If you find yourself getting winded or tired after climbing a flight of stairs or walking around the block, you may need to take steps to increase your stamina. Stamina implies that you can sustain an activity for an extended period of time. You can increase your stamina by performing exercises that improve your cardiovascular and muscular endurance.
Cardiovascular Exercise
The American Heart Association suggests using the F.I.T. principle for improving stamina in cardiovascular endurance. F.I.T. stands for Frequency, Intensity and Time. When performing cardiovascular exercise, each of these measures contributes to the overall benefit available. You must perform cardiovascular exercise at least three times a week, you need to perform it at an intensity that increases your heart rate, and you need to perform it for a minimum of 30 minutes each day you exercise.
Strength Training
When you climb a flight of stairs or go for a walk around the neighborhood, you use your muscles. As you lift weights and build strength, other activities will start feeling easier to perform. In fact, the MayoClinic.com website lists improved stamina as one of the benefits of strength training. Perform strength training exercises at least two times a week, as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. Perform exercises that work your major muscle groups. You always want to focus on exercises that you use during the activity you want to increase stamina for; for instance, if you want increased stamina for swimming, you may want to focus on back and shoulder exercises.
Interval Training
When you interval train, you incorporate short bursts of intense activity into your moderate-intensity exercise. You can do this whether you're a novice exerciser or an expert by increasing your intensity from a level where you'd still feel comfortable carrying on a conversation, to an intensity that makes it impossible to talk. Time your intervals for 30 to 60 second bursts interspersed into one to three minute periods of moderate exercise. According to the MayoClinic.com website, interval training will help you increase your aerobic capacity, allowing you to work more intensely or for longer periods of time without getting as tired.
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