Whether you’re a long-distance runner looking to swap mileage for cross-training or a recreational hiker searching for different ways to train indoors, your options for improving endurance are vast.
Why is cardio essential for building endurance?
According to George Eldayrie, MD, a sports medicine physician at Orlando Health Jewett Orthopedic Institute, improving your cardiovascular fitness is essential for building endurance. That’s because doing cardio regularly promotes positive physical adaptations in your muscles as well as your cardiovascular and pulmonary systems, which can boost your athletic performance, he says.
Here’s how that happens: As you build endurance, your body changes how it handles the amount of oxygen brought in by your lungs and distributed to the rest of your body, Eldayrie explains. “The more effectively your body can utilize oxygen, the longer you can exercise without fatigue,” says Ali Ball, an exercise physiologist with OSF HealthCare. “Cardio also helps the heart pump more efficiently, which in return will help carry more oxygen to the muscles.”
Collegiate and elite athletes regularly assess their aerobic fitness via a measurement called VO2 max, which calculates how much oxygen your body can use in a minute. “We need strong lungs and a strong heart for endurance, and VO2 max is a great indicator of this strength and endurance capacity,” says Kaleigh Ray, biomechanist and ACSM-certified exercise physiologist. “Endurance describes our ability to sustain an activity or effort level for as long as possible, and we use our aerobic metabolism to fuel this type of effort.”
How to build endurance
How long it takes you to boost your endurance will differ from another person’s timeline, and that’s okay. It largely depends on how fit you are to begin with. For someone who’s already active, Ball says the best way to begin building endurance is to exercise for at least 30 minutes daily, and for at least five days a week, at a moderate intensity. “Or, three days a week for 20 minutes at a high intensity,” she says.
Gradually increase the duration of your workouts, says Sarah Pelc Graca, NASM-CPT, and focus on tacking on a few extra minutes each week as it feels right. Ray suggests prioritizing easy pace aerobic activities during the beginning of your build up, as that enables you to “add volume to your training while supporting active recovery from harder efforts and building a stronger aerobic base.”
Pelc Graca also recommends alternating between steady-state cardio and interval training, or alternating between high-intensity and low-intensity paces. As Ray points out, interchanging between your goal intensity and your rest interval is key for neuromuscular adaptations to take place, so that you can ultimately sustain that goal intensity for longer.
Cardio isn’t the only factor that goes into building endurance. You’ll also want to prioritize anaerobic exercises, such as resistance training. “Introducing strength and HIIT workouts one to two times a week will help boost your muscle endurance, which in return, also helps with your overall endurance,” Ball says.
How can running improve your endurance?
“Running increases your heart rate, strengthens your lungs, and improves blood flow to muscles, all of which are essential for increasing your stamina,” Pelc Graca says. “Running also builds muscular endurance in your legs and core while improving your body’s ability to store and use energy efficiently over time.”
And anyone can start running at any time, Eldayrie says. “Even running at a slow pace for a long duration of time can help build cardiovascular endurance, as your body will need to adapt to the demands of exercise with time.”
5 exercises that can help you build endurance—no running required
Whether you’re not a fan of running or are eager to diversify your cardio workouts, doing one (or several) of these exercises each week can boost your stamina.
1. Cross-country skiing
This workout doesn’t just satisfy a ski bunny’s love of winter sports and après ski activities—it doubles as a challenging cardiovascular exercise.
“Some of the best endurance athletes in the world are cross-country skiers,” Ray says, adding that this sport may improve your endurance more efficiently than running. Why? “It works the arms more intensely, involving the whole body in the exercise,” she says. Of course, this isn’t the most accessible workout, but there is a close alternative that you can find in various gyms.
2. Ski erg
“Using a ski erg is a great alternative to cross-country skiing,” Ray says. This machine allows you to mimic similar motions you’d do out on the slopes, as it requires you to engage your core and use both your arms and legs to perform the movement. Eldayrie says the ski erg, much like cross-country skiing, also has anaerobic benefits—the resistance from pulling the cables down can promote muscle growth.
“Some gyms may have ski ergs, but you can also get one for your home,” Ray says. “The Concept2 SkiErg ($1,150) is one of the best. It allows you to recreate skiing using cables and unlimited air resistance.” Whether you hold a steady pace for a longer workout or do a shorter one with sprint intervals sprinkled in, know that you’re in for an intense cardio workout either way.
3. Cycling
Cycling may be one of the most accessible aerobic exercises. As Ray points out, most gyms have a variety of exercise bikes you can choose from, with adjustable seats and the option to change gears. Pelc Graca adds that cycling is a great way to build stamina without putting stress on your joints.
“Whether you cycle indoors or outdoors, you can mimic some of the best endurance athletes in the world,” Ray says, adding that cycling gives you many of the same benefits as running. “VO2 max varies between exercises, so runners and cyclists can swap sports for additional endurance benefits and cardiovascular improvements,” she explains.
4. Rowing
“In the sports medicine world, rowing is one of the greatest forms of endurance and resistance training,” Eldayrie says. Something that’s unique about rowing, whether on a machine indoors or in a boat on the water, is that it recruits the majority of your muscles, Ray says. “This makes it very easy to get your blood pumping and lungs working hard to supply the muscles with blood and oxygen.”
5. Swimming
For those who are currently dealing with certain types of muscle injuries or chronic joint pain, swimming is a low-impact, but equally challenging cardiovascular workout. “It engages your entire body and strengthens your lungs, as breathing techniques are an essential part of the activity,” Pelc Graca says. “Because it’s non-weight-bearing and low-impact, swimming is particularly good for those recovering from injuries or looking to reduce strain on their joints.”
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