Increase cardio endurance.

**theatrain** · December 31st, 2005, 02:02 AM

I was wondering if anyone out there has a websitet they could link me to, maybe an article or just personal ways they know of to increase there endurance. I notice after I run for a while I am tired quickly. Also I was boxing with my friend at the end of round1 I felt like I was about dead, this could be due to the fact I am afraid to get hit (new to boxing) so I did much un-neccesary bobbing and weavy and jumping around.
Im just wondering if there is any breathing techniques to help me, or maybe cardio excercises. I'm thinking I could just run until I feel like I cant go anymore, but then tell myself "Go for (x)more seconds" and add more time to that everytime I am running. There has got to be other ways though.

**Dial_tone** · December 31st, 2005, 07:18 PM

to increase endurance go long, not hard. 30-60 minute runs or 2-4 hour bike rides at 60-70% max HR.

**Sasaku** · December 31st, 2005, 08:09 PM

Well is this aerobic or anaerobic endurence? To increase the former a long moderate run, bike ride, swim, etc. will improve it. To increase the later, boxing is mostly anaerobic, do sprints of whatever exercise you want. I have had good success with high rep kettlebell swings for anaerobic endurance and improving that had a carryover to my aerobic endurance as well.

**theatrain** · January 1st, 2006, 08:34 PM

I just wana be able to do cardio activities longer. (Box, run, ride a bike, wrestle, swim, jump rope) Instead of being able to do some of these things for 10minutes before coming winded I would like to go 20, then after 20 maybe 30.

dan007 · January 1st, 2006, 11:20 PM

go to www.menshealth.com, they have alot of great articles there.

ABN I Man · January 2nd, 2006, 11:21 PM

Men's health does have some good stuff, as well as Runner's World (buy a copy; just about every issue has somebodie's training plan in it). One of the highly encouraged techniques you will frequently find when reveiwing numerous articles from these, and other sources, is HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training). Also referred to as intervals, fartleks, sprints, and probably a few more.

I presume this can be applied to just about any form of cardio activity, but since you mentioned running, here's one I use:

1 minute sprint (pushing about 90% effort), followed by 1 minute slow jog, or even walk; repeat. I started out doing a mile warm-up followed by 15 of these, then a mile cool down.

You can play around with the variables: increase/decrease sprint time, increase/decrease rest time, measure sprints and rest in distance instead of time(ever hear of 'running the straights, and walking the curves' on a 1/4 mile track).

I've applied this at different times from doing as short as 100 meter sprints, up to as long as 2 minute 'sprints' (though I wouldn't characterize my pace after several of these as 'sprint).

Develop your routine, do it once, maybe twice per week, with a medium distance and pace run ( you have be the judge of what that means to you), and a longer, slower run, resulting in 3-4 runs per week. Give your legs some rest the day after a run. And don't do HIIT runs everytime.

Oh, and another thing. Check out your form. If you can get to a treadmill in front of a mirror, get warmed up and into a confortable pace and then study yourself. Upper body; look for too much movement in shoulders or twisting, head and/or shoulders slumped down, arms flailing or rigid and stiff, leaning too far forward or back. Lower body: even gate, foot placement relatively straight forward with smooth landing, and high foot turnover is prefferred to long strides.

Hope this helps.

**sucher67** · January 3rd, 2006, 12:29 AM

I have a similar dillemma to Theatrain: I have wanted to increase my cardio endurance as well. It is so frustrating to get winded quickly. I really want to be able to go on long runs-- I see people going on long runs and enjoying the scenery, and I am too caught up in gasping for breath. Where do I start?

I have considered doing a cardio training program on a treadmill and/or bike indoors-- there are interval programs on the machines that sound similar to the HIIT concept mentioned by ABN. Does anyone have any feedback about this? Then I feel I could transition to running outdoors with a little more endurance.

Additionally, how should one weight-train the lower body along with a cardio workout like running or biking? I find that one activity leaves me too tired or sore for the other. Others don't seem to have this problem. Is it simply that I don't have enough endurance and get sore too quickly?

I appreciate any advice that this forum can offer.

ABN I Man · January 3rd, 2006, 10:30 PM

sucher, give some more details about your running. distance, pace, frequency. Same for weight training.

What I've been doing recently with some success is a two-a-day where I run in the morning, then workout the legs in the gym that afternoon. The next day the legs get a break. But rememebr, this has been after a somewhat intense running plan on and off for a few months.

I need to see where you're at, and then I hope I might be able to help.