What is Endurance training?

Endurance training, or better known as cardio/aerobic training is a form of fitness and health that helps improve the strength of the heart, lungs, and the circulatory system. This training might come in handy if a zombie apocalypse happens!

Where do I start?

The best starting point would be a mixture of taking classes/group fitness programs that keep track of your attendance and ambitions/goals. This is in addition to proper scaling. Scaling refers to the strategic adaptation of intensity to fit the individual. For instance, if the workout is a 6 mile hike and 3 friends (a non-active individual, football player, and a marathon runner) go together, 1 or more individuals might have to go at a slower pace than others. Secondly, progress and improvement takes time. Not a single person learned how to write or become a master chess player overnight, and the same is applied to fitness and health. 

Other tips for endurance training is to eat properly and drink water. Eating pizza and cheeseburgers all of the time is going to hinder progress compared to a turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread with fruit and vegetables to pair. Finally, listen to your body. Physical exercise can be challenging and, to a certain extent, be painful if you are competing. If your body is hurting, take the appropriate steps to properly recover and heal so that you’re ready to go for the next day and week.

What are my options?

Some notable mentions of endurance training include but are not limited to:

Swimming

Running/Sprint work

Cycling

Walking 

Dancing 

Hiking

Soccer

Rugby

Basketball

How can I structure an aerobic/endurance workout?

Depending on the form of exercise/activity, the format of a workout might vary, but two common options are time and distance. If your goal is to run or swim a set number of miles, breaking that up and resting in between sets may take longer, but an individual can then build and sustain long distances while reducing the number of times that mile was broken up. 

Example: 

8 Rounds of:

• 200 meters or 1/8th of mile
• Rest 1-2 minutes 

An individual can also put resistance and endurance/aerobic training into the same workout. Mostly, this will take the form in many functional fitness programs. An example workout of endurance training mixed with resistance training could be:

15 minute AMRAP (As Many Rounds/Repetitions As Possible)

• 1/4 mile run/1 mile bike
• 5 pullups
• 10 push ups
• 15 squats
• 1/4 mile run/1 mile bike

The continuous movement for 15 minutes increases the heart rate and places the body in a state of aerobic or endurance training without having to just run or cycle.

Aerobic and cardio training is not just running or cycling. Individuals can participate in a variety of cardio based activities depending on their geographic location and access to facilities. In addition to standard cardio based activities, the use of body weight or weighted resistance activities can be in addition to other means of cardiovascular training for a little spice. The options are endless for beginners and advanced individuals engaged in physical activity.

This post was written by Dalton, an intern at Immunize Nevada.

Resources:

https://doi.org/10.1183/20734735.007016

https://www.who.int/activities/promoting-walking-and-cycling