How do you build up stamina?

B

bella2005

Cathlete
I'm in awe of how much stamina many of you have, from the looks of your routines. After 30 minutes I can't wait to call it quits, whether it's weights or cardio. I eat really healthy and am not overweight (5'4, 119). Should I be concerned? I wish I had the energy some of you do!

Bella
 
Some days, I don't have a lot of stamina, so I adjust my routine to fit, either with a shorter workout or staying low impact. The longest cardio I will do is 55 minutes. Usually it is between 30-45 minutes. For me, I am too exhausted later in the day and feel benefits with the amount I do. Anyhow, when I first started with Cathe, I would take a 1-2 minute break during a cardio workout, it really helped to refresh me. Also, I drink water about every 10 minutes, just a few sips. Keep working at it, and you will build up endurance. Add a minute or so of the routine every few workouts. If you feel wiped out/dizzy, STOP. Sorry this is so long, and Merry Christmas! Melissa
 
Bella -
I don't know how long you've been working out. All I can tell you is that it takes lots of practice! I started out years ago with those 20 Minute workouts on TV - I couldn't make it through them, and the aerobics was only 10 minutes! Over time, I just kept pushing myself, first to longer aerobic tapes, then to running, etc. Cathe's workouts are harder than my typical run, most of the time. If you're doing 30 minutes of Cathe, I'd say you're doing okay. Just keep it up!
 
Bella...30 min is great!! The longer you work out the more stamina you will build. Don't worry. I am a distance runner and when I ran my first marathon (26.2 miles) I never thought I could go that far. It is amazing to me what you can train your body to do...so, keep up the good work!!...:)...Carole
 
30 minutes is great!
Just keep on adding a little at a time, and eventually you'll be able to do the 70 minute workouts like Body Max!

You might also consider your intensity level. You may not be able to work out longer because you're working out at an intensity that is too high for you at the moment. If that's the case, then lowering your step height or reducing power moves can reduce the intensity to a lower point and allow you to workout longer (longer workouts train your body to burn fat as fuel).
 
I remember January of 2000 when I did my first Cathe cardio, and that was the HiLo portion of MIC because I did not have a step yet. Thought I was gonna die! And that runs just over 30 minutes with the warm-up. So I've come a long way - now I can do MIC all the way through and tack on some extra segments from other workouts. I progressed by challenging myself with the less intense videos (starting with Mega Step Blast) and going from there.

Yesterday I did a tack-on workout after Step Blast, and added Leslie Sansone's Walk and Jog. I couldn't get over how easy that tape it - it's supposed to be one of her more "advanced" tapes, but I thought it was very light-duty. Moral is, just keep doing the workouts and challenge yourself. With the pre-mixes, it's easy to do parts of tapes, then work your way up to an entire tape.
Just Do It! :)
 
Hi there :D

30 min is a lot better than where I was, just a few mos ago, with endurance! haha

I've been working out with weights for many years. I can workout with weights for hours, and don't really tire. But, cardio was an entirely different story. I "look" really "fit". Yet, after coming here, and trying out one of Cathe's EASIEST step workouts, I soon learned that having muscles does not always equal being physically fit. It was a rude awakening for me. LOL I was very endurance-challenged. When I began with Cathe's step, I was tired after trying the warm-up, at first. :+ After a few weeks, I was able to only get through segment ONE of her step. A few weeks later, I made it through segment 2, but took a 10 min brk between segments. lol

That was back in July. Now, I am able to get through all 3 segments, w/o any breaks! And the choreo is getting easier. And I can even tack on a weight workout immediately after doing cardio, with only a 5 min break between.

They all told me here to keep plodding on, and they were all right! Don't give up! It's been an amazing ride here these last few mos. My energy level is way up, and I don't fatigue as easily after doing a day full of work, some workout, and household chores. My back esp has really gained in strength, so no more "back aches". And no more getting winded from going up and down stairs.

Keep up the good work! If I've improved in just a few mos, anyone can! :)
 
Bella - like everyone else said, you just do it! Just do as much as you can every time you work out. Work out consistantly - at least 4 days a week, and it will come - slowly. Just to give you an idea of how slow the process can be, I took 2 weeks off from a set workout routine to help with the Hurricane Katrina aftermath. I got home and I had caught a cold from poor eating habits and lack of sleep so I was off another week. Once I was ready to work out - it took me literally a full month to get back to where I was cardio-wise. Hvae patience (easier said than done), but don't be afraid to push a little, too. Good luck!
 
The first Cathe videos I owned were the CTX series...My workout consisted of the warmups...My!!! How things can change! Do you remember the story of the Rabbit and the Hare??? Slow and Steady wins the race!! You'll get there!!! And we're here to cheer you on until you do!!!

MJ
 
Hi Bella,

I'm also working on building up my stamina. Like Kathryn said it's a good idea to lower the intensity so that you can workout longer, I do that with a lot of Cathe's workouts, but I really started to notice a difference when I added Imax2 to my routine. I have the Fittv version which has 8 out of the 10 blasts. When I first started Imax2 about a month and a half ago I could only complete 1 or 2 of the 8 blasts and then I would modify or stop the blast early. I did Imax2 the other day and completed 5 of the 8 blasts! I was so ecstatic and proud of myself. That was the first time I noticed a big improvement in my stamina. I think pushing myself for a short amount of time for the blasts is what has really helped me. It has raised my anaerobic threshold which is the point. Anyway keep it up, 30 minutes is great. Don't be afraid to modify and to stop and catch your breath. Rest breaks really make it easier to continue. Good luck and have fun!

Amy
 
As someone who's very new to exercise in general (less than a year) and even newer to Cathe, my lack of endurance was something that really bothered me in the beginning. I had to stop looking at the big picture and take it in small steps. It took me FOREVER to work through LowMax, for example. I had to take it one segment at a time, starting on the lowest step height, and even then I could barely get through it. I just kept at it and let me tell you, when I finally finished the whole thing in one shot, I was so happy I could have cried. I can now get through most of Cathe's workouts (with modifications in some cases) but it's still not a given every time. Last week, I had no trouble with LowMax; this morning, I had to quit halfway through and you could have wiped the floor with me afterwards.

30 minutes is nothing to sneeze at, especially with Cathe. So GOOD FOR YOU!
 
What has helped me tremendously in stamina is spinning. I have a bike and the spinerval DVD's and in a month I noticed great stamina and endurance gains. Also, workout with any cardio interval workout. You may not master at first, but you will improve in time, this will help you also. Any of Cathe's IMAXES.

Also, getting enough rest is important. If you are not sleeping enough you won't have the energy to go all the way in any workout routine. This is something that I have personally been working on these past months and it does make a difference.
 
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