By Caroline Kanshabe
When it comes to building a better, healthier body, many people immediately aim to improve body fat and muscle mass. These aspects are certainly important, but there is another part of fitness that is often overlooked but is just as important as working out. Whether you play sports or have active hobbies, enjoy the gym, or just want to boost your energy throughout the day, endurance is essential.
Staminaak “conditioning” is your ability to perform intense physical activity over a period of time. People who lack endurance can exercise for a few minutes, then quickly fade. However, people with excellent stamina can make it through the day. To help you feel more energetic, we’ve rounded up some of the best exercises to increase stamina.
Read on to find out some of the best-recommended exercises to build incredible endurance and improve your fitness. And when you’re done reading, be sure to check out People Swear By The 12-3-30 Weight Loss Workout: I Lost 30 Pounds In 10 Weeks.
Steady-state cardio
This list of exercises to build endurance starts with steady-state cardio. Long-term endurance training is the most basic way to build conditioning, regardless of your sport or hobby. It improves your aerobic system, which supplies energy during low-intensity exercise and helps you recover during high-intensity activity. According to the American Heart Association, endurance activities keep your circulatory system, lungs, and heart healthy.
To do this type of exercise properly, set your heart rate to between 135 and 150 beats per minute for 30 to 60 minutes several times a week. The methods don’t matter so much, so feel free to run, bike, jump rope, or even do a range of motion exercises.
Squats with a cup
In virtually all sports, endurance depends on lower body strength. To build bulletproof and flexible legs, you need to build muscle, not just rely on cardio. This is where goblet squats come into play. They take the load off your legs, and since you’re bearing the weight, you’re also doing isometric work in your upper body, so you can build strength there too.
Grab the end of one dumbbell in both hands and hold it behind your chest with your elbows underneath. Stand shoulder-width apart with your toes slightly out. Begin the movement by sitting back and spreading your knees. Lower down to parallel while keeping your lower back flat. At the bottom, drive through the heels and keep the knees apart. Do 10 to 15 repetitions for at least three sets. Lower slowly for two seconds and come up for two seconds.
Skateboards mountain climbers
For developing high-intensity endurance, mountain climbers are second to none. They get your heart rate up to the max and make your legs work like crazy. Plus, since you’ll be in a push-up position, you’re building strength there that won’t hurt.
Place both feet on a sliding board or individual sliding discs. Get into a push-up position. Keep your core tight and run as fast as you can down the board while keeping your head up and hips down. Do this for 20 seconds, rest for 40 seconds, and repeat.
Farmer’s Carry
Typically, “gym power” only lasts a few seconds, which is the length of the set. But then there is “farmer strength,” which refers to the ability to do hard work all day long. (Now that’s real endurance!)
To build this kind of all-day strength, look no further than the aptly named farmer’s carry. It increases the strength of the whole body, increases the strength of the grip, and improves the cardiovascular system.
Grab a heavy dumbbell in both hands, keep your chest up and shoulder blades together, and walk 30 yards. Rest and repeat.
For a walk
Walking is without a doubt the easiest exercise to increase stamina and endurance. Walking daily improves your overall health, recovery and aerobic fitness, which can indirectly increase your strength. For more benefits, don’t just go for a lazy walk with pace and speed. You can even wear a weighted vest for added intensity and strength benefits.
The bear crawls
Crawling can improve strength and endurance throughout your body while improving your fitness and coordination. This exercise is also extremely low-impact.
Get on all fours, hands under shoulders and knees under hips; keep your knees an inch off the ground. Crawl forward, taking a small step with your right arm and left leg simultaneously and alternately. Keep your hips down and your head up.
Kettlebell swing
Next on this list of exercises to increase endurance is the kettlebell swing. With kettlebells, you can pull, push, spin and swing them like no other tool to increase your endurance, increase your strength and power and get incredibly fit. But the biggest mistake, other than calling it a kettle, is poor technique.
Start in a push-up position with the kettlebell a few feet in front of you. Then lift the kettlebell back between your legs like a football center and explosively drive your hips forward. Imagine pushing a kettlebell towards a target in front of you. Keep your hands relaxed. Do not let the kettlebell rise above shoulder height.
Pushing the sled
Raman thrusts are incredible for durability. It’s like walking or running against resistance; it builds serious strength endurance and explosiveness in your body, especially in your lower back.
If your gym has sleds and grass, start with light weights and work your way up. If you don’t have a sled, use a treadmill. While the machine is off, grab the handles and start “marching” by pushing the belt back.
Battle ropes
While most conditioning exercises focus on the lower body, battle ropes make sure your upper body joins the party. They give you resistance when working your arms and core, and they come in a variety of lengths and weights to suit your situation. You can do them for longer periods or turn them into an interval workout where you get your heart rate up and then rest.
Dumbbell walks with lunges
Dumbbell walking starts with holding a dumbbell in each hand. Lift one leg forward and place it firmly on the floor. Then lower your body into a lunge while using control until your back knee is lightly touching the floor. Then step forward with the other leg and repeat. Complete 12 to 15 repetitions for each leg.
Body weight rows
For bodyweight rows, work with the equipment that’s most comfortable and accessible to you, whether it’s a TRX/suspension strap, a bar, or rings. If you choose a strap, place your hands in a neutral grip with palms facing each other. If you’re working with a barbell, use a pronated (upper arm) or supinated (underhand) grip.
Lift both legs forward and bend back slightly to at least 45 degrees. As you pull your body in, keep your hips high and your muscles engaged. Do this while driving with your elbows toward your hips. Squeeze your upper back and shoulder blade to complete the movement, then fully straighten your arms for a solid shoulder blade stretch. Complete 15 to 20 repetitions.
Rower intervals
If you’re looking to increase your endurance, rower intervals are a great exercise to add to your fitness routine. If you’re new to interval training, start with shorter sprints. That would be five sets of 200 meters, then rest twice as long as needed to finish in between. Try to keep the same pace for each set. If you are more conditioned, you can do four sets of 250 meters or five sets of 300 meters.
Skipping rope
Jumping rope is great because you can do it anywhere for a great workout. It improves your stamina, yet is surprisingly low impact as it forces you to maintain good posture and land properly on the balls of your feet. The moment you lose proper posture or technique, the rope will automatically stop!
Grab a jump rope and do a total of 10 minutes, taking necessary breaks at the same time. As you improve, you can increase the duration and speed, or try more difficult variations.
Swimming
This list of exercises for increasing endurance ends with swimming. Swimming is a fantastic, low-impact exercise that builds tremendous strength, power and conditioning. There’s no pounding on your joints because you’re weightless in the water, and it even trains your breathing because you have to adjust your breathing while swimming.I recommend walking at an easy pace for 20 to 30 minutes two to three times a week. As you improve your technique, you can increase your speed and even try intervals.
