If your daily workouts aren’t giving you the rush your body needs and craves, chances are you need to push yourself further. This is where endurance comes into play. Endurance is the ability to withstand unpleasant or difficult situations with persistence. The urge to push oneself past limitations is embedded in human nature. This is what builds both physical and mental strength. If you feel as though your workout routine has reached a plateau, look no further, we have assembled a top 10 for ways you can breakthrough.
Eat a balanced diet
Food is fuel. A nutritious and well balanced diet is vital for adequate energy and endurance while exercising. For optimal endurance, a combination low-fat and high-carb diet will maximize your efforts. To keep your body consistently fueled, it is recommended to eat small meals throughout the day, instead of 3 large ones.
Choose workouts you love
If the elliptical isn’t exciting enough for you, chances are you aren’t going to increase your effort or longevity on it. If your workout consists of a routine you genuinely enjoy, pushing yourself both harder and further won’t be hard. For optimal endurance, try incorporating both fun and challenging workouts into your exercise routine, such as group exercise classes. Chances are, you won’t even notice how hard you’re pushing yourself since you’ll be having fun.
Get plenty of rest
If your fitness goal includes putting forth maximum effort at the gym, you’re going to need a set of fresh muscles. Feeling well rested is a major key in going the distance. This means that your weekly exercise routine should include a combination of tough days, easy days, and rest days. You should also make sure you’re getting your daily eight hours of sleep to eliminate any fatigue.
Decrease your amount of rest between sets
Strength trainers usually give themselves 30 seconds or more of recovery time between sets. In order to increase your endurance, you’re going to need to give up some of that recovery time. In doing so, your muscles will be burning unapologetically, but that’s a sure fire sign that you’ll be building both strength and endurance.
Develop sexual endurance
Cameron Diaz isn’t the only person who views sex as a great workout (read our list 10 exercises to improve sexual performance). The better you are in bed, the more endurance and stamina you’ll have to withstand. This allows your body to build endurance naturally and effectively.
Establish “mind over matter” mindset
No, your glutes aren’t really on fire. Technically speaking, it’s all in your head. Sometimes telling yourself you can accomplish a goal is enough to actually make it there. This means that if you want to push yourself further, all you really have to do it tell yourself you can. Ignore that little voice in your head telling you you’ve had enough, and turn the incline up.
Avoid routine
If you feel as though you have reached a plateau in your fitness progress, chances are you need to switch up your workout routine. If you’re used to steadfast cardio, try adding in some strength training. If your upper body routine includes push-ups, try doing planks instead.
Have a cup of coffee
Coffee is good for a lot more than a busy morning. In fact, just one cup of coffee can increase your workout performance in a myriad of ways. A report published by Sports Medicine claims that caffeine consumption can increase an athlete’s ability to train at a higher power output for a lengthy period of time. Coffee has also been shown to increase speed, fat metabolism and focus.
Workout with a friend
It’s easy to cancel plans for yourself, but it’s hard to bail on a friend. This is why working out with a buddy or partner can be beneficial to your fitness progress. The extra motivation you’ll be receiving will also boost your endurance. And if you’re competitive at nature, you’ll find yourself pushing harder than usual. The extra companionship can also make working out more fun.
Include explosive movements into your workouts
If your workouts include high-intensity moves, you’ll find that ‘less is more’ is more than just a cliche. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) includes short, but explosive movements that get your heart racing and muscles burning. These intense bouts of exercise are a lot more effective in building endurance than steady state cardio.
