movements in white, making it easy to learn and tell each exercise apart.
- Timing: Exercises are performed in Tabata style: 20 seconds of work, 10 seconds of rest, 8 rounds per exercise (4 minutes per move).
- Warm-up & Cool-down: Perform your own.
- Challenge: Perform Static Equilibrium on the last 4 rounds to boost the burn.
- Variety: Mix up the exercises to keep your muscles guessing all season long. Small changes make each round feel fresh and challenging.
Exercises (20 min total)
- Back: Rows
Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static
- Chest: Press & Flies
Options: seated legs bent or extended, hi-lo press, static
- Torso: Chops (2 min right side, 2 min left side)
Options: seated, kneeling, kneeling squats
- Biceps: Curls
Options: seated, kneeling, high kneeling, static
- Triceps: Extensions
Options: bent knees, bridge, extend legs, static
Pro Tip: Focus on controlled form, especially during those “trick” moves to really haunt your muscles and maximize gains.
Give the Trick-or-Treat Tabata a try whenever your workout needs a little spark. Tag @groovysweat to share your spooky strength, and keep an eye out for more Total Gym seasonal workouts to keep your training fresh.
Keep pushing your limits and let this Halloween-inspired circuit leave you feeling wickedly powerful.
Maria
@GROOVYSWEAT
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