What is cardio training?
Basically, cardio training refers to all forms of training that improve the performance of the cardiovascular system.
Basically, the metabolism is strained here in order to achieve an increase in performance via the supercompensation mechanism. From a physiological point of view, endurance and fitness can be used synonymously.
that Heart training, is particularly noteworthy in addition to other areas of the circulatory system that are also being trained.
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Why is cardio training so important?
One of the main markers of your endurance performance is maximum oxygen uptake (VO2 max). It describes the amount of oxygen that your body can absorb per minute.
To do this, you must breathe in air, absorb oxygen into your bloodstream via the lungs, transport the oxygen-rich blood to the draining muscles and deliver it to them there. This process is limited in part by the performance of your heart.
The relevance of VO2 max becomes clear when you look at the course of life. Classically, this decreases with increasing age. If your maximum oxygen intake falls below a critical level, you are no longer able to handle everyday activities alone.
Cardio training also reduces countless risk factors for the most common causes of death in the Western world.
With the right endurance training, you can not only get faster, but also significantly improve your quality of life in old age and possibly even extend your life. To do this, you should do a few things regarding Structuring your cardio workout Observe over the week.
What happens during endurance training?
Cardio training improves and optimizes the work of your cardiovascular system in various ways. In the following, we will show you which mechanisms the body uses to adapt to the load and improve your condition.
1. Increased stroke volume — More blood per heartbeat
The stroke volume indicates how much blood the heart pumps into the circulatory system with each heartbeat. Regular cardio training strengthens the heart muscle and allows the left ventricle — the main chamber of the heart — to enlarge.
This makes it possible for more blood and therefore more oxygen to be distributed in the body with each blow.
An increased stroke volume means that the body works more efficiently and allows you to perform longer with the same amount of energy.
2nd Improving oxygen carrying capacity — increasing red blood cells
Another central adaptation mechanism involves blood: Regular cardio training leads to an increase in red blood cells and hemoglobin, which transports oxygen.
This allows the body to deliver a larger amount of oxygen to working muscles, significantly improving both aerobic capacity and endurance performance.
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3rd Optimizing lung function — more efficient oxygen uptake
Although training can only moderately increase lung capacity, it improves the efficiency with which the lungs absorb oxygen from the air you breathe and transfers it into the bloodstream.
In particular, the respiratory muscles, especially the diaphragm, are strengthened, which leads to more economical and effective breathing.
4th Capillarization — expansion of the vascular network
An important process is the formation of new capillaries. Regular cardio training increases the density of these fine blood vessels, which directly supply the muscle fibers.
This improved capillary density helps muscles to be optimally supplied with oxygen and nutrients, while at the same time transporting lactate and carbon dioxide more efficiently. A factor that improves your endurance performance.
5th Increased efficiency in mitochondria — optimized energy production
In mitochondria, our muscle cells generate energy from oxygen. Cardio training increases both the number and performance of these organelles.
The result is an increased ability of muscles to produce energy, which further improves aerobic capacity and supports the body's overall performance.
What exactly happens when you do cardio regularly?
Adjustments through endurance training
What endurance sports are there?
Endurance sports are diverse and include activities that involve continuous stress on the cardiovascular system over a longer period of time.
Basically, the aerobic metabolic path prevails in endurance sports. Your body therefore gains energy using oxygen. Endurance sports include:
Running/jogging:
Running is probably the most common type of endurance sport. Large muscle groups are moved cyclically over longer periods of time. The intensity varies from easy jogging to intense paced runs, with the main goal being to improve cardiovascular fitness and endurance. The low material costs and minimal preparation time are particularly attractive when jogging. Due to the variance and the low barrier to entry, running is the ideal way to to improve stamina.
Biking:
Whether on the road, off-road or on an ergometer — cycling is attracting more and more female athletes. It requires continuous, usually moderate to high load on the leg muscles and sustainably improves the performance of the cardiovascular system. Cycling is also supported by the fact that the load on passive structures, such as joints, is quite low. Cycling is therefore a good alternative to running.
Swim:
Swimming offers joint-friendly endurance training, as buoyancy in water relieves joints, tendons and ligaments. It trains the entire body, increases respiratory efficiency and promotes coordinated use of muscles. Swimming challenges both the upper body and the lower body. It also strains the core muscles, which helps prevent back pain.
Cross-country skiing (cross-country skiing):
As a winter sport, cross-country skiing is intensive endurance training that involves almost all muscle groups. It combines strength, endurance and technique and is particularly effective for increasing endurance.
Rowing:
Rowing, whether on water or on a rowing ergometer, is an endurance sport that primarily strengthens the upper body and core muscles. Due to the use of many large muscle groups, the energy turnover when rowing is particularly high.
Triathlon:
Triathlon combines swimming, cycling and running — in one competition. This multidisciplinary challenge requires considerable stamina and versatility, as the body must adapt to different stress stimuli. The training here is varied and useful from a health perspective, as unilateral stress is avoided.
Hiking and Nordic walking:
These activities are usually less intense, but provide a continuous, moderate load, which is particularly suitable for beginners or to maintain general fitness. Nordic walking also uses special sticks that actively involve the upper body.
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How to optimally train your endurance
Endurance training works according to a few simple principles, which ensure that the body reacts optimally to stress and adapts. The most important principles are:
Specificity:
The principle of specificity states that the body adapts to the loads it actually performs. For endurance training, this means that forms of training should be chosen that use the desired movement sequences and muscle groups. For example, running regularly results in specific adjustments to passive structures and leg muscles, while cycling sets different priorities. It is always the case that your training should be as close as possible to what you want to achieve in competition or as a goal in the medium term. This applies both to the intensity of your training, as well as to the extent and type.
Progressive overload:
In order for the body to constantly improve, the training load must be continuously increased. This can be done by increasing the intensity, duration or frequency of training sessions. If the body is regularly exposed to a higher stimulus, it adapts — for example through an increase in stroke volume or improved capillary density in the muscles. The principle applies both in strength and endurance sports. The body is overloaded to a controlled extent and reaches a higher initial level after a phase of regeneration. This principle is called supercompensation.
Individuality:
Every body functions and reacts in a slightly different way. This is due to genetic predisposition, level of training and personal goals. The principle of individuality requires that training programs be tailored to the individual. Different factors such as age, fitness level and ability to recover should be considered in order to achieve optimal results.
Variation and periodization:
To ensure long-term progress and avoid plateaus, training should be varied. Periodization means that training cycles are planned in which phases of heavy load and targeted recovery phases alternate. This variation helps to avoid overtraining and to expose the body to new stimuli over and over again. There is no need to select a fixed scheme for this periodization as long as the load is sensibly controlled and relief phases are interspersed as required.
Regeneration:
Adjustment processes take time. Sufficient recovery phases are therefore essential to give the body the opportunity to recover from stress and to complete the positive adjustment processes. Without adequate regeneration, performance drops or injuries will occur.
Continuity:
Regular and consistent training is crucial to maintain the adjustments achieved in the long term. Only those who train consistently over a longer period of time can achieve lasting improvements in endurance.
The specific load triggers targeted adjustments, which are further reinforced by progressive overload, while variation, individualization and sufficient regeneration ensure that the body makes continuous progress without being overwhelmed. If you follow these “rules” and do your training regularly, you will notice rapid progress and Improve your cardio fitness in the long term Can.
How to best manage your cardio training
In order to hit the right load during endurance training, it helps to rely on a mix of technique and your own body awareness. We differentiate these metrics into objective and subjective. The objective values relate to measured data, while subjective markers include your body awareness.
Keep an eye on your heart rate:
Modern running watches or heart rate monitors are helpful — they show you whether you are working out in your desired heart rate zone. For example, if you want to exercise moderately, you could try to reach around 60-80% of your maximum heart rate. This is how you know that your body is currently being optimally challenged without being overwhelmed. You can check your heart rate zones with our computer Have it determined easily and free of charge. More about You can find out heart-rate-controlled training here.
Listen to your body — the RPE scale:
Sometimes your body tells you more than any wearable. With the Borg scale (which ranges from 6 to 20), you can estimate how hard the load feels at that moment. A feeling of around 12 to 14 often means you're in a comfortable yet effective range of intensity. This is particularly helpful if you don't have a device with you or simply want to rely on your gut feeling. In addition to the Borg and RPE scales, there are other scales that can be used for subjective load control. You can find an overview here
Add variety — interval training:
You can diversify your workout by combining intensive intervals with recovery phases. This not only helps to increase your endurance, but also gives your body the chance to regenerate between periods of exercise. Intervals also allow you to implement higher training stress in a shorter period of time, which can be an advantage in a busy everyday life. Depending on your choice of interval training, your body will react with various adjustments. This makes training exciting and you avoid boredom. Learn more about interval training.
Lactate as an intensity indicator:
For anyone who wants to be more precise, blood lactate measurement can also be informative. It shows you how much energy your body uses from carbohydrate metabolism to deliver a certain amount of power. The measurement here is quite complex, which is why this method is used more in professional sports or in performance diagnostics than in everyday training.
Documentation and planning:
A training log can work wonders. Write down what you've done, how long and how intensively you've trained. This allows you to draw conclusions about what works well and where you may still need to adjust. A well-thought-out, periodic training plan also ensures that you regularly incorporate recovery phases and thus achieve long-term progress.
So by combining technical tools with your own sensibility and trying out varied training methods, you can improve your endurance training — this will keep you motivated, make progress and avoid overwork.
Avoid these mistakes as a beginner in endurance training
As a beginner, the flood of information online can quickly unsettle or take away the fun of sports. We show you the classic mistakes that you should avoid in order to improve your fitness in the long term.
Increasing training intensity too quickly:
Many beginners try to do too much at the beginning — too long runs, too intensive sessions or too frequent loads. This can quickly lead to overtraining, injuries, or loss of motivation. It is important to increase slowly and get your body used to the new demands. Especially when running, the impact on passive structures should not be overestimated, which is why we recommend starting with intervals of running and walking.
Inadequate warm-up and cool-down:
A frequently overlooked point is the warm-up before training and the subsequent cool-down. Without a proper warm-up, muscle injuries can occur, while the cool-down helps to slowly return the body to rest mode and initiate regeneration.
Lack of goal and planning:
Anyone who starts without a specific training plan or does not define clear goals runs the risk of training aimlessly. A structured training plan not only helps to manage the load, but also motivates, as progress can be measured. A consistent training regimen needs a motive. So it's best to regularly think about what you're training for. This helps motivate people in difficult moments.
Don't listen to your own body:
Your body takes breaks when it needs them. Pain, excessive tiredness, or prolonged exhaustion are often warning signs that a break or adjustment of training is necessary. Ignoring them can lead to injuries and setbacks in the long term.
Overestimation of the importance of technology and equipment:
It is important to have solid basic equipment, but it doesn't have to cost huge amounts of financial resources. In running, for example, a pair of good running shoes is completely sufficient at the beginning.
Inadequate diet and hydration:
The body needs enough energy and fluids to recover from training sessions. A balanced diet and sufficient drinking are essential to support performance and regeneration. Nutrition during longer training sessions is also often neglected. After 90 minutes of training, you should always start adding carbohydrates. As a beginner, you should rather avoid fasting training. What else you should keep in mind is what else you should consider here in an article on Endurance training for beginners compiled.
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conclusion
Improving your stamina offers you numerous health benefits. With a clear goal and a structured training plan, endurance sport is neither boring nor complicated. If you follow the basic principles and train consistently, you will make significant progress in the long term. You not only benefit from better cardiovascular health, but also from increased energy, optimized energy metabolism and improved regeneration. Regular endurance training strengthens your heart, promotes oxygen uptake and helps lower stress levels — all of which contribute to an all-round healthier lifestyle. Another advantage is the positive effect on weight management: Continuous training not only improves your performance, but also burns significantly more calories. This helps you lose fat and achieve your desired figure. It is important that you set realistic goals and adjust your training plan regularly to maximize progress. With patience, discipline and a willingness to listen to your body's needs, you can sustainably increase not only your stamina, but also your overall well-being and quality of life in the long term.
Welcome to Enduure
“We founded Enduure to support endurance athletes with scientific training, smart analysis and a strong community. Growing together, achieving top performance and redefining sport — that is our mission.” - Simon & Philip
simon
Simon is a professional triathlon player and starts in the Bundesliga for Team Berlin. He is also a sports scientist and certified sports nutrition consultant.
Philip
Philip is a doctor, DOSB C-trainer in triathlon and starts in triathlon himself as an ambitious amateur at various distances.
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