Mike started training in martial arts at the age of seven and has practiced for over 30 years. He currently holds a 4th degree black belt in the art of USA GOJU karate. During his peak performance as a martial artist— he was very powerful at 230 pounds; however, he lacked the type of stamina and endurance that he had seen among some of the elite practitioners. That’s when he started reading about Bruce Lee and the type of training he used— a high intensity interval training technique called Tabata. Tabata training engages a person in bursts of intensified activity, and then rests for brief intervals before ramping back up again. Mike was inspired and then sought to replicate his method.

Within just two weeks of committing himself to Tabata, he noticed a huge increase in his speed and endurance and he also noticed he was shedding fat. Since Tabata typically only utilizes one’s own body weight, it does not have some of the benefits one achieves when lifting dumbbells in the gym and he started to notice he was losing muscle.

What is Tabata Training?

This recognition lead him to begin research on whether or not it was possible to combine weightlifting and Tabata training. He read books, search on the Internet, watched YouTube videos but he could not seem to find a single trainer who integrated Tabata training with weights. It was then that he realized that it was his mission as an instructor to build speed, endurance, and fitness, while helping his clients to benefit from weight training.

During this time, Mike was a fitness instructor at a local gym in Brooklyn, New York.  Among the members at his gym, he noticed that clients were either built or had endurance but rarely encompassed both. He decided to implement his weight Tabata training at the gym and offered three classes a week to a small group of dedicated students. In a matter of three months, the class had grown from six to 40 students— all through word of mouth. The gym didn’t have enough equipment to meet everyone’s needs so his advanced students began to increase weight and practice with dumbbells. Three months later, every member of the class was using dumbbells. His classes were averaging 60 students a class…. Just Total Body Tabata had taken off.

During Mike’s 30+ years of training, he have never seen students get better results than when they incorporate Tabata into their fitness routine. Tabata training is scientifically proven, and the combination of weights and cardio produces mind blowing results. Tabata Ultimate Fitness classes are always safe and in Mike’s six years of teaching and training, his students have remained injury free and become stronger than ever.  Our assortment of programs are designed to help beginners to advanced level athletes. As Mike likes to tell my students: “Your time, your body, your workout!” Come check out Tabata Ultimate Fitness to see what Tabata weight training is all about!