20-min Tabata-Style Home Workout (no equipment)

Be super efficient with this 20-min bodyweight circuit you can do in the comfort of your living room.

By Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CSCS, CEP

This workout is surprisingly challenging for only being 20-minutes. I was sweating and panting by the end!

The St. John’s Board of Trade hired me to host a ZOOM workout this morning. It was very successful and I even was sweating and panting at the end!

I promised to share the workout on our blog, so here we go.

You might be wondering what a “Tabata” is? Tabata is common slang in the fitness industry these days to describe a workout method that involves 20-seconds work and 10-seconds rest. It’s actually the last name of a researcher from Japan. His full name was Izumi Tabata and he led a famous study that looked at cyclists performing supramaximal sprints on a stationary bike. I don’t need to get too deep into his research here, but I will send you to an article I wrote for Bodybuilding.com called The Real Tabata: A Brutal Circuit from the Protocol’s Inventor if you want to read more.

The full workout protocol is 20-sec hard, 10-sec easy for 8 rounds which equals 4 minutes.

In today’s Zoom workout, we did 20-minutes worth, so 5 rounds of 4 minutes. No rest was taken between sets.

Screenshot from my St. John’s Board of Trade ZOOM home workout from Monday, April 6th

To do the workout, do each exercise listed below for 20-seconds. Do as many reps as possible without breaking form. Take 10-seconds to maneuver to the next exercise. Going through each exercise once is equal to one round, and 4-minutes.

Round 1 Exercises (minutes 0 – 4)

Bridge March Demo

Bodyweight Squat (20-sec)
Pushup Plank (20-sec)
Split Squat right leg in front (20-sec)
Split Squat left leg in front (20-sec)
Leg-V Sit Up (20-sec)
Glute Bridge March (20-sec)
Side Plank Clamshell right (20-sec)
Side Plank Clamshell left (20-sec)

Rounds 2 & 3 Exercises (minutes 5 – 12)

2 Cues to Fix Your Front Plank

Isometric Squat
Push Up Plank Shoulder Tap
Isometric Split Squat right foot front
Isometric Split Squat left foot front
Accordion Sit Up
Isometric Glute Bridge
Side Plank Knee In/Out right
Side Plank Knee In/Out left

Rounds 4 & 5 Exercises (minutes 13 – 20)

Push Up Demo

Squat Jump
Push Up
Split Squat Jump right
Split Squat Jump left
Leg V-Sit Up
Glute Bridge March
Side Plank Lifts right
Side Plank Lifts left

Squat Jump Demo

You might be surprised how much work you can get done in only 20-minutes with no weights. Enjoy!

home workout — Jon-Erik Kawamoto, MSc, CSCS, CSEP is a Strength and Conditioning Coach, Co-owner and Founder of JKConditioning. With 15 years in the industry and over 10 years as a freelance fitness writer, Jon has helped many change their lives through fitness. To inquire about coaching, workshops, presentations or writing, you can contact him through our Contact Us page. (photo credit: Jim Mullowney Photography)

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Carly Wallwork

Personal Strength Training by Jon-Erik Kawamoto

I’m 30 — started at JKC Aug 2016. I moved to NL to open lululemon and we chose Jon as one of our store’s ambassadors, did one workout and have raved about it ever since! The JKC team can adapt a workout no matter what the situation — injuries, new goals, you name it! The trust and expertise can’t be matched!

Kyle Howlett

Personal Strength Training by Thomas King

I had always wanted to start lifting weights and get stronger, but didn’t know where to start. I was looking not just for a gym, but for training on proper technique to prevent injury and a program designed for my specific goals. I also wanted a fun and supportive atmosphere to keep me coming back. JKC delivered on all of this and more.

Jon and Thomas have a wealth of knowledge that help their clients get the most out of their time in the gym. Programs are continuously modified to keep the workouts challenging. Even through everyone’s program is unique, you always have the coaches and other clients cheering you on and pushing you to achieve new bests.

Courtney Sharpe

Nutritional Coaching by Julia Howard

For the past two months I have worked with the JKC team and have never felt better! In addition to a personal fitness plan, JKC’s holistic nutritionist, Julia, worked with me and around my busy schedule to educate me on healthier food options and meal planning. I maintain a daily food log which Julia reviews and provides feedback on and we also have weekly chats to discuss my nutritional goals and potential improvement areas. Julia also helped me to identify and work around dietary constraints which have caused digestion issues for years!

Julia and the rest of the JKC family have helped me get my confidence back! I love starting my days with a good sweat and a healthy breakfast. I understand what foods make me feel my best and my body is well on its way to becoming more lean, fit and happy! I would totally recommend Julia and the entire JKC team!

Eric Kedrosky

I was looking for something to augment my 20+ year yoga practice with a focus on strength conditioning. I am friend’s with Jon’s sister in-law and over the years always heard great things about JKC, especially with respect to the top quality trainers they have and programs they run. After talking to Jon about my goals, and hearing his thoughts on a training plan, I knew that this was going to be an awesome experience … and it sure has been. JKC stands out from other gyms because of the attention to detail, the high quality of the staff and the facilities. Also, the amazing people that train there. And no one posing and taking selfies. I’m 41 years old and I started in Dec 2021.

Jane Rendell

JKC was recommended by a previous trainer who followed Jon online. He thought Jon’s approach to training was excellent. JKC employs well educated trainers who are very particular about technique and form. I have never injured myself because the trainers know what they are doing. They can always answer any questions I ask about my training. As well the trainers are friendly contributing to a relaxed and friendly atmosphere at the gym.

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