Endurance
Endurance is the ability to perform movement over a longer period without a significant drop in performance. We need it not only in sports but also in everyday life – to climb stairs without getting out of breath, handle a long workday, or play football with our kids.
Endurance training is one of the best ways to prevent cardiovascular diseases:
Heart learns to pump more blood with each contraction → lower resting heart rate.
Lungs improve oxygen transfer → less shortness of breath during the same activity.
Muscles produce more mitochondria (the cell’s “power plants”) → they burn energy more efficiently, especially fats.
Metabolism adapts → at lower intensity it uses fats, at higher intensity carbohydrates.
How to identify an aerobic zone
Calculation from Heart Rate:
Estimated HR max: 208 – (0.7 × age) (Tanaka formula).
Aerobic zone = 60–75% of HR max.
Example: male, 40 years → HR max ≈ 180 → aerobic zone 108–135 beats/min.
By feeling:
“Conversational pace” – breathing hard but able to speak in short sentences.
On the watch:
Most smartwatches calculate the aerobic zone automatically (you just need to set age and gender correctly).
Endurance zone vs. Intervals
* HR = heart rate
Why include Interval training
The foundation of endurance is calm, long-term training in the aerobic zone. However, if we want to progress further, it’s necessary to add higher-intensity intervals:
• They improve the ability to work at a higher heart rate.
• They teach the body to clear metabolites (e.g., lactate) more quickly.
• They increase VO₂max (maximum oxygen utilization).
Example Interval training
(for hobby runners)
• 5 min warm-up
• 6 × 1 minute brisk (80–90% HRmax) + 2 min walking/jogging
• 5 min cool-down
Total: 25–30 minutes.
Nutrition and Endurance
Before training:
Easily digestible carbohydrates (banana, oatmeal, bread with curd cheese).
During longer activity:
Hydration, and for efforts over 60–90 minutes, also carbohydrates (sports drink, fruit, gel).
After training:
Carbohydrates + protein to replenish energy stores and support muscle recovery.
Endurance Challenge
1.
Get at least 90 minutes of activity in the aerobic zone during the week (e.g., 3×30 min of walking, running, cycling, swimming, or Nordic walking).
2.
Include 1 interval training session based on your sport (running, cycling, swimming).
3.
Measure your resting heart rate in the morning – if it decreases over time, it indicates improved fitness.
For Škoda Auto employees only
Endurance
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