Endurance can be defined as the body's ability to gather, process and deliver oxygen to working muscles. Training to improve endurance has been the subject of extensive research to determine the recommended number of total reps, or repetition of a specific exercise. Results of the research establishes guidelines for the total reps needed for endurance training.
Function
The goal of endurance training is to increase your ability to work over an extended period of time with improved oxygen transport to the muscles. As a result, the total reps needed for endurance training consists of a longer time period than power training or strength training. The overall endurance training program starts with the lower body and is often combined with other programs to achieve maximum results.
Types
Endurance training can take the form of several types of exercise. The most common, and most effective, training methods include interval training, muscular endurance strength training and long slow distance (LSD) training. Interval training involves alternating between timed work and rest intervals. Endurance strength training increases local muscular endurance and is divided among body-weight exercises, machine-weight exercises, kettlebell training and free-weight exercises. Long slow distance training involves training---running, biking, swimming or rowing---for an extended period of time.
Features
Other features that coordinate with the total reps include the number of sets, weight, speed of exercise, rest interval and frequency of exercise. Greg Siller from Pro Learning Systems recommends the following for endurance training: 10 to 15 reps in 2 to 3 sets, over the course of a 30 to 60 minute workout, five to six days per week.
Keep the workouts short, intense and routinely change the workouts to add variety. Greg Glassman, founder of CrossFit, recommends using Tabata intervals for endurance training. A Tabata consists of 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for a total of eight rounds. You can complete a Tabata interval using various exercises such as running or squats. The goal for each round is to cover maximum distance while running and complete the maximum number of reps for squats.
Benefits
Physiological adaptations from long-term endurance training have several health benefits. Greg Glassman says that aerobic and endurance training can increase cardiovascular function---decrease heart rate, increase red blood cells, increase blood plasma and increase cardiac output. Another major benefit of endurance training is decreased body fat by improving thermoregulatory function; increased oxidative capacity of skeletal muscle; and the utilization of fat for an energy source.
Considerations
Adjust the total number of reps for endurance training to match the needs of your individual sport. For example, if you are a triathlete competing in a sprint triathlon that requires maximal power output on the bike, you will want to incorporate more interval training and strength training. If you aren't an athlete training for a competition, you can blend aerobic and strength training workouts to burn calories and fat.
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