“Your body is your equipment.  Your power comes from within.”

Shaun T, Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power

With that statement, Shaun T sums up two very important facts about this workout.

Here’s a reminder of what the Insanity Max:30 program looks like:

But there’s more you’ll want to know before you hit play.

If I had to pick the least difficult routine out of all of the Max:30 workouts then Tabata Power would have to be my choice.

None of the workouts in Insanity Max:30 are easy but Tabata Power is the least difficult of the 10 main videos (not counting Ab Attack and Pulse).

Let me tell you why…

This post may contain Amazon (or other) affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission. You can get more information about that here.

Instructor-Shaun T

Category-Cardio

Equipment-nada*

*There are push-ups and some core work on your back.  If you do this program on a hard surface you may want to pull out a mat.

 Length-32 minutes (with 2 minute cool down)

HRM-234calories

Choreography-Simple

My rating- A

The Important Stuff about Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power

If you’re not familiar with tabata training it’s 20 seconds of intense exercise followed by a 10 second rest.  Shaun T tells you what to do during each rest period in this workout.  You’ll be repeating every exercise twice in Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power.

Tabata Power has five sections of tabata exercises—high impact, push-ups, (more) high impact, core, and triceps. 

The last 3 minutes of the workout doesn’t follow the tabata style.  When you get to that part you’ll repeat the hardest move from each section with no rest breaks.

The Tabata Power program has my favorite stretch segment of the Insanity Max:30 routines.  Never skip the stretch.

Make sure you read to the end for links to a few places you can compare prices for this video 🙂

Warm-Up

The warm-up is about 4 minutes in length.  You’ll do four exercises for 30 seconds each and then repeat them all one more time.  Here are the exercises:

Straight Arm Jacks

Scissor Chest Openers

Lateral Lunges

Downdog Spider

I love downdog spider.  This move really gets your hip flexors and calves stretched out.

Repeat all four moves one more time.  Go faster than you did the first time through.

WATER BREAK

Main Workout (The Exercises in Tabata Power)

Now you start tabata training.

Remember you’ll do each exercise for 20 seconds at high intensity and then you rest for 10 seconds (before you do it again).

Interval I-High Impact

The rest move in this section (for the 10 second period) is a Jog.

Here are the tabata exercises:

Burpee with an Alternating Lunge

(repeat) Burpee with an Alternating Lunge

Plyo Lunge Jump (left)

Plyo Lunge Jump (right)

Split Lunge Punch

(repeat) Split Lunge Punch

Back Lunge Forward Kick (right)

Back Lunge Forward Kick (left)

WATER BREAK (8 ½ minute mark)

Interval II-Push-Ups

The 10 second rest move in this section is a Child’s Pose.

My goal for each push-up exercise is 6-8 reps.  Sometimes I can only squeeze out 4 but my goal is always 6-8.  Set a goal for yourself.  Try to stay on your toes for all the reps.

The tabata exercises (remember you do each one for 20 seconds) and then repeat it after a 10 second rest:

Moving Plyo Push-Ups

These are nearly impossible for me.  I can barely ‘plyo’ a millimeter off the floor.  Just do what you can.  You’re still getting stronger.

Moving plyo push-ups are even harder on the second set.  You can always do the modified exercise if you need to.

The girl demonstrating the modified move in Tabata Power is a super bad ass (Danielle).  Amazing abs.  I love and hate her simultaneously.

Push-Up Pop-Up

Try to do these on your toes.

Don’t be too hard on yourself if you can only do 3.  This is YOUR workout.  If you’re giving 100% that’s what matter.

Push-Up Rows

I think these are slightly easier than the first 2 push-up exercises.

Try to do the same number of reps in both sets.  Keep your core tight.

Knee Push-Up Rows

If you’ve been doing every push-up exercise on your toes up to now then you’ll suddenly have a new appreciation for how much easier it is to do them on your knees.  Don’t forget there are 2 sets.

WATER BREAK (13 minute mark)

Interval III-(More) High Impact

Your 10 second rest move is a Jog for this interval.

The tabata exercises (remember there are 2 sets of each exercise):

Fast Power Jumps

My goal is to do at least 15 jumps in each set.  That’s a lot.  Sometimes I can do it and some days I barely do half that many.

I think this exercise (fast power jumps) is the hardest exercise in Tabata Power.

Slow Power Jumps

This time Shaun T tells you when to jump.  These are a lot easier (than fast power jumps) so do every rep in both sets.

High Jumps

This is a vertical jump off two feet.  Go as high as you can and get in as many as you can in each set.

Squat Knee Up

This exercise is a blessing after all that jumping.  Make your squats deep and really bring your knee up high.

WATER BREAK (you’re 17 ½ minutes into workout)

Interval IV-Core

Your rest move this time really is a rest (C-sit hold) but it’s in between a bunch of challenging core moves so you’ll need it.

Switch Kick Abs

Keep your legs straight and your head off the ground.  You’ll alternate cross punches as you switch your legs.

Shaun T takes his shirt off before the second set of these.  Take off your shirt if it helps you get through the rest of the workout.  Personally, looking at my stomach isn’t always inspirational but maybe it is for you.

Switch Kick Abs-Right/Left

This time you keep punching on the same side for the whole 20 seconds.

Am I the only person that can’t keep their head up through these?  My neck locks up while I’m trying to hold the static leg off the ground.  It’s pathetic.

Scissor Abs

On scissor abs I have to go REALLY slow to keep my legs from slamming into the floor like a pile of rocks but maybe that’s just me.

L-Hold-Right/Left

This exercise is a static hold with your legs split.  It’s only slightly easier than fighting gravity with the moving scissor.

WATER BREAK (22 minute mark)

Interval V-Triceps

The rest move stays the same for this interval (C-sit hold)

Tricep Dip Reach

You’ve done these before.  Don’t collapse into your shoulders and just move your butt up and down.  That’s cheating.  Your elbows have to bend.

Single-Leg Tricep Dip-Right/Left

You might be thinking, ‘Who cares about triceps?’ at this point.

But listen to me.  You should care.  These exercises make you sculpted and lean.  Besides, you’re not jumping anymore so be happy.

Speed Tricep Dips

Remember the form pointers I gave you earlier.  Don’t just pump your hips up and down at a million miles an hour.

Slow down and do it right.  Flex your elbows and try to keep your hips in the same plane.  If you don’t feel this in your triceps you’re doing it wrong.

Look at Shaun T’s team.  Everyone’s speed is different.  Going faster may not be better.  Don’t sacrifice form for quantity.

4-Count Tricep Dips

You’ll do this exercise with the team.  Shaun T counts it out for you.

WATER BREAK (about 3 ½ minutes until the cool down)

Finale

I love the ‘Hey’ music that starts playing here.  You will love it or hate it.

For the finale you have to repeat the hardest move from each interval.

This section is not done ‘tabata-style’.  You don’t get to rest.

At some point you’ll think ‘Sweeeeet!  He forgot the power jumps!’ But sadly, he didn’t.  You’ll be doing the exercises for about 30 seconds this time.

Here are the exercises:

Split Lunge Punches

Push-Up Rows

Switch Kick Abs

Speed Tricep Dips

Grand Finale for 1 minute!

Speed Power Jumps

You. Are. Incredible.  Don’t stop the video.  The cool down and stretch are next.

Cool Down/Stretch

You’re not allowed to skip this 2 minute cool down and stretch.  Your body needs this part.

You already did the hard part.  Your email isn’t going anywhere.  Do the right thing and stretch your muscles back out while they’re warm.

Now What?

Insanity Max:30 Tabata Power is hard (but not too hard).  I love that you get some strength training mixed in with the intense cardio for a total body workout.

If you’re new to Insanity Max:30 this is a great place to start.

Now that you understand tabata training make sure you check out this routine: Insanity Max:30 Tabata Strength.

You can find Tabata Power in the family of Insanity Max:30 videos by Beachbody and in the library of a Beachbody on Demand membership.

Read more about Beachbody on Demand.

You get access to a ton of incredible Beachbody workouts by Chalene Johnson, Tony Horton, Shaun T and other pro instructors.  You can try Beachbody on Demand with a FREE trial.  I love it.

Adding variety to your fitness routine is important and this is one way to do that.