The hardest part about exercising is just getting started—especially if you haven’t established a regular workout routine. If you’re trying to get back into a consistent rhythm with your exercise or just beginning to prioritize your physical health, you may feel discouraged by your lack of stamina.

Building endurance is the key to maintaining regular, healthy patterns. You will be able to exercise harder and longer while cultivating consistency in supporting your overall wellness.

Types of Endurance Exercises

Endurance refers to your ability to withstand physical activity for an extended period. Two parts of the body are involved in this: the heart and the muscles, which are a part of the cardiovascular and muscular systems respectively.

Cardiovascular Endurance

When your heart, lungs, and airways can sustain ongoing activity, it’s considered cardiovascular endurance. To boost this facet of your health, you should participate in activities that stimulate your heart. These exercises are typically referred to as aerobic activity since they increase the flow of oxygen in your body.

When people hear terms like “aerobic exercise” or “endurance training,” they often think of long-distance running—but if you’re not a runner, don’t worry. You can develop your endurance in other ways.

Walking—Take a brisk stroll through the neighborhood when you get the chance. Put on your headphones and listen to some music or an educational podcast to keep your mind sharp.

Dancing—If you love the idea of a fun, social, low-impact exercise, a dancing class might be right for you. Many gyms offer Zumba classes in the price of the membership. Check out your gym’s website to see if you can join a program or search for similar classes in your area.

Biking—Pull your bike out of the garage and go for a ride. Biking is a low-impact cardio exercise that strengthens your legs—with significantly less impact and pressure on your body than running. 

Hiking—If you love the outdoors, hiking is a good way to get your heart rate going while enjoying nature. Try researching nearby parks to find new trails.

The most important step is getting started—so choose an activity that appeals to you and commit to it regularly over the next few months.

Muscular Endurance

Muscular endurance refers to the ability of your muscles to contract for a continuous period. This is often called strength training or resistance work. These types of exercises differ from workouts that target your cardiovascular strength by targeting particular muscle groups and strengthening your entire body. Body-weight training is a central part of total-body endurance and strength training. For this type of training, you don’t even need special equipment; the weight of your own body is sufficient to invigorate all of your muscle groups.

Push-ups—Position your hands about shoulder-width apart on the floor. Bend your elbows towards the ground until they’re at about a 45-degree angle to your body. Push-ups work your triceps, pectoral muscles, and shoulders—essentially the entire upper body. They also strengthen your core.

Squats—Squats are a popular way to increase lower-body strength. However, it’s important to practice perfect form when squatting, with or without weights. Make sure your knees never pass beyond your toes in a squat, which can cause permanent damage to the knees.

Pull-ups—If you’re not used to exercising, pull-ups might be difficult at first. But this workout strengthens your arm and back muscles while improving grip strength. Just make sure you don’t overdo this exercise—you don’t want to strain a muscle.

All three of these exercises will fortify your endurance and your entire body. Keep challenging your muscles to work harder as you progress in your routine.

The American Heart Association recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per week. This adds up to about 30 minutes per day, five days per week.[1]  Instead of only lifting weights or only going cycling, try to combine your cardio and strength training during the week. When done together, muscular and cardiovascular endurance activities promote optimal health and fitness.

Benefits of Increasing Endurance

Implementing regular endurance exercises into your lifestyle results in both short-term and long-term benefits. Consistent exercise can support your lifelong health, boost your confidence levels, and give you a sense of personal accomplishment. Exercise can also lower stress levels.

Most Americans live relatively sedentary lives, which causes decreased metabolism and can weaken the cardiovascular and muscular systems. Introducing endurance exercises into your routine can help you avoid these outcomes.

The significance of heart health cannot be overemphasized. Heart problems can affect your wellness and quality of life. Regular activity, like biking, running, and walking, combats the negative effects of a sedentary lifestyle. Consistent movement throughout the day—even if it doesn’t seem like much—can make a difference. If you experience regular fatigue, adding in a cardio routine to your lifestyle can counteract the lethargy of sitting at a desk. Extended exertion can boost energy and metabolic levels, which is why many experts suggest adding exercise to your daily routine—but not just as a “once-in-a-while” occurrence.

Increasing your muscular endurance can also reduce body weight by creating leaner muscle mass, which burns more calories even at rest. Building lean muscles makes everyday activities, like carrying groceries or walking up the stairs, much easier. The combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can even have a positive effect on your cholesterol levels.

Importance of Realistic Goals

Your health is different from everyone else’s. Go at a pace that fits your needs and lifestyle. Setting specific, realistic goals will help you make progress. When your body is ready for more, you can add new physical activities into your daily routine.

It can be tempting to overextend yourself when starting a workout routine. If you haven’t run in several years, don’t start by running a mile. Ease into it. Go for a twenty-minute walk every day and then transition into jogging. The same is true for cycling, dancing, and weightlifting—don’t go past your limits. Listen to your body’s needs. Follow a sustainable exercise plan that works for you.

Conclusion

At Trinity School of Natural Health, we teach holistic wellness. If you’re looking for the best exercises to increase your endurance and help you feel confident again, our programs can provide you with the tools you need to succeed. To learn about the programs we offer—and how they can empower you to reach your full potential—visit our website.

[1] https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-infographic

**This blog post was reformatted and updated from its original version. Download the original version here: https://trinityschool.org/Exercises-to-Increase-Endurance