Gasping for air? Whether you’re training for a marathon or you simply want to get more from your daily workout, stamina is key. It’s what allows you to sustain a physical (or mental) exercise for an extended period of time. Building your endurance prevents stress and discomfort while staving off fatigue in the long run.
6 Tips for Boosting Your Stamina
If you’re looking for an effective stamina boost, the following 6 tips will help you make it happen.
Reduce Resting Time
Most people maintain a recovery time of around 30 to 90 seconds between sets. Instead of trying to increase your endurance with more sets, decrease the amount of time you spend resting between them.
One way to do this is by selecting a series of movements and repeating them back-to-back with minimal delay. It can be as simple as 10 push-ups, 10 squats, 10 sit-ups and 10 burpees for three rounds. Of course, there’s nothing to gain from pushing yourself too far. Ensure that you balance intense sessions with lighter exercise like jogging or swimming.
Use Supplements
It’s not unreasonable to assume that incorporating your morning coffee into your workout routine would provide a helpful caffeine boost. However, doing so comes at the risk of getting jitters and experiencing the inevitable crash that follows. You’ll also build a tolerance over time.
The right way to go about this is to consider using a pre-workout supplement. These are formulated to contain the right amount of ingredients (including caffeine) to increase your endurance without the associated side effects.
Balance Frequency and Duration
Performing fast-paced, high-intensity movements is a great way to ignite your metabolism. But in order to experience the benefits, you need to keep it up as the week goes on. Duration is no less important for your stamina, so you’ll want to make sure that you aren’t going all-out just once.
Set a minimum of between three and five workouts for the week, with each being longer than 20 minutes. Don’t forget to keep your exercises varied. Compound moves that work all of your muscles are more conducive to better endurance than isolated exercises. Switch up your routine every now and then – it’s more interesting that way.
Add Explosive Movements
Things like burpees and power push-ups are not only great for strength, but also endurance and stamina. Jumping knee tucks and box jumps are some of the other explosive movements that you can add to your routine. After practicing them for enough time, you’ll notice that you’ll move faster and be able to maintain the exercise for longer.
Meditate
In a 2016 study on medical students who participated in yoga and meditation classes for six weeks, participants reported noticeable improvements in their endurance and overall stress levels. They also had a greater sense of well-being and were less prone to fatigue.
You don’t necessarily have to become a full-blown yogi to experience the benefits. Simply incorporating more stretching exercises into your routine can make a difference. Deep focus on slow movements conditions your body to sustain them for longer. Just like with meditation, it can also increase your mental strength.
Put Mind Over Matter
As you can probably guess, your mind plays a major role in determining your endurance. It may very well be what’s setting the current limit for your stamina. When it comes to reaching new heights, willingness and determination are just as important as physical fitness.
Remember that it’s not always possible to operate at your maximum potential. Your energy levels naturally experience ebbs and flows over time. A bit of rest today might be all your body needs to push the envelope tomorrow.
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