Stamina is one of the most important factors in sports. Stamina develops by doing conditioning work in practice and performing under pressure. Athletes who don't build endurance and stamina may find themselves physically exhausted when a game gets to its late stages. As a result, a play that may have been completed with ease in the early stages of a sporting event may become an impossibility when the athlete is physically exhausted.
Step 1
Run interval sprints to build stamina. Interval sprint training is among the most demanding cardiovascular exercises. Go to your local high school or college track and sprint 100 yards. Follow that with sprints of 90, 80 and 70 yards. Take no more than 15 seconds between sprints. Take a two-minute break after the four sprints are completed and do another set. Do one more double-set of sprints before you leave the track.
Step 2
Run hills to build strength and endurance for your competitive sports. Pro football Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Walter Payton both ran hills throughout their careers to increase endurance, speed and leaping ability. Run 40 yards uphill and then run downhill. Repeat this four times. "I did this every year because I wanted to feel confident that when I ran a pass route in the fourth quarter, I would be just as effective as I was in the first quarter," Rice said. "Running hills always gave me confidence that I would have the endurance I need."
Step 3
Build up your core muscles to increase your body strength. Core muscle strength is essential when it comes to building stamina. Doing four sets of 20 ab crunches twice per day will help you build core strength and help you perform your best in all sports.
Step 4
Eat healthy so you can lose body fat. Excess weight is the enemy of having stamina in sports. It will drain your ability to compete at a high level. For protein, eat white meat chicken and fish as a substitute for red meat. Eat two to three portions of fresh vegetables and fresh fruit every day. Stay away from desserts and fast foods.
Step 5
Drink 64 oz. of water when you are attempting to increase your stamina. You must keep your body hydrated when you want to have endurance. Sports drinks are fine on occasion, but water is essential. Stay away from sodas, sugared drinks and excess caffeine when you want greater endurance.
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