The first thing you’ll need to concentrate on is your stamina, regardless of whether you’re preparing to run your first marathon, trying to stick to your year-end fitness goal, or just trying to keep up with your toddler. The ability of the body to carry out any activity for extended periods of time is referred to as stamina. “It depends on stamina and efficiency. These two things are being worked on by athletes, coaches, and anyone else with a set strategy. To give a straightforward illustration, my ability to run at a leisurely pace for 10 km while maintaining a heart rate range of 70-75 [beats per minute] demonstrates my endurance.
“My objective should be to travel the same distance at a faster rate while maintaining the same heart rate,” says Nikhil Kapur, co-founder of the Atmantan Wellness Centre in Mulshi.
Set sensible objectives
“The mind gives up when people don’t stick to their fitness routines, whether it’s walking for a set amount of time every day or swimming nonstop. It takes dedication and willpower to stick to a demanding physical training plan, says neuropsychiatrist Dr Rohan Bokadwalla of Mumbai. He claims that giving out smaller chores is the most effective approach to increasing stamina. This is agreed upon by Kapur, who adds, “Start small, whether it be [with] distances or burdens.
Push the boundaries carefully and gradually.” Enhancing physical endurance also makes it easier for the mind to handle stress. You become peaceful when you have control over how your body is working. Since the mind is aware that everything will work out, it does not become anxious, says Dr Bokadwalla.
Maintain a regular fitness schedule
Nothing you do once will have the desired effects. The type of training you are undertaking will determine the frequency. If you want to gain speed, you may do high-intensity interval training three times per week, or you might do pilates every other day to strengthen your core. Stick to the regimen, whatever it is for you, suggests celebrity pilates instructor Namrata Purohit.
The simplest and most efficient technique to increase stamina, according to celebrity fitness trainer Eefa Shrof, is to commit to a 30-minute low-intensity long-duration workout like walking, cycling, or swimming. “Walking is the most underrated, but one of the best ways to build your stamina,” claims Shrof.
Continue to mix up your workouts
“Running quickly each day won’t help you get quicker. In actuality, your gains will be lessening. But what really pays off is a combination of interval and recovery exercises, according to Kapur. Purohit concurs and explains that in order to build endurance, one cannot continuously perform the same activity at the same level of difficulty and repetitions.
Start out softly and gradually increase your efforts each week until you attain your goal. “Some ways to push the body to increase endurance and stamina are to increase the repetitions and intensity, or to reduce the rest or recovery times in between sets,” the expert advises. She strongly states that it is not advisable to push oneself above your limits and cautions against doing so. Kapur advises devoting time to stretches, warm-ups, and cool-downs to get the most out of your workout.
Take up Ashtanga yoga
Ashtanga posture sequences are performed continuously and quickly, without pausing at any point. Ashtanga yoga, according to yoga specialist Pragya Bhatt, combines physical exertion with strict consistency in breath work.
Building stamina depends in large part on your capacity to breathe deeply while moving. In Vinyasa yoga, a form of freestyle Ashtanga yoga that emphasises performing repetitions for an extended period of time, this is more specifically emphasised. “Your body starts to develop strength or stamina when you move continuously for an hour. No matter what kind of physical exercise you do, you can still use your breath to coordinate it even after leaving the yoga mat, the expert continues.