How to improve cardiovascular endurance?
Ever felt breathless after climbing stairs or a workout? It indicates your cardiovascular endurance. It refers to how well your heart and lungs supply oxygen to your muscles during physical exertion.
Cardiovascular endurance is characterised by the ability to exercise for extended periods without experiencing fatigue. During exercise, your heart can pump blood sufficiently when it’s needed most. Cardiovascular fitness boosts your exercise performance and supports overall heart and lung health for your everyday activities.
Gauze, in this blog, explores how to improve your cardiovascular endurance.
Why is cardiovascular endurance important?
Cardiovascular endurance is important because it enables the heart to pump blood efficiently to every cell in the body. Oxygen is a fuel that produces energy, which can be supplied to tissues and muscles for their activities.
Difference between stamina and endurance
Stamina refers to the mental and physical ability to sustain an activity for an extended period. The fitter you are, the more stamina you have.
Endurance, on the other hand, refers to the body’s physical capability to keep the exercise going for a long period. It is a measurable quantity. Endurance has two components-
- Cardiovascular endurance is the heart and lungs’ ability to provide oxygen as a fuel. A 1.5-mile run test measures it.
- Muscular endurance is the ability of the muscles to work continuously without tiring. It is measured by the number of sit-ups you can do.
Benefits of cardiovascular endurance
Higher cardiovascular endurance indicates better overall health. It helps to
- Reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Obesity
- Stroke
- Better stamina as lungs and bones get stronger
- An active immune system, which includes common diseases
- Manages weight and loses that extra fat
- Strong bones that helped in working
- Better mood as it removes tension and anxiety
- Staying independent as we continue to be mobile for a long duration
Measuring cardiovascular endurance
We can measure the estimated maximum amount of oxygen consumed with any of the tests given below.
Exercise tests
- Peddling a stationary bike at different intensities
- Working on a treadmill
- Running a set distance in a set amount of time
- Doing a shuttle run between two poles 20 meters apart at a fixed pace
VO2 max results
- Active young people consume 35 to 50 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram body weight per minute.
- Indian athletes use 70 to 85 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute.
- People affected by stroke consume 8 to 23 millilitres of oxygen per kilogram body weight per minute.
- Individuals improved by 10% to 15% by doing modest aerobic exercises
Other indicators
- Resting heart rate: A low resting heart rate indicates a high degree of physical fitness. A high resting heart rate is a sign of an increased risk of cardiac disease. The more the heartbeats, the more it works, which is not good for heart health.
- Heart rate recovery (HRR): It refers to the rate at which the heart returns to its resting rate after a period of exercise. When the heart rate drops by at least 18 beats within the first minute after stopping exercise, it is a good indicator of heart rate recovery.
Heart rate zones
Heart rate zones help you identify whether you are exercising at a moderate or vigorous intensity.
Heart rate zones are ranges based on the maximum heart rate (MHR). To estimate MHR, subtract your age from 220. Training in different zones helps you reach different fitness goals.
These zones help you track progress, prevent overtraining and injury, and provide personalised training
Cardiovascular endurance exercises
They help to breathe in more oxygen and increase the heart rate. They are
- Dancing
- Swimming
- Jogging
- Riding a bike
- Walking
- Climbing stairs
- Jumping rope
- Basketball
- Hockey
Exercises that boost heart health
We require different types of exercise to boost heart health. Aerobic exercise and resistance training are most important for the heart.
- Aerobic exercises improve circulation, lower blood pressure, and heart rate. We must engage in activities such as walking, running, swimming, cycling, playing tennis, and jumping rope for at least 30 minutes a day, at least five days a week.
- Resistance training helps reduce fat and build lean muscle. It raises HDL cholesterol and lowers LDL cholesterol. Working with free weights, weight machines, exercises using resistance bands, push-ups, and squats is beneficial for overall fitness. They must be performed on two consecutive or non-consecutive days in a week.
- Stretching, flexibility, and balance exercises do not directly contribute to heart health, but they do benefit musculoskeletal health. Good musculoskeletal health helps us engage in exercises that benefit the heart. These exercises help increase flexibility and balance, and reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
Strategies for improving cardiovascular endurance
- Engage in regular aerobic exercises and gradually increase the intensity over time.
- Try HIIT, which involves short bursts of intense exercise followed by brief periods of rest.
- Mix it up with cross-training. Combine cardio, strength training, and flexibility.
- Stay consistent. Regular exercise builds endurance.
- Eat well and stay hydrated for a healthy heart.
- Stop all exercises if you feel pain or extreme fatigue.
Challenges in improving cardiovascular endurance
Cardiovascular endurance is not built in a single day. It takes time, and the biggest deterrents are
- Being motivated and consistent
Repetitions become unmotivating and slow progress. Be consistent to avoid demotivation, try different exercises such as swimming, running, dancing, and cycling.
- Hitting a plateau
Progress slows gradually as the body adapts to the same type of exercise patterns.
- Fatigue
Exertion causes exhaustion, burnout, and injuries. We must balance workout and recovery days.
- Time constraints
Preoccupations make us skip workouts. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a good option on such days.
- Injuries and diseases
Injuries, pains, and health issues prevent us from doing exercises.
- Habits
Poor habits and unhealthy eating habits can disrupt our daily routine.
Conclusion
Improving cardiovascular endurance is a journey that has its own ups and downs. Even after being consistent, one may hit a plateau, but that is also a part of progress. Remember, every move you make- walking, running, dancing, or climbing the steps helps you build cardiovascular endurance over time. Start small, stay consistent, and over time, you will not only have better endurance but also a strong and healthy you.
Here to answer all your questions
A healthy heart has a steady pulse (60 to 100 beats per minute at rest), normal blood pressure (below 120/80 mmHg), good energy levels, and cholesterol levels (Low LDL and high HDL). It also experiences a quick recovery after exercise.
The intensity of our workout depends on our fitness level, age, and goals. We must listen to our bodies at all times and use HR Max to set our training zones. A workout should challenge us, not exhaust us.
Never increase the time or distance by more than 10-20% each week. It means that if you are exercising for 10 minutes each week, then you must add only one to two minutes. Even if you feel you can make progress, the body takes longer to adapt to the stress of exercise.
As we warm up, our body prepares for exercise by gradually increasing intensity and improving efficiency, and preventing injuries. Cooling, on the other hand, prepares our body to return to normal as we begin to slow down.
The intensity of our workout depends on our fitness level, age, and goals. We must listen to our bodies at all times and use HR Max to set our training zones. A workout should challenge us, not exhaust us.
Low endurance is characterised by low stamina, fatigue, chronic tiredness, lack of energy, muscle weakness, difficulty concentrating, irritability, and a feeling of exhaustion after minimal physical and mental activity.
