don’t realize the intensity you need to work at,” says Tabata. So should we all start incorporating this plan into our fitness regimens? Richard Scrivener, a former Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Northampton Saints Rugby Club, says that while the benefits are clear, Tabatas are an addition, not a replacement, to a favoured sport or training method. “Runners, for instance, need a high level of running economy, which comes from skill acquisition and putting in the miles,” says Scrivener, “But they could effectively ease off the long runs and reduce the overall mileage by introducing Tabata training. This will unload the skeleton and give joints the chance to rest and recover, especially if one is prone to niggles or has a history of injuries – and you would probably therefore get more out of the long runs when you do undertake them.” Gym rats can benefit by doing three strength sessions and three Tabatas a week. And the rest of us can build up session by session, week by week, all the time knowing that it will never get easier because every session calls for maximum effort. That’s the cruel genius of the protocol: it is unrelenting – and effective.