Sports stamina is the ability to sustain intense exercise over a long period of time. Exercises used to improve sports stamina must mimic the type of movements of a specific sport. Sports stamina typically includes changes in direction, acceleration and deceleration for 60 to 90 minutes. To improve your stamina in sports such as basketball, soccer and football, include stamina training on the court or the field.
Step 1
Start with an endurance session on Mondays. Run for 20 minutes non-stop to build your aerobic foundation. Gradually add 10 minutes to every endurance workout until you have completed 60 minutes, about the length of half a football game or an entire basketball game.
Step 2
Do interval training on Wednesdays. Start with an easy, minute-long jog, followed by a faster one-minute run. Continue this workout for 15 minutes. Add five minutes to each interval session until you have reached 30 minutes.
Step 3
Include high-intensity interval training by sprinting then walking. Sprint “all out” for 10 to 15 seconds, then walk for 30 to 45 seconds. Or sprint the distance of an average run during a soccer or basketball game. Continue this interval exercise for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Set up a line drill to add directional changes to your high-intensity interval training. Place rubber cone markers at increasing distances from the starting point, A, one foot to the right of each other. Use a second cone to mark point B, 38 feet from point A, a third cone to mark point C, 94 feet from point A, a fourth cone to mark point D, 150 feet from point A and the last cone to mark point E, 188 feet from point A.
Step 5
Run as fast as you can from point A to point B, touch the imaginary line at each cone with one foot, then turn around and run back to the imaginary line at point A. Sprint out to point B. Continue making round trips to all the cones. Rest for one minute, then repeat for 10 total rounds of the line drill.
Tips and Warnings
- Eat plenty of calories to fuel your stamina training. Eat immediately after your workout to enhance the storage of carbohydrates in your muscles.
Things You'll Need
- Digital watch
- Rubber cones
- Field measuring tape
References
- “Exercise Physiology, Energy, Nutrition & Human Performance”; William McArdle, Frank Katch and Victor Katch; 2007
- “Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning”; Thomas R. Baechle and Roger W. Earle; 2000
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