Ready, set, go!
And the racers are off to a steady start…
But, oh no, you start losing pace with the group the longer you run. Your palms are sweating, your heart is racing, and your breath is caught in your throat.
Now the race is over, and you know you have some work to do.
We’ve all heard lots of conversations about diet and exercise — but what about endurance?
No need to fret! There are simple exercises that can be a good help in increasing your overall endurance if you put in the right work.
Move Those Feet
Who doesn’t do well with a little sunshine and fresh air?
Walking is a wonderful way to get your body moving on a regular basis — but you may be asking how this can lead to building endurance?
It’s all about taking one step at a time… literally.
One mile can lead to two, which could lead to three, four, or five — and even more so, you might get the itch to start jogging and then running. Soon enough you could be signing up for marathons!
Or not, sticking to a nice stroll is good too. Just make sure you keep it up and up the distance as you go.
Hit The Pavement
Well…
The pavement is one way to do it — but stationary works too! Either way, cycling is a great way to work your whole body and build stamina.
Cycling is not only amazing for heart health, it will help you stay lean AND build muscle.
The other really neat thing about biking is that you can increase the difficulty level at a pace that works for you — so if you’re on a mission to build endurance, but don’t want to worry about injury, this is a less strenuous exercise that will help you reach your goals.
Take a Dip
Think of hitting the water on a warm summer day — or perhaps taking a dive in an indoor heated one during the winter months. Sounds pretty nice, right?
Swimming is incredibly good for the mind and body. Like biking, swimming is easy on the joints and muscles while, at the same time, providing all of the benefits of a hardcore workout. Think about it — you have to move the entire time or else you’ll sink!
It’s also a great workout for the lungs. If you’re able to improve lung functionality doing laps in the community pool, you’ll build a higher endurance.
So as they say… just keep swimming!
Shake and Shimmy
Hips may or may not lie, but saying you build endurance from dancing is the honest truth!
Dancers need to think about every movement, manage every breath, work muscles from top to bottom, be poised and postured, stretch, bend, swoop, and everything in between.
If you’ve ever been to a wedding and danced the night away — sure thing you probably woke up feeling like you hit the gym in a hard way the night before.
That’s because dancing really is the ultimate workout and one of the most optimum ways to build endurance over a period of time.
So put on some good tunes and get grooving!
Take Your Time
There are many more ways to build up good cardio endurance — the biggest takeaway should be that it isn't a race (even if you choose to run).
Take your time, one foot in front of the other, one good stride on the bike, one lap in the pool, or one song at a time.
Be patient and persistent in order to improve every day.
