Welcome to the second part of the Ultimate Fitness Series.
Following our exploration of strength training in the first part, this segment delves into the realm of endurance training.
Endurance training plays a pivotal role in promoting a sense of well-being and contributing to a long and healthy life.
It effectively exercises both the respiratory and cardiovascular systems, which are paramount for overall health and vitality.
Furthermore, numerous studies have consistently demonstrated that endurance training offers preventative benefits against diseases that are responsible for a significant portion of society’s mortality, such as atherosclerosis, stroke, and heart attacks.
Defining Endurance
Let’s revisit the definition of endurance.
Endurance, or “haustor,” can be described as the relative ability of an organism to resist fatigue during prolonged exertion.
This resistance to fatigue can be categorized into various forms:
- Physical fatigue: This pertains to the weariness experienced in skeletal muscle function.
- Mental fatigue: It manifests as a decrease in the ability to concentrate.
- Sensory fatigue: This represents a temporary limitation of sensory perception.
- Motor fatigue: It involves a temporary reduction in the transmission of movement impulses by the central nervous system.
- Motivational fatigue: This is characterized by a decrease in willpower or emotionally driven motivation.
Additionally, we can distinguish between peripheral fatigue, which refers to the muscle’s inability to sustain a specific level of performance.
This can be attributed to factors such as the accumulation of metabolic byproducts within the muscle or the depletion of energy-providing processes.
There is also central fatigue, which occurs when blood glucose levels drop to critical levels and activate the body’s protective mechanisms against certain performance declines.
Objective symptoms of such fatigue states may include a decrease in sports performance or muscle strength.
Subjectively, individuals may experience exhaustion, eye flickering, shortness of breath, muscle pain, and even nausea.
Endurance can further be categorized based on the size and engagement of muscles, leading to distinctions between local and general endurance.
It can also be differentiated by the primary type of energy supply, leading to classifications as aerobic and anaerobic endurance.
Lastly, endurance can be categorized according to the mode of operation of skeletal muscles, resulting in distinctions between dynamic and static endurance.
Biological basics of energy provision
Let’s discuss the biological basics of energy provision and how the body adapts to endurance training.
Energy provision in the body involves four distinct processes for ATP synthesis:
- The first is the anaerobic-alactacidic process, where creatine phosphate and adenosine diphosphate are transformed into creatine and adenosine triphosphate (ATP).
- Next, we have the anaerobic-lactacidic process, where glucose is converted into lactate and ATP.
- The third process is aerobic glycolysis, also known as the aerobic process. It involves the conversion of glucose and oxygen into carbon dioxide, water, and ATP.
- Lastly, there’s another aerobic process called lipolysis, where free fatty acids and oxygen are converted into carbon dioxide, water, and ATP.
It’s important to note that these pathways initiate at different rates and reach their maximum efficiency at varying times.
Consequently, depending on the duration and intensity of the physical load, the body’s energy provision consists of a different balance between aerobic and anaerobic processes.
Endurance training prompts various adaptations in the body. After prolonged endurance training:
- Resting heart rate decreases.
- Heart function becomes more efficient during exercise.
- Stroke volume of the heart increases.
- Peripheral vascular resistance decreases.
- Systolic blood pressure is reduced.
These adaptations collectively enhance cardiac efficiency, resulting in a lower risk of heart attacks.
This is achieved by reducing myocardial oxygen demand while simultaneously increasing oxygen supply to the heart muscle.
Muscles respond to endurance training by undergoing several beneficial changes, including:
- An increase in mitochondrial volume, enhancing energy production within the cells.
- Improved capillarization, which means a greater network of tiny blood vessels in the muscles, enhancing nutrient and oxygen delivery.
- Elevated aerobic and anaerobic enzyme activity, improving the efficiency of energy production.
- An increase in intramuscular glycogen storage, providing more readily available energy for sustained activity.
Collectively, these adaptations result in enhanced muscular performance and reduced sympathetic drive on the heart, promoting cardiovascular health.
Endurance training also affects the blood, leading to:
- An increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin, improving oxygen-carrying capacity.
- Enhanced plasma properties, resulting in better blood flow and an increased buffer capacity, which helps maintain stable pH levels in the blood.
- Improved oxygen supply to the body’s tissues, benefiting overall tissue function.
Additionally, the body adapts to fat metabolism during endurance training, resulting in:
- A reduction in serum triglycerides and LDL cholesterol levels.
- An increase in HDL cholesterol, which enhances protection against atherosclerosis, a condition characterized by plaque buildup in the arteries.
Carbohydrate metabolism also undergoes positive changes, such as:
- Increased insulin efficiency, making the body’s response to insulin more effective.
- Decreased insulin levels, contributing to a lower risk of developing adult-onset diabetes.
Furthermore, endurance training prompts adaptations in the autonomic nervous system, ultimately providing relative protection against the effects of stress. This holistic approach to training enhances overall health and well-being.
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Diagnostics
Diagnostics for assessing endurance can be categorized into specific and non-specific sports science tests, as well as practical tests used in sports practice.
Here are some diagnostic methods:
- Lactate Measurement and Lactate Power Curve: One approach involves measuring the levels of lactate in the blood and creating a lactate power curve. As an individual’s training progresses, their lactate threshold occurs at a later stage of exercise, resulting in a slower increase in lactate levels.
- Maximum Oxygen Uptake (VO2 max): Determining VO2 max involves various factors, including internal factors like cardiac output and external factors such as muscle size. The maximum oxygen uptake is trainable, but improvements are generally limited to around 40%. On average, healthy men have a relative maximum oxygen uptake of approximately 45 ml/kgmin, while healthy women have around 48 ml/kgmin. The aerobic and anaerobic thresholds vary based on an individual’s level of training.
- Cooper Test: A classic field test that doesn’t require a laboratory. It involves running a specific distance within a set time. Guideline values are used to categorize endurance as good or less favorable based on performance.
- Recovery Heart Rate: Another crucial indicator is how quickly an individual’s heart rate drops after extended exercise. For instance, if the pulse rate drops to less than 100 beats per minute within 3 minutes after exercise cessation, it is considered very good. If it reaches 100 beats per minute within 5 minutes after maximal exertion, it is still considered good.
These diagnostic methods provide valuable insights into an individual’s endurance level and can help tailor training programs to achieve specific goals.
Endurance Training
Endurance training encompasses various methods, each tailored to specific training objectives. Here are some of the key endurance training methods:
- Continuous Method: In this approach, training is conducted at an intensity ranging from 70% to 90% of an individual’s peak performance level. It involves continuous exercise without breaks, typically lasting anywhere from 30 minutes to 2 hours.
- Interval Method: Interval training involves working at 60% to 80% of peak performance, characterized by alternating periods of exertion and rest. The duration and intensity of intervals can vary, lasting from 15 seconds to 15 minutes, depending on the training’s focus (short, medium, or long distance). Typically, there are around 10 to 12 repetitions with recovery periods, often referred to as “active rest,” during which approximately 50% of recovery is achieved.
- Series Principle: This method incorporates regular intervals, but it includes longer breaks of 3 to 10 minutes after a specific number of intervals. This approach allows for extended interval training and higher training volumes.
- Repetition Method: In the repetition method, individuals train at an intensity of 90% to 100% of their peak performance level. It involves complete breaks lasting from 4 to 30 minutes between repetitions. The training volume is low, and the duration varies depending on the distance being trained.
- Competition and Control Method: This method involves training at intensities ranging from 95% to 105% of an individual’s peak performance level. Training is continuous, mirroring the demands of actual competition, with no breaks. The distance covered during training varies based on the target competition distance.
Heart rate is a commonly used parameter to determine training intensity in endurance training.
Monitoring heart rate helps athletes and trainers ensure they are training within the desired intensity zones for their specific goals, whether it’s building aerobic endurance, improving anaerobic capacity, or preparing for competition.
Determining the maximum heart rate involves various formulas, with the most common one being “220 minus age.”
However, individual sensation can also be used to gauge intensity as well.
When training for endurance, it is recommended to spend a minimum of 60 minutes per week in the fitness zone, with a target heart rate of 180 minus age.
Ideally though, one should aim for a weekly volume of 180 minutes, maintaining an intensity of 170 – 0.5 times age, resulting in a frequency of three sessions lasting 60 minutes or six sessions of 30 minutes each.
Recent trends suggest lowering training intensities and increasing training frequency.
Therefore, it is advisable to incorporate movement into daily life to maintain an active lifestyle.
Regarding fat burning, it’s a significant goal in health and fitness sports.
Trained individuals tend to burn fat more efficiently than untrained individuals, and there is an optimal intensity for fat burning, which is approximately 75% of maximum oxygen uptake.
In conclusion, endurance training is suitable for individuals of all ages and body types. It can be adapted to meet various fitness levels and can contribute significantly to overall health and fitness.
Hope I could help. If you enjoyed the article or if you have any questions or comments please let me know down below.
Nick