Are you tired of endless breathlessness, trembling muscles after doing two exercise repetitions, and having to take a break every five seconds? Today I will show you how to build better stamina and how to improve your condition step by step.
WHAT REALLY IS CONDITION AND WHY DO YOU NEED IT?
If someone is able to run 5 kilometres, they do not pant like a steam engine, when they run for the bus and are able to do their workout without much problem; we say that they have a good condition.
But what does that really mean? Is condition congenital or can it be shaped? What makes one person able to crack ten kilometres at a fast pace and end up not too tired, and the other cannot run even one?
For all this is the responsibility of endurance. Stamina is the ability to perform a given effort at certain intensity in spite of fatigue. Of course, some genetic traits influence whether we are predisposed to one or other strength, but in general it is a trait that can be improved with training and in a fairly quick way. It is just wonderful to build a healthy body - unlike weight loss or muscle gain, the effects of training to improve your condition can be seen practically day in and day out.
ENDURANCE – WHAT IS IT?
As we have different types of movement and training, so we have different types of endurance that are built differently.
We have oxygen resistance, which consists in performing low and medium-intensity exercises - i.e. 10 km run, which engages only aerobic processes.
We also have an anaerobic endeavour that involves performing a medium to high intensity exercise - such as performing a tabata training, which mainly uses anaerobic processes.
And what sort of resistance do we need to be in good condition? Both. Mixed and anaerobic resistance will allow us to exercise intense effort and oxygen resistance - low intensity but for a long period of time. Only by shaping all kinds of intensity will we be able to achieve really good condition.
In addition, we should add "muscle endurance", thanks to which we will be able to do strength and endurance training without issues – enough with the shaking legs!
Only the combination of all these aspects is a CONDITION to me.
WHAT DOES WORKING ON CONDITION INVOLVE?
To improve our endurance, we have to lead many times to the right level of fatigue. Thanks to that our body will experience a phenomenon of supercompensation, which will show increased strength.
HOW TO BUILD UP CONDITION FROM ZERO (BEGINNER)?
If we are just starting our adventures with sport, each workout will already build our condition. But as beginners, we have to start building the base - oxygen resistance. Therefore, all long but calmer exercises will work.
Example workouts: running, swimming, endurance march, cycling, cross trainer, bike, rowing, fitness exercises such as zumba, stepper, burning, home training with exercise sets that last longer, but their intensity is low or average, and the pace of exercise is equal.
Training time: 40-60 minutes
Heart rate during training: 130-160, sometimes 170 (but not constantly)
Symptoms during training: slightly breathless, slight sweating, fatigue, but one that allows you to continue exercising. Ability to speak during exercises - all the time or in part.
Frequency: 2-3 workouts per week
After about 3-4 weeks of such training, we increase the intensity and change the workouts to harder ones.
HOW TO IMPROVE CONDITION (ADVANCED)?
If we have been practicing for some time, but we would like to improve our condition, it is important to take care of oxygen and anaerobic endurance. Our workouts need to be more varied than beginner training. We already have a base; it's time to build it up. So we do both "base", i.e. oxygen training and "superstructure", i.e. anaerobic and mixed training (with greater intensity)
Examples of training: circumferential training, cross fit, functional training, tabata, running, swimming, walking, bike, cross trainer, rowing, paddling, zumba fitness, stepper, burning, home training with intensive and moderate intensity Intervals.
Training can be continuous with variable intensity or intermittent - repetitive or on time.
Training time: 20-60 minutes
Heart rate during training: 145-190,
Symptoms during workout: severe shortness of breath, sweating, fatigue.
Frequency: 2-4 workouts per week
OBSERVE YOUR BODY
Perhaps, despite reading this article, this information is hardly understandable for you. So listen to your body and watch how well your body behaves in training. To improve your condition, you must try to cross your comfort zone and get tired. Also use marching or low intensity to your advantage! If you cannot run a kilometre, try marching it - we run first until we cannot go farther and begin to walk briskly. After a moment of such rest, you can try running again. This way, after some time we will be able to run a mile without a walk. This applies to any workout - do active breaks also during workout at home or on machines - instead of stopping, try to slow down!
I will try to prepare a training plan that helps improve condition to make it easier for you. Just let me know if something like this would be useful to you.
