Building Endurance

Whether you are just beginning to workout, or you have been working out for a while, building endurance is something all physically active people need and want to do. Sometimes workouts may seem long and grueling at first, but little by little you will begin to start building up stamina as well as endurance by following the steps below. Soon, the 1 mile run becomes a 4 mile run, and you start trimming down and toning up little by little. 

(This is my all time favorite quote. Print it off, and hang it up somewhere you'll see it everyday. This is the best motto of life- whether you're religious or not!)

1.) HIIT it up with interval training. Short bursts of intense exercise spikes your heart rate making your body use more energy (burn more calories) to repair itself. The more HIIT style workouts you do, the faster you will build up endurance. Want more facts on how effective HIIT is? Not only is this one of my favorite websites, but this article explains everything you need to know about HIIT training. Find it here!

2.) Eat. Sleep. Relax. Remember to eat healthy meals and sleep at least 7-9 hours a night as well as setting aside time to relax and connect with yourself. Nothing will hurt your road to fitness more than stress, malnutrition, and lack of sleep. Cutting your recovery time and pushing yourself during a workout are great steps toward having more stamina, however, don’t forget that your body still deserves some R&R paired with a balanced lifestyle to function at its fullest potential.

3.) Get out of the gym as much as you can. Take up hiking, yoga, biking, or swimming instead of going all out at the gym 24/7. As you do more outdoor activities, you will be training your muscles to climb natural hills and use different amounts of energy vs. just steadily being on a treadmill, stationary bike, or elliptical. For example: you do not eat the same food each day… you typically change it up. You want to do this with your workout schedule as well, and a great way to do this is to take your workout outside, or trying something new that you have never done before.

4.) Strength train. Strength training helps build up our bones, muscles and ligaments. Not only does this help you in the future to keep up your bone and muscle health, but it will also help you gain stamina and endurance over time. Strength training also increases your calorie and fat burn, making you a lean, mean, fighting machine. So get out there and life some weights! However, make sure you are practicing proper form. If you are unsure about this, talk to your nearest personal trainer or look up some videos of proper form to ensure safety and quality.