How do you prepare for endurance sports? The achievements of elite athletes often inspire respect and amazement and often the desire to get even a little closer to these human machines. Run a dozen-kilometer cross-country run, take part in a mountain bike rally, or maybe complete a park run with a team of friends. What appeals to you?
Endurance sports can take many forms - running, cycling, long-distance swimming. They are all based on long-term effort, for which you should know how to prepare. If your sports activity at the moment is based on two strength training sessions a week and the occasional bike ride or ball game, then although you feel fit and strong, do not expect proper performance in endurance sports. It's a completely different type of activity. It is based on good cardiorespiratory fitness, speed, and agility as well as muscle strength. The combination of these features allows you to face the various endurance challenges without weakness.
First, get to love shortness of breath
If you've been practicing until you're out of breath so far, it's time to change that. You'll improve your endurance by doing high-intensity exercises with short rest between sets. So, you should be out of breath for most of your workout. Constant progress is also important, increasing the difficulty - extending the time of exercises, shortening the breaks etc. You should be out of breath after your endurance training. And that's what it's all about. If you aren’t pushing yourself, you won’t progress.
Second… introduce endurance exercises into your training
If you just walk, you will become a walking master. However, you won't achieve much in running or mountain climbing. Start practicing with those future challenges in mind. Endurance training must be based on multi-joint exercises, involving the whole body and, above all, based on repeated movements in a quick succession.
The best endurance exercises
Jump squats
Stand apart, do a deep squat, and stand up dynamically, jumping up. After landing, we immediately go back down into the squat. Keep our hands together at chest level or perform a natural swing motion that allows us to maintain balance and support the dynamics of the exercise. Do 16 reps without a break, then rest for 15 seconds and move on to the next set or exercise.
Jumping forward and backward (or sideways) on one foot
A simple but quite tiring exercise. We stand on one leg and make light, measured jumps forward and backward (or sideways). Do 16 jumps forward (and the same number of returns to the starting position). 15 second break.
Burpees
It is hard to imagine endurance training without this exercise. Start with a squat, touch the ground with your hands as if to support the front and with a dynamic movement, throw both legs back, moving to a push-up position. Then we go back to the squat and jump up. We do 16 such reps, followed by a 15 second break.
Mountain Climbers
Start with a plank position (a push-up position with legs straight in the knees). Rhythmically, make alternating movements of pulling the knee to the chest (the movement imitates climbing the wall). Continue for 30 seconds, then take a break for 10 seconds.
Jogging on the spot
Stand with legs shoulder width apart, torso slightly tilted forward, knees bent. We start to shuffle our feet in place, as if we were trotting intensely. In this exercise, the most important thing is to take as many steps as possible in the shortest possible time. Continue for 20 seconds, then rest for 10 seconds.
Too fast? Too many reps? If the proposed exercises are beyond your capabilities for now, start with fewer repetitions in the sets (e.g. 10). However, do not extend the breaks between series and exercises, endurance training is about aiming for such a high intensity that you do not allow rest during training.
How often do you exercise?
Effective endurance improvement requires at least 6 weeks of training based on 2 training sessions per week of approximately 40 minutes (plus warm-up and stretching). Of course, apart from these workouts, we should do other types of activity (walking, strength training, etc.). If you run or ride a bike, also introduce endurance elements to your training, e.g., an intensive uphill run.
And if I don't plan marathons... Why do I need this?
People with greater physical fitness are healthier, slimmer, they do not get as tired while performing everyday activities, they are more prepared for surprise physical strain, such as climbing to the 9th floor when the elevator is broken. They suffer from cardiovascular diseases less often, they have more energy, so they are willing to undertake additional activities. These are probably enough convincing arguments to introduce endurance exercises to the plan.