What is endurance

Endurance changes based on independent variables, such as frequency, duration, and resistance. The human body operates as a self-regulating machine; meaning that it adapts itself to the level of exercise or training being demanded from it. By: Elly McGuinness.

By: Jennifer Crump. Dictionary Dictionary Term of the Day. Workplace Testing Terms. Follow Connect with us. Sign up. If it's cardio endurance that you seek, Richey recommends a straightforward approach. Start by picking a cardio activity of your choice. No worries if running isn't your thing—try cycling , dance , swimming , or another activity.

Then increase the duration over time. If you're new to cardio, he suggests exercising with a perceived exertion of 3 or 4 on a scale of 1 to 10 and slowly building up to 30 minutes of continuous activity. The recipe for muscle endurance is much the same. Goss suggests sticking to a higher-rep, lower-weight regimen —think 12 to 20 reps per exercise with a sustainable weight, as opposed to 5 to 10 reps of all-out effort with a super-heavy dumbbell.

The same goes for bodyweight exercises. And if it doesn't feel comfortable to do higher reps of challenging exercises like push-ups, modify them to make those repetitions more accessible. For example, do 15 to 20 push-ups against the wall instead of on the floor, says Goss.

Beyond exercise, eating healthy iron-rich foods and getting quality sleep are two important factors when it comes to building endurance, adds Goss. After all, a well-fueled and well-rested body is better able to tackle training challenges than one that's hungry and tired. No matter your endurance level, though, listen to your body as you build cardio and muscular strength. If something hurts or doesn't feel right, ease off. Endurance is a "use it or lose it" ability, says Goss, so once you build it, you have to work to maintain it.

And how you do so depends on your fitness level : If you're new to endurance training, light exercise a few days a week could do the trick, whereas an endurance athlete may require vigorous exercise nearly every day, according to Goss.

Check in with a health or fitness professional to help craft a workout plan that suits your experience and goals.

The simplest way to gauge your endurance? Keep a diary. Have you been able to do timed activities for longer periods?

Have your reps increased? If you'd rather take a deeper dive into your metrics, consider getting a heart rate monitor or fitness tracker to help you monitor and log your endurance during individual workouts and over time.

There's plenty of devices to pick from that not only collect your activity data but also track things like sleep quality and stress levels to give you a more holistic perspective on your fitness goals. And as you embark on your endurance-building journey, whatever that looks like for you, just remember that it doesn't have to be a drag.

Richey's tip? Thank you [email] for signing up. Examples of endurance in a Sentence The exercise program is designed to increase both strength and endurance. Recent Examples on the Web And Fridays, Tagovailoa maxed out on his upper-body strength to build muscular endurance.

First Known Use of endurance 15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2. Buying Guide Our team at The Usage has selected the best rowing machines of Learn More About endurance. Time Traveler for endurance The first known use of endurance was in the 15th century See more words from the same century.

Phrases Related to endurance beyond endurance. Style: MLA. English Language Learners Definition of endurance. Kids Definition of endurance. Get Word of the Day daily email! Test Your Vocabulary.