When it comes to exercise, the terms “stamina” and “endurance” are essentially interchangeable. However, there are some subtle differences between them. Show
Stamina is the mental and physical ability to sustain an activity for a long period. When people talk about stamina, they often use it to refer to the feeling of being peppy or energetic while doing an activity. Endurance refers to your body’s physical capability to sustain an exercise for an extended period. It’s made up of two components: cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance. Cardiovascular endurance is the ability of your heart and lungs to fuel your body with oxygen. Muscular endurance is the ability of your muscles to work continuously without getting tired. In this article, we’re going to look at how you can improve your stamina and endurance and dig deeper into the differences between these terms. When people talk about stamina, usually they’re referring to their ability to perform an activity without getting tired. It can be thought of as the opposite of fatigue, or the ability to feel energetic for a prolonged period. Having good stamina for a professional basketball player might mean being able to get through an entire game without a dip in performance. Stamina for an 85-year-old grandfather might mean having enough energy to play with his grandkids. Unlike endurance, stamina itself isn’t a component of physical fitness, but it’s the result of becoming fitter. Physical fitness is often divided into five components: There are two components to endurance: cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance. Both of these components of fitness can be measured objectively. For example, cardiovascular fitness could be measured using a 1.5-mile run test and the result could be compared to benchmarks for certain age groups. A variety of tests could be used to measure muscle endurance such as a maximum push-up test for upper-body endurance or maximum sit-up test for core endurance. You can improve your endurance and stamina by regularly performing aerobic exercise that challenges your lungs and heart. Here are some tips for building an endurance program: 1. The SAID principleOne of the fundamental components of building an effective fitness program is the SAID principle. SAID stands for Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. It means your body will adapt to the specific type of exercise you regularly perform. For example, if you build a workout program that consists primarily of upper- body exercises, your upper-body strength will improve but your lower-body strength will stay about the same. 2. Overload principleAnother basic concept for building an effective fitness program is the overload principle. This principle involves making gradual increases in either volume or intensity to continue improving your fitness. For example, if you want to improve your 10-mile run time, you’ll need to gradually make your workouts harder by increasing either:
3. Aim for more than 150 minutes per weekExercising regularly can help boost your energy levels by helping you sleep better and increasing blood flow throughout your body. The American Heart Association recommends getting at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week to strengthen your heart and lungs. Getting more than 300 minutes per week is linked to additional benefits. 4. Yoga or meditationIncluding stress-relieving activities in your weekly routine can help you relax and improves your ability to handle more intense workouts. Two examples of relaxing activities include yoga and meditation. A 2016 study found that medical students who underwent six weeks of yoga and meditation had significant improvements in feelings of peace, focus, and endurance. 5. Find your target heart rateYour target heart rate during aerobic exercise is 50 to 70 percent of your maximum for moderate-intensity activities, and 70 to 85 percent your maximum for vigorous activities. You can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you’re 45, your maximum heart rate would be 175. 6. Try HIIT trainingHigh-intensity interval training (HIIT) involves repetitive bouts of high-intensity intervals alternating with rest periods. An example would be 10-second sprints with a 30-second rest between each sprint. Along with improving your cardiovascular fitness, HIIT training may improve your insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, and help you lose abdominal fat. HIIT training is an advanced form of exercise, and is best suited for people already physically active. 7. Find exercises you enjoyMany people associate getting fit with going to the gym, lifting weights, and running on a treadmill. However, even if you don’t enjoy these activities, there are plenty of ways to improve your fitness. Instead of forcing yourself to do an exercise you don’t like, think of activities you do enjoy. For example, if you hate running but love dancing, taking a dance class like Zumba is a great way to improve your aerobic fitness. 8. Stay hydratedTo prevent dehydration when working out, it’s important to stay hydrated, especially if you’re working out in hot or humid conditions. If your sessions are particularly long, you may want to consider taking electrolytes to replace minerals lost during sweat. Performing aerobic exercise regularly strengthens your heart and lungs and improves your circulation, which can help you build stamina and endurance. Aerobic exercises refer to those that elevate your breathing and heart rate, such as:
If you train consistently and progress at regular intervals, you can expect to see a noticeable improvement in two to three months. Progress takes time. Increasing the weight you’re lifting, the distance you’re moving, or the intensity of your workout too quickly can lead to injuries or burnout. Try to increase the difficulty of your workouts in small steps to minimize your risk of injury or burnout. For example, if you’re building a running program, you wouldn’t want to go from running three miles per workout to 10 miles per workout at the same intensity. A better strategy would to increase to four miles at first, slowly progressing to 10 miles over many weeks. Working with a professional trainer can be beneficial no matter your fitness level. A trainer can help you design a program suitable for your current fitness level and help you set realistic goals. A good trainer will also make sure that you don’t progress too quickly to minimize your chances of injury. The terms “stamina” and “endurance” have similar meanings and are often used interchangeably. Regular aerobic exercise can help you improve both these fitness qualities. Experts recommend getting at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. Exercising more than 150 minutes per week is linked to additional health benefits.
Exercise intensity refers to how hard your body is working during physical activity. Your health and fitness goals, as well as your current level of fitness, will determine your ideal exercise intensity. Typically, exercise intensity is described as low, moderate, or vigorous. For maximum health benefits, the goal is to work hard, but not too hard – described as moderate intensity by Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines. These guidelines recommend that for good health, you should aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity physical activity on most days, in addition to a general message of moving more and sitting less. This is the same for women and men. Pre-exercise screening is used to identify people with medical conditions that may put them at a higher risk of experiencing a health problem during physical activity. It is a filter or ‘safety net’ to help decide if the potential benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for you. Ensure you read through the pre-exercise self-screening before you embark on a physical activity or exercise program. Measuring exercise intensityThere are various ways to measure your exercise intensity to make sure your body is getting the most out of every workout. You may need to experiment to find out which method of measuring exercise intensity suits you best. Three different measurement methods include:
Measuring exercise intensity using your target heart rateThe human body has an in-built system to measure its exercise intensity – the heart. Your heart rate will increase in proportion to the intensity of your exercise. You can track and guide your exercise intensity by calculating your Target Heart Rate (THR) range.For moderate-intensity physical activity, a person's THR should be 50 to 70 per cent of their maximum heart rate. The maximum rate is based on a person's age. An estimate of a person's maximum heart rate can be calculated as 220 beats per minute (bpm) minus your age. Because it is an estimate, use it with caution.Keep your heart rate at the lower end of your recommended range if you are just starting regular exercise. Gradually increase the intensity of your workouts as your fitness improves. Also, your heart rate should stay in the lower ranges during warm-up and cool-down periods.Using a heart rate monitor is an easy way to keep track of your heart rate while you’re exercising, or you can take your pulse (see below).Seeking medical advice about your target heart rateIf you have a medical condition, are overweight, are aged over 40 years or haven’t exercised in a long time, see your doctor for a medical check-up before starting any new exercise program. Your heart rate target range may need to be professionally recalculated to take your health and general fitness into account.Some medications can alter your heart rate response to exercise, so make sure you discuss the medications you are taking and how they could affect your exercise plans with your doctor. It may be necessary to use another option for monitoring exercise intensity if you are taking certain medications.Target heart rate chart
Measuring your heart rate by taking your pulseTaking your pulse at regular intervals lets you know whether you are exercising within your target heart rate range. Some tips include:
Factors known to influence heart rateIt’s not just exercise that affects your heart rate. Your beats per minute could be raised by a number of internal and external factors including:
Measuring exercise intensity using the talk testThe talk test is a simple and reliable way to measure intensity. As a rule of thumb:
Measuring exercise intensity using the exertion rating scaleThis method is based on observing your body’s physical signs during physical activity, including increased heart rate, increased respiration or breathing rate, increased sweating, and muscle fatigue. To keep within a moderate intensity, aim to experience the exercise signs 3–7 in the chart below.You can keep a diary of your exertion ratings to monitor your fitness progressions. As you become fitter, the same activity will become easier and your exertion rating will decrease. Then you’ll know it’s time to increase your effort.
Your body’s response to moderate intensity exercise normally includes:
Exercise intensity warning signsIf you experience any of the following symptoms, stop exercising and seek medical help:
Where to get help
Things to remember
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This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
This page has been produced in consultation with and approved by:
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