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Endurance Training
Endurance training is a great way to stay healthy and fit
While building the most muscular body is a lofty goal, it's not exactly what every guy wants to go for. A lot of guys find that endurance training is a little more up their alley. There are a great number of health benefits from endurance training, just as there are from strength training, so it is an excellent form of exercise to train for and -- if you really get involved -- compete in.
Just as with strength training, however, there are a number of different principles behind endurance training in terms of what you are trying to achieve and how you should go about getting there.
First let's go over some common terms that relate to endurance training:
Aerobic training is basically any type of exercise that occurs while the body is continually utilizing oxygen. This will be exercise that is performed at a moderate- to low-intensity level.
Anaerobic endurance training refers to short-term endurance exercise that relies on both anaerobic and a small amount of aerobic energy pathways. This will be exercise that is performed very close to lactate threshold (higher intensity) and lasts for a much shorter period of time, usually around 1 to 3 minutes.
VO2 max is a measurement of how much oxygen your body is able to consume and use efficiently while exercising. It is usually stated in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.
Note, however, that solely having a high VO2 max does not necessarily mean you will be extremely capable in terms of endurance performance, as performance will also depend on your lactate threshold.
Lactate threshold, then, is how rapidly your body is able to remove the waste product of lactic acid (produced during exercise of higher intensity). If you are not able to do this well, you will experience a great deal of discomfort shortly into higher intensity exercise and be forced to stop. If your body is efficient at removing these waste products, then you will be able to exercise for a much longer period of time.
Do keep in mind that this is speaking in terms of being at the upper end of intensity in your endurance training. A typical hour-long, moderate-paced jog is not going to take you to your lactate threshold, so although it may be decent exercise, it won't do much to improve your endurance performance. If you are looking to improve upon your endurance performance, training to increase your VO2 max or lactate threshold can be very beneficial.
how to train for endurance
Endurance training relies largely upon the glycolysis system, which is the energy system that takes place with the presence of oxygen and can burn both carbohydrates and fat compounds for fuel. It is only when you push it to very high intensities that you will begin to approach your lactate threshold or VO2 max, as described above.
Therefore, with your training, it will be best if you can incorporate some workouts that help to improve your aerobic capacity alongside others that help to improve your anaerobic endurance. This will give you the best of both worlds so you can see maximum gains.
Find out how to train for aerobic capacit
initial training
In the initial parts of your cardiovascular training, you will want to work on building a solid aerobic base. This is what will enable you to work at higher levels of intensity later on in your program. If you are new to endurance training, you may want to start at a lower level and work primarily on duration.
When you are able to go for 30 minutes at that intensity, increase it slightly or perform some type of interval training where you go harder for 1 to 2 minutes and then easier for another 1 to 2 minutes. Note that these are not meant to be sprints, but alternating periods of harder and easier work.
training for aerobic capacity
After you've developed a good solid base to your aerobic training, then you want to work toward being able to perform at higher intensities for a longer period of time.
You will want to schedule these sessions for two or three days per week, depending on any other activities or training you take part in.
The time of these sessions can also vary, from 10 minutes all the way up to an hour or more. The longer duration sessions are going to be for those who plan to run endurance events such as a half or full marathon.
During these workouts you want to be going at a pace that is quite intense and challenging to maintain. The longer the duration of session, the lower the intensity you will work at, but it should still be higher than the base training intensity you did initially (during what are now considered your “easy” training days).
You should also keep the pace steady during these sessions, and when you begin to feel fatigued, stop to conclude the workout. Slowly work on developing the ability to go for a longer period of time at that same intensity.
increasing VO2 max & lactate threshold
The final component of your endurance training is working to improve your VO2 max and lactate threshold so that you will be able to exercise better when you go back to more moderate intensities and perform your endurance sessions.
To increase your VO2 max and lactate threshold, you will perform two different workouts per week -- one that is composed of very short sprints, and one that involves more moderate length intervals.
For the sprint session, you will go as hard as you absolutely can for a period of 10 to 20 seconds. After that, you will stop and go very easy (think walking) for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The work-to-rest ratio for these should be approximately 1:3, and you should work your way up to performing 8 to 10 repeats of these plus a five-minute warm-up and cool-down.
For the next sprint sessions, you will lengthen the work time slightly, so you will now be going hard for about 45 seconds to one minute, and then you'll be going easy for an equal duration (or slightly longer, to start with). The point of these intervals is to get them on a one-to-one ratio of work to rest. Keep in mind that you will not be going as hard as you did in the first sprint protocol due to their increased time length.
You should aim for 20 to 30 minutes of these intervals, so the total number you do will depend upon how long of a sprint interval you're using.
Your endurance training plan is next
Here’s a basic rundown of what an endurance program could look like, coupled with a full-body weight-lifting program, as this is still important to include and promote strong muscles as well as for maintenance purposes:
Monday: Aerobic capacity work in the morning; full-body lifting session in the evening
30 minutes at a moderate-hard intensity; Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) approximately 8 Tuesday: Sprint session 1 (shorter intervals)
5-minute warm-up 10-20 seconds on, 30-60 seconds off; repeated 8-10 times 5-minute cool down Wednesday: Aerobic capacity work in the morning; full-body lifting session in the evening
40 minutes at a moderate-hard intensity, RPE approximately 7-8 (slightly easier than Monday's workout since you are going 10 minutes longer) Thursday: Rest
Friday: Sprint session 2 (45-second to 1-minute intervals)
5-minute warm-up 45-60 seconds on, 45-90 seconds off; repeated 7-8 times 6-minute cool down Saturday: Long endurance training session
1- to 3-hour training run/cycle (length depends on event you are training for and is increased by 10% at most each week) Sunday: Rest
it's a plan
You can then alter this schedule to fit your own individual needs and preferences. Also, if you are training solely for the purpose of a long endurance event, you might wish to replace one of the sprint sessions for another long duration session since this is more event specific.
Furthermore, you will have to judge your own recovery abilities and make sure you are not starting to see your performance suffer from day to day because you are trying to do too much.
Lastly, if one of your goals is maintaining or achieving a lean physique, avoid doing excess volumes of moderate, steady-state aerobic training. This type of cardio work has a tendency to cause the body to adapt to it; over time, it will not work as effectively as a means for burning off body fat. Sprint sessions and heavy weight lifting work much better in terms of getting lean, so if that is your primary goal, make sure your sprint and weight workouts are in there and then just supplement those with one or two longer endurance sessions.
So, if you are looking for a different type of workout goal after spending a lot of time solely focused on mass building, give endurance training a try.
Endurance training is a great way to stay healthy and fit
While building the most muscular body is a lofty goal, it's not exactly what every guy wants to go for. A lot of guys find that endurance training is a little more up their alley. There are a great number of health benefits from endurance training, just as there are from strength training, so it is an excellent form of exercise to train for and -- if you really get involved -- compete in.
Just as with strength training, however, there are a number of different principles behind endurance training in terms of what you are trying to achieve and how you should go about getting there.
First let's go over some common terms that relate to endurance training:
Aerobic training is basically any type of exercise that occurs while the body is continually utilizing oxygen. This will be exercise that is performed at a moderate- to low-intensity level.
Anaerobic endurance training refers to short-term endurance exercise that relies on both anaerobic and a small amount of aerobic energy pathways. This will be exercise that is performed very close to lactate threshold (higher intensity) and lasts for a much shorter period of time, usually around 1 to 3 minutes.
VO2 max is a measurement of how much oxygen your body is able to consume and use efficiently while exercising. It is usually stated in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.
Note, however, that solely having a high VO2 max does not necessarily mean you will be extremely capable in terms of endurance performance, as performance will also depend on your lactate threshold.
Lactate threshold, then, is how rapidly your body is able to remove the waste product of lactic acid (produced during exercise of higher intensity). If you are not able to do this well, you will experience a great deal of discomfort shortly into higher intensity exercise and be forced to stop. If your body is efficient at removing these waste products, then you will be able to exercise for a much longer period of time.
Do keep in mind that this is speaking in terms of being at the upper end of intensity in your endurance training. A typical hour-long, moderate-paced jog is not going to take you to your lactate threshold, so although it may be decent exercise, it won't do much to improve your endurance performance. If you are looking to improve upon your endurance performance, training to increase your VO2 max or lactate threshold can be very beneficial.
how to train for endurance
Endurance training relies largely upon the glycolysis system, which is the energy system that takes place with the presence of oxygen and can burn both carbohydrates and fat compounds for fuel. It is only when you push it to very high intensities that you will begin to approach your lactate threshold or VO2 max, as described above.
Therefore, with your training, it will be best if you can incorporate some workouts that help to improve your aerobic capacity alongside others that help to improve your anaerobic endurance. This will give you the best of both worlds so you can see maximum gains.
Find out how to train for aerobic capacit
initial training
In the initial parts of your cardiovascular training, you will want to work on building a solid aerobic base. This is what will enable you to work at higher levels of intensity later on in your program. If you are new to endurance training, you may want to start at a lower level and work primarily on duration.
When you are able to go for 30 minutes at that intensity, increase it slightly or perform some type of interval training where you go harder for 1 to 2 minutes and then easier for another 1 to 2 minutes. Note that these are not meant to be sprints, but alternating periods of harder and easier work.
training for aerobic capacity
After you've developed a good solid base to your aerobic training, then you want to work toward being able to perform at higher intensities for a longer period of time.
You will want to schedule these sessions for two or three days per week, depending on any other activities or training you take part in.
The time of these sessions can also vary, from 10 minutes all the way up to an hour or more. The longer duration sessions are going to be for those who plan to run endurance events such as a half or full marathon.
During these workouts you want to be going at a pace that is quite intense and challenging to maintain. The longer the duration of session, the lower the intensity you will work at, but it should still be higher than the base training intensity you did initially (during what are now considered your “easy” training days).
You should also keep the pace steady during these sessions, and when you begin to feel fatigued, stop to conclude the workout. Slowly work on developing the ability to go for a longer period of time at that same intensity.
increasing VO2 max & lactate threshold
The final component of your endurance training is working to improve your VO2 max and lactate threshold so that you will be able to exercise better when you go back to more moderate intensities and perform your endurance sessions.
To increase your VO2 max and lactate threshold, you will perform two different workouts per week -- one that is composed of very short sprints, and one that involves more moderate length intervals.
For the sprint session, you will go as hard as you absolutely can for a period of 10 to 20 seconds. After that, you will stop and go very easy (think walking) for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The work-to-rest ratio for these should be approximately 1:3, and you should work your way up to performing 8 to 10 repeats of these plus a five-minute warm-up and cool-down.
For the next sprint sessions, you will lengthen the work time slightly, so you will now be going hard for about 45 seconds to one minute, and then you'll be going easy for an equal duration (or slightly longer, to start with). The point of these intervals is to get them on a one-to-one ratio of work to rest. Keep in mind that you will not be going as hard as you did in the first sprint protocol due to their increased time length.
You should aim for 20 to 30 minutes of these intervals, so the total number you do will depend upon how long of a sprint interval you're using.
Your endurance training plan is next
Here’s a basic rundown of what an endurance program could look like, coupled with a full-body weight-lifting program, as this is still important to include and promote strong muscles as well as for maintenance purposes:
Monday: Aerobic capacity work in the morning; full-body lifting session in the evening
30 minutes at a moderate-hard intensity; Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) approximately 8 Tuesday: Sprint session 1 (shorter intervals)
5-minute warm-up 10-20 seconds on, 30-60 seconds off; repeated 8-10 times 5-minute cool down Wednesday: Aerobic capacity work in the morning; full-body lifting session in the evening
40 minutes at a moderate-hard intensity, RPE approximately 7-8 (slightly easier than Monday's workout since you are going 10 minutes longer) Thursday: Rest
Friday: Sprint session 2 (45-second to 1-minute intervals)
5-minute warm-up 45-60 seconds on, 45-90 seconds off; repeated 7-8 times 6-minute cool down Saturday: Long endurance training session
1- to 3-hour training run/cycle (length depends on event you are training for and is increased by 10% at most each week) Sunday: Rest
it's a plan
You can then alter this schedule to fit your own individual needs and preferences. Also, if you are training solely for the purpose of a long endurance event, you might wish to replace one of the sprint sessions for another long duration session since this is more event specific.
Furthermore, you will have to judge your own recovery abilities and make sure you are not starting to see your performance suffer from day to day because you are trying to do too much.
Lastly, if one of your goals is maintaining or achieving a lean physique, avoid doing excess volumes of moderate, steady-state aerobic training. This type of cardio work has a tendency to cause the body to adapt to it; over time, it will not work as effectively as a means for burning off body fat. Sprint sessions and heavy weight lifting work much better in terms of getting lean, so if that is your primary goal, make sure your sprint and weight workouts are in there and then just supplement those with one or two longer endurance sessions.
So, if you are looking for a different type of workout goal after spending a lot of time solely focused on mass building, give endurance training a try.