Adding Meditation To Your Routine Helps Build Stamina And Endurance
Working out has always been a huge part of my life, but even I still mix up my fitness terms. Whether it’s abduction versus adduction or basal metabolic rate and resting metabolic rate, the lingo can be confusing. (You too?) To help everyone out, I tapped expert trainers to clear the vocab air. Today’s lesson: stamina vs. endurance. (You're welcome!)
Stamina and endurance both refer to a person’s ability to mentally and physically push through challenge or discomfort, says Stephanie Hnatiuk, RD, a registered dietitian, certified run coach, and founder of Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition. The key difference between the terms is how much effort or time you're putting in. Stamina is used when you give your maximum physical effort to a task, such as completing all-out sprint intervals during a workout, she explains. “On the other hand, endurance primarily refers to a submaximal effort over a longer duration," says Hnatiuk. "This term is often used when we talk about longer workouts or events, such as distance running or cycling.”
Meet the experts: Stephanie Hnatiuk, RD, is a registered dietitian, certified run coach, and founder of Stephanie Hnatiuk Performance Nutrition. Rebecca Stewart, CPT, is a certified personal trainer, mobility coach, and pain-free performance specialist.
“Out of the two, stamina tends to be the term that people use incorrectly more often, mistaking it for endurance,” says Rebecca Stewart, CPT, a certified personal trainer, mobility coach, and pain-free performance specialist. “Stamina lets you start a run at a sprint, but that energy can wear off relatively quickly, and it turns into endurance when you walk to sustain a run for a longer time or distance, for example.”
If that piqued your interest, read on for your in-depth guide on stamina vs. endurance, including details on the similarities, differences, and how to train to improve both, according to expert trainers.
Stamina Vs. Endurance
Stamina and endurance are often used interchangeably (and incorrectly). They both relate to your ability to push through discomfort, but they are not exactly the same thing, says Stewart. Stamina is about sustaining maximum performance or output over a period of time, while endurance is about sustaining maximum time, she explains.
“Stamina is the rabbit in a race, and endurance is the turtle.”—Stewart
For context, you’ll likely hear about stamina during sports or activities that are performed in short bursts, like a play in a football game or a point in a tennis match, says Stewart. Endurance, on the other hand, refers to making it through the entire game of football without burning out at the end, she explains. And while it is possible to have one without the other, you generally need a certain level of stamina in order to have endurance, she adds.
So, when is it correct to use one term over the other? “When you’re talking about maximum performance in an activity, such as performing a heavy single deadlift or an all-out sprint, you’re talking about stamina,” says Stewart. “Endurance doesn’t require maximum effort, but instead involves the length of time you’re able to sustain the activity, like performing high repetitions of a lift or running for distance,” she explains.
For example, stamina would be performing a 50-meter sprint at max effort, while endurance would be running for six miles at a held pace.
What is stamina?
That was a quick overview, but this speedy term deserves a dedicated deep dive. Stamina is the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort at or close to your maximum capacity or intensity, says Hnatiuk. For example, sprinting one mile as fast as you can or completing a speed workout with short but all-out intervals, she explains. Anything that uses a high level of physical effort is stamina. The term is also used when describing the mental strength required to complete a challenging physical task, she adds.
“Think of stamina like short bursts of energy which are required in sprinting, chasing after your kids or grandkids, or a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) circuit,” she explains. “Stamina is needed for activities that are shorter in time but use more intense effort.”
What is endurance?
In case you're eager for extra intel on endurance, here goes: Endurance is the ability to do something challenging for a long period of time, but generally at a lower than maximal intensity or effort level, says Hnatiuk. “It requires a pacing strategy to be able to maintain this ‘less than all-out’ effort over hours of training or competition,” she explains. For example, running a marathon, completing a triathlon, or biking for distance require endurance.
You can have cardiovascular endurance and muscular endurance, adds Stewart. “Muscular endurance describes your muscle’s ability to maintain repetitive movements under load such as your bodyweight or some type of resistance, while cardiovascular endurance describes your heart, lungs, and blood vessels and their ability to sustain activities for a long duration,” she explains.
How To Build Stamina
Follow a progressive overload strategy. The goal of progressive overload is to gradually increase the effort or intensity of exercise over time, says Stewart. “Your body adapts to the effort you put on it, so by continually making your workouts more difficult, your body has to continue to adapt and build stamina,” she explains. This could mean increasing the weight, reps, sets, or time you perform a particular activity.
Add intervals. Whether you’re running, dancing, or lifting weights, training for timed intervals will increase your maximum output for shorter durations, ultimately building stamina, says Stewart. In fact, Tabata style workouts (20 seconds of exercise at maximum effort, followed by 10 seconds of rest for eight total rounds) can improve your stamina and maximum capacity for both resistance and cardio training, research shows.
Incorporate HIIT sessions. A 10-to-15-minute HIIT session can do wonders for building stamina because high intensity interval training is all about max effort for a short period with rest intervals in between, says Stewart. These short bursts of all-out effort followed by recovery intervals can be done with a combination of bodyweight exercises, resistance training, and/or cardio, adds Hnatiuk.
Lift heavy weights. Strength training is crucial when it comes to increasing stamina because as you build muscle mass, your body becomes stronger and tires out less quickly, says Stewart. Aim for resistance training at least three days a week and increase weight, reps, and sets as you get stronger. And, grab weights heavy enough to challenge your muscles each session.
Optimize mental fortitude. Believe it or not, mental training specifically tailored to handle the challenges of your workout or competition can improve your stamina, says Hnatiuk. For example, visualize any potential malfunctions or issues with a workout or race and practice what you *would* do in those situations. This can help conserve energy during the main event and train your brain to handle any obstacle with ease.
How To Increase Endurance
Experiment with isometric exercises. Isometric exercises involve positions when your muscles are contracting but not changing in length, says Stewart. Think planks, wall sits, squat holds, and glute bridges. As a result, isometric exercises increase muscular endurance because they improve your ability to perform for extended periods while stressed, she explains.
Incorporate high-volume weightlifting. Working with a lighter load for a longer duration helps build muscular endurance, studies found. Hnatiuk agrees and recommends using lighter weights with higher repetitions to improve endurance within the muscle tissue. Over time, this strategy will increase muscle mass and improve the body’s ability to sustain heavier loads for longer periods, adds Stewart.
Go for long walks. Walking is a repetitive motion performed under the load of your bodyweight, and the longer you can build up your walks, the greater your body will be able to endure, says Stewart. Once you build walking endurance, try speeding up to a light jog or running when you’re ready to level-up. (Or, consider adding extra resistance and turn your walk into a ruck.)
Prioritize aerobic training. If you’re looking for cardio endurance, longer duration workouts at a lower intensity will be your best friend, says Hnatiuk. The exact intensity depends on your current fitness level but aim for an effort that lets you carry on a conversation, she adds.
Add in HIIT workouts. HIIT workouts also move the needle on endurance. HIIT helps improve exercise capacity by increasing maximal oxygen uptake and aerobic endurance, a 2021 study found. Plus, HIIT workouts boost muscular adaptations and endurance, ultimately improving athletic performance, a 2017 study also found.
5 Best Exercises For Better Stamina And Endurance
Strength training. Whether it’s bodyweight training or lifting heavy weights at the gym, increasing muscle mass will contribute to improved stamina *and* endurance, says Stewart. Lower weight with higher repetitions can also improve endurance within the muscle tissue, adds Hnatiuk.
Pick-up sports. Not only do recreational sports add a social aspect to your fitness routine, but many sports are played in intervals over a longer period of time, helping develop your stamina and endurance at the same time, says Stewart. Find a sport and community you enjoy and watch your stamina and endurance soar.
Yoga and meditation. By adding in stress relief practices like yoga, meditation, and mindfulness, it becomes mentally easier to sustain your efforts when physical activity gets challenging, says Stewart. In fact, if you’re able to relax and improve your ability to handle intense situations, you’ll significantly improve your endurance and overall well-being, a 2016 study found.
Aerobic exercise. Get your heart pumping because aerobic training and cardio workouts such as running, biking, or swimming, are key for upping stamina and endurance, says Hnatiuk. Find a balance and incorporate shorter intense intervals with longer, lower intensity training to improve both.
HIIT workouts. High intensity interval training is a gold standard for building stamina and endurance, because the high stress requires the body to adapt and recover quickly, says Hnatiuk. Plus, HIIT workouts are key for developing the physical ability to endure and maintain a maximum effort for longer periods of time, she adds.
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