Questions about endurance..

[JohnnyIrish]

I've been down for the count this week due to the flu so I got thinking.

Building muscle with high weights gives strength
Being on the treadmill for 45 min at a clip, spd 3 incline 3-4 burns fat

But do either of them really build endurance? I'm thinking not a lot..

Let me know if I'm wrong but training/building endurance also gives one more energy too right? (such as jogging/running on the treadmill instead of walking)

 

[Quagmire911]

I've been down for the count this week due to the flu so I got thinking.

Building muscle with high weights gives strength
Being on the treadmill for 45 min at a clip, spd 3 incline 3-4 burns fat

But do either of them really build endurance? I'm thinking not a lot..

Let me know if I'm wrong but training/building endurance also gives one more energy too right? (such as jogging/running on the treadmill instead of walking)

I'd agree. But remember running and weights is a touch and go subject. Some can do it and others can't.

Say your current cardio is 45 minutes walking 3 times a week. Cut this down to two days and add in one day HIIT.

This is 15-20 minutes of rowing/cycling/elliptical. One minute hard, one minute slow, one minute hard, one minute slow and so on.

Cardio is very person specific. How much you can do and how hard the intensity varies wildly from person to person. (In relation to adding strength and muscle).

Quagmire

 

[The Bat]

You can try doing Navy SEALs workout to build incredible endurance and strength.

http://www.teenbodybuilding.com/brent2.htm

It involves doing basic stuff like pushups/situps/pullups. Running/Swimming is the cardio portion of it.

Every week, you up the sets/reps of pushups/situps and increase distance/time for running.

I'm not sure how effective the workout is. I'm not sure how reliable the source for the program is but I see the principle behind it to build endurance and strength.

Keep in mind that with workout like this, your strength will hit a plateau because you are not working with weights. If you can pull off record times like a Navy SEAL, I'm sure it will be of some advantage to you in the weight room.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

I'd look into exercises which would help raise your anaerobic threshold. Doing that will give you a wider aerobic range in which to work, you could dial into a "sweet spot" that you could seemingly perform at endlessly.

 

[JohnnyIrish]

Francisco:

I read up on "anerobic threshold":

...
Your anaerobic threshold is improved by any type of aerobic exercise, such as walking, jogging, cycling, aerobic dance, stair climbing, etc. The more time and intensity you add, the greater the effect on your anaerobic threshold. Another way to "push" your anaerobic threshold is to exercise above it for several short periods of time during your workout. For example, increase your exercise intensity for one minute intervals several times throughout your exercise session.

How do you know if you're above your threshold for that one minute period? The intensity should be enough to elevate your rate of breathing and to fatigue you to the point that you are very ready to slow down after that minute. Of course, the intensity of your intervals should be decreased if you have not been exercising on a regular basis. As always, be sure to check with your doctor before making any changes in your level of activity.

Elevating the point at which you reach your anaerobic threshold can do wonders for your overall feeling of well-being, and it can significantly increase the amount of "energy" you have during the day and during your exercise sessions. Get movin'!..
(taken from here)


So with what I'm reading from that.. it looks like alternating sprinting (or working up to that HIIT stuff) once a week as quagmire suggested will be ideal to attain what your recommending.

Quagmire
You didn't mention sprinting per say.. Is that still acceptable or do you rather recommend going hard on the equipment you listed instead of the treadmill?

Also yeah my threshold I'm sure will be rather low to start.. but honestly it would be nice to get some extra energy. I guess if/when I add this I'll keep monitoring my muscle gains carefully to see if it effects me too negatively.
Thanks.

 

[Francisco d'Anconia]

...So with what I'm reading from that.. it looks like alternating sprinting (or working up to that HIIT stuff) once a week as quagmire suggested will be ideal to attain what your recommending....

HIIT in itself will help raise your AT and coupling it with aerobic activity will definitely help. For me the key is being to sustain the constant intensity of the "bursts." Jogging doesn't do in for me, it seems that the bursts lasts for several seconds at best, plus it's not at a smooth, constant pace. What works for me is cycling (no surprise).

The difference is that on a trainer you sustain an even burst for a longer period of time (a few minutes). I can also measurably increase the intensity increase my AT and increase my power or lengthen the amount of time of my bursts to increase my endurance. Endurance alone is good, endurance with power is great; especially coupled with HIIT.