What's the best way to build cardio endurance?

A

Annabell

Member
I can lift heavy weights till the cows come home, but I'm really out of shape cardio wise. :O( I can not get through any of the CTX cardio's without modifying and taking breaks. I wouldn't dare tackle CM or IM! What is the best way to improve upon this? Should I push myself as much as I can until I have to stop? I’ve been doing Leslie Sansone’s WTP’s 4x’s a week for the last four months, but I really need to move on. I still have a lot of body fat.

Thanks a bunch!
Anna

(PS – Am I spelling cardio correctly? It keeps coming up on my spell-checker.)
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Jul-25-02 AT 01:51PM (Est)[/font][p]I went from walking to Cathe 2-1/2 years ago, and it's a big change!

1. Since you have the CTX tapes, I'd say do the Kickbox tape in it's entirety since it's the least strenuous.

2. The cardio session you could do a Leslie tape.

3. Next session, you could do part of the 10-10-10 tape, only the warm up, kickbox part and the hilo part, then do 10 minutes of the end of a Leslie tape.

For the step tapes (or portions) use a 4" step, or do them without a step at first. Keep your movements low. Don't try to do a lot of jumping. Work yourself into them.

Just give yourself time. Keep in mind these are advanced tapes! Advanced Leslie is not like Advanced Cathe!
 
Hi! Another thing you might try is interval training--it's a great way to increase cardiovascular endurance.

I'm sure IMax seems daunting to you, but just use a 4" platform like honeybunch suggested, and modify, modify, modify! Even if you start with one or two intervals then increase gradually, you will see a slow but sure improvement.

You can also try intervals like walking with short bursts of jogging, or biking at a steady pace with an occasional "push" here and there. You can do intervals with many forms of exercise, and I found it to be incredibly effective for me when I was training for a 10K road race.

Good luck! :)

Denise
 
I agree w/ interval training. I used to modify 4 intervals, and huffing and puffing to get it done (dreading it EVERYTIME). Now, after 6 months of Interval Max weekly, I can do it without modifications, and I do not dread doing it anymore. It's just another cardio for me. If Interval Max is too much, you can try Gin Miller Intense Moves -- $5 at www.graveyardmall.com.

Haslina
 
I'm just also saying to stick with it. Modify the high intensity moves until you can do more of them. When I started working out after I had my second child, I thought I was going to die doing CTX. It was very disappointing, as I had been able to do them before being preggo. But, I just kept at it, and am now doing them on a 6" step. That seemed absolutely IMPOSSIBLE when I first started out with them. I kept a lot of the power moves low, and added in jumps slowly but surely.

Andrea
 
I personally would just workout longer if you want to increase endurance. In order to get your body to get used to doing an activity for longer periods of time you have to spend time exercising for longer periods of time.
Intervals may help this,I do not know, but I use intervals for fat burning and increasing my explosiveness like in sprinting. Since these are generally shorter workouts I do not consider this endurance work at all. Intervals help me workout harder, not longer.
Just my two cents.
Trevor :) :-jumpy
 
What I would suggest is a combo of some of the other suggestions here. For max benefits, try alternating interval training with longer duration, moderate intensity cardio work. The interval training works to increase cardiovascular capacity, as Trevor mentioned, while the longer duration works to increase endurance. There are different but equally important benefits to both, especially if your goal is to decrease body fat.

Keep up with the strength training, though. It can't be beat for its round-the-clock metabolism boosting effects as well as the nice improvements it yields in your physique and ability to perform daily living activities.

Good luck!
Maribeth
 
Hi Anna!

I agree with Trevor: to build endurance slowly increase the length of your workouts by keeping the intensity at low or moderate. A heart rate monitor is a great tool for monitoring your effort. Modify the workouts so that you're at a level you can sustain.

Most training programs alternate hard days w/ easy days. If your Sonsone workouts aren't too easy - alternate them with CTX. Rest days are key to improving endurance.

Interval work is a great tool for building speed or power (depending on the type of interval). And it's a wonderful plateau breaker. But it's usually added after establishing a base level of cardio fitness. If you do them, keep them aerobic & add the anaerobic surges as you progress.

Hope you're not more confused than ever with the different responses.

Debra
 
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