5 Worst Exercises for Your Endurance Training
You've been training hard for weeks. Running longer, pushing harder, yet somehow you're not getting any better at endurance. Sound familiar? If you're like most men hitting the gym or pounding the pavement, you might be making some common training mistakes that are holding you back.
I know these struggles well. After spending 20 years coaching tennis players and athletes, from beginners to college-level competitors, I've seen the same patterns repeat themselves. Men often sabotage their own endurance training without even realizing it. Want to know if you're making these mistakes? I'm about to share the five worst exercises that might be ruining your endurance gains – and show you exactly what to do instead.
The Ego Trap in Endurance Training
I feel that the reason that so many men make mistakes when training for endurance is because of ego and overconfidence. When training for endurance, the correct mentality is training and setting goals over a long period of time. There is no quick fix or a quick way to increase endurance; it takes time, dedication, and a structured lifestyle. There are many factors that come into a successful endurance training program from gradual progressions that challenge the cardiovascular system gently to dedicating time to recovery and nutrition to make sure that the structure is kept to. I think a lot of men go into endurance training like they would other types of training. They go in hot and heavy, going full throttle from day one. If I were training for a marathon, then I would be gradually increasing the distances I covered in training, and it is quite likely that I wouldn't actually complete a full marathon in training before race day.
The Biggest Misconception About Endurance
Many men think that endurance training just involves training one exercise over a period of time to increase endurance. What a lot of men don't realize is that the work you do outside of the immediate activities has just as much effect on the activity itself. Just like the tennis players I was working with, they spent just as much time in the gym and writing in their food diaries as they did on a tennis court. Increasing endurance takes time and patience, and I think a lot of men haven't got that patience. They want to see the results fast, and when they push themselves, they go too hard and end up with injuries and huge muscle fatigue that leads them to skip days breaking the structure of their training routine.
The Critical Role of Nutrition
Nutrition plays such a huge role in endurance training. You need carbohydrates for energy, protein for muscle recovery, and continuous hydration. Supplements can help with preventing muscle fatigue, salt imbalances and muscle cramps that can hold back people from their training program.
The Warm-Up Mistakes You're Making
Warm-ups and cool-downs are commonly missed, and even more common is the wrong type of warm-up. A warm-up needs to be dynamic; it's a way of preparing the body for the task ahead. If we are talking about running, then light jogging, side steps, cross-overs, and dynamic upper-body stretches are there to loosen the body up and help prevent injuries. So many men will stand statically and stretch their muscles within an inch of their life before going on their run. Static stretching should be reserved for the cool down as it helps lengthen the tendons, remove lactic acid, and stretch out the muscles to help prevent cramps.
#5 Worst Exercise: Only Low-Intensity Training
Low-intensity training is easy and safe and can allow someone to perform at a level for a long period of time. The problem is that the progress towards increasing endurance at a higher level will start to plateau. The body needs to be gradually pushed to increase endurance.
Low-intensity training does have its place in endurance training, but going out every day on a 5 km run at the same pace is not going to get that person to the next level. Mix low-intensity training with interval training and sprints to push the body but gradually.
#4 Worst Exercise: Excessive Sprint Training
Whilst great for developing explosive power, sprint training without gradual progression can easily lead to injury and doesn't create a steady state of endurance.
Gradual sprint training can help with endurance as long as it is not done in isolation. Try interval training focusing on an active recovery meaning sprinting to jogging to recover and slowly increasing the recovery element of the interval training.
#3 Worst Exercise: Heavy Powerlifting
Much like with the machines, powerlifting heavy weights involves low reps and long rests. It is great for building muscle, but the nature of the workout has little impact on the cardio system. Due to the nature of powerlifting the chances of injury are very high as well.
Instead, a better option would be circuit training with low to moderate weights and short rests in between exercises. This will help with muscle build, but the intensity will help build muscle endurance.
#2 Worst Exercise: Isolated Core Work
Core muscle workouts have very little effect on endurance training when they are isolated. Exercises like crunches isolate a very small group of muscles, they don't burn many calories and typically don't raise the heart rate that much. Although they are not bad exercise, they have very little impact on endurance training.
If you want to work the core muscles and help with endurance, then you need to opt for a more dynamic approach. Mountain climbers are a great exercise that can really raise the heart rate whilst working the core muscles. Performing a plank with shoulder taps also helps raise the heart rate.
#1 Worst Exercise: Weight Machine Training
These machines are designed to target and isolate very specific muscles; they limit the functional movement required for endurance training. Typically, someone using these machines will have quite long rests between sets. These types of machines don't challenge the cardiovascular system enough and fail to work stabilizing muscle groups which are essential with dynamic exercise.
Instead, try exercises that involve free weights, opting for a low-weight high rep. The free weights will help target more muscle groups. Exercises like squats and lunges with free weight require a level of balance and control, which will target more muscles during the exercise.
The Smart Path to Better Endurance
The main thing to think about when endurance training is that it takes time. There are many factors that help with increasing endurance that are indirect to the activity, such as rest and recovery, sleep, and nutrition. Make sure that you have a good routine and set realistic short-, medium-, and long-term goals. Increasing endurance will not happen overnight and is definitely a slow burner. And if you enjoyed this article, don't miss How Long Your Walking Workout Should Be To Shrink Belly Fat.
