Endurance is that magical ability to workout harder, faster, stronger and longer. It may not be something that you think about during your workouts, but it should be. Endurance is one of the many non-scale victories FitClub members achieve through consistent workouts.
So how do you build your endurance? FitClub has you covered with five easy tips you can incorporate into every workout.
Do you measure your endurance? What signs do you look for that you’re building endurance at FitClub?
So how do you build your endurance? FitClub has you covered with five easy tips you can incorporate into every workout.
- Think gradual. Endurance doesn’t happen overnight and you shouldn’t try to increase your body’s ability to workout harder or longer too quickly. Endurance builds as your body gradually adapts to a higher work load. When an activity begins to feel easy or routine, you know it’s time to bump up the work. Add minutes to your cardio workout or reps or weight to your strength session. Be mindful of advancing slowly, though, so you don’t risk burnout or injury. A good rule of thumb is to try to build onto your existing workout by 10%. Add 10% more miles or minutes to your cardio or reps or weight to your strength training.
- Take a rest day. It may sound counterintuitive, but rest days are critical to building more endurance. Exercise creates tiny tears in your muscles and when those muscles repair, the muscles grow back stronger and more capable. Use your rest days to reward your tired muscles with an easy walk, a stretch session, or a foam rolling routine.
- Strengthen your mental endurance for more physical endurance. Your mind is more powerful than you might know. By visualizing enhanced physical performance, your mind can begin to convince your body that you can do more. When you catch doubts creeping in, stop, visualize success, and tell yourself that you can do whatever it is you’re training to do. Your mind is a powerful muscle and when used right, it can make your body’s muscles stronger, too.
- Look for progress. Non-scale victories are always worth celebrating. No matter what your healthy lifestyle goal is, endurance is a critical component and should be tracked and celebrated. When you notice that the scale or your workout feels stuck, it’s probably a sign that you’re ready to increase your workload. If the scale won’t move or you feel bored with your workout, it’s a sign that your body is ready to take on more. More time, more speed, more weight is how we beat plateaus and make huge gains.
- Mix it up. Never let your muscles or mind get bored. When you find yourself just going through the motions, consider mixing it up and trying something new. FitClub’s vast array of classes, machines, and personal trainers make it easy to find something new to keep your mind and muscles guessing and your body gradually adapting to new workloads. And that’s endurance!
Do you measure your endurance? What signs do you look for that you’re building endurance at FitClub?