The Best Daily Workout To Increase Stamina
One essential yet underrated aspect of healthy aging is stamina—your ability to exert physical energy for a sustained period. Or, in essence, stamina is how hard and how long you can push your body. Whether you've been exercising for years or are kickstarting your fitness journey in time for the New Year, increasing your stamina can improve physical endurance and help you reach peak physical performance. That's why we chatted with an expert who reveals the #1 daily workout to increase stamina.
The National Institute on Aging states that four types of exercise are critical for your overall health and physical ability: endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility. And the greater your stamina, the greater your ability to perform in all four types of these fundamental forms of exercise. Stamina involves more than being able to endure longer workout sessions. Improving your stamina can enhance overall energy levels, boost cardiovascular health, and increase your resilience against physical challenges.
In this article, TJ Mentus, CPT, a certified personal trainer at Garage Gym Reviews, shares his #1 daily workout to increase stamina. "This workout will help build stamina by keeping your body moving for an extended period with full-body movements that will keep the heart rate significantly elevated," Mentus explains. "The goal is to keep a steady pace and avoid having to stop completely to rest at any point. If this is too difficult, you can decrease the rounds or reps to where it is manageable and then increase the volume over time."
To complete the workout, perform four rounds of the following exercises without stopping between movements. Rest for one minute between rounds.
- 20 kettlebell swings
- 10 burpees
- 30 mountain climbers
- 10 walking lunges per leg
- 100-foot farmer's carry
Read on for the #1 daily workout to increase stamina. And when you're finished, be sure to check out A 69-Year-Old Fitness Trainer Shares the 6 Exercises That Keep Her Looking Half Her Age.
Kettlebell Swings
This dynamic full-body exercise targets major muscle groups while elevating your cardiovascular endurance. Its rhythmic, explosive nature engages your core and challenges your stamina threshold, making it an essential exercise for improving your overall fitness.
"Hold the kettlebell with both hands in front of you. Reach the kettlebell between your legs as you hinge your hips backward. Then, thrust your hips forward and allow the weight to swing up to shoulder height, keeping your arms straight," instructs Mentus.
Burpees
While most of us have a love-hate relationship with burpees, their efficiency in boosting stamina is undeniable. Burpees are a high-intensity, full-body exercise that combines strength, agility, and cardiovascular elements, making it a powerhouse movement for elevating your endurance.
To perform burpees, Mentus says, "Drop or lower yourself face down on the ground. Next, push your chest off the ground, and hop your feet up to your hands. Then, stand up and jump off the ground."
Mountain Climbers
Mountain climbers are another dynamic exercise that torches calories and builds stamina by improving your body's aerobic capacity. Whether incorporated into your warm-up routine or done as a standalone cardio exercise, mountain climbers are a versatile tool for increasing stamina.
"Get in a pushup plank position with your hands directly under your shoulders," instructs Mentus. "Alternate driving knees into your chest while moving your legs as fast as possible without moving anything else."
Lunges
Lunges are a stamina-boosting staple that also strengthens your lower body. This compound movement engages several muscles in your lower body and elevates your heart rate, increasing endurance and stamina over time.
Mentus says, "Step one foot out in front of you and bend your knees until your back knee lightly touches the ground. Stand up while bringing the rear foot to meet the front foot and begin the next rep by stepping out with the other leg."
Farmer's Carry
Simple yet effective, the farmer's carry is a functional exercise that builds stamina while focusing on grip strength and stability. This movement involves carrying weights in each hand to engage multiple muscle groups and challenge your endurance in a practical, functional way.
"Hold a weight in each hand and walk with good posture without putting the weight down for the prescribed distance," explains Mentus.
Sign up for our newsletter!
