Endurance Building Workout: Week 2

Boost your endurance and stamina with my three-week endurance training program. It’s a progressive series that builds muscular strength, endurance, stamina, as well as speed and power. Gaining endurance is an important element to build your body into top condition!

6 Benefits of Endurance Training

There are so many positive ways endurance training can impact your daily life. To be in the best overall physical condition, your training should encompass a variety of exercises, training styles, new challenges, and consistency so that your body is powerful and strong, yet fueled with stamina and energy to sustain long durations of activity. Here are some top benefits I enjoy when training for endurance:

Improves Overall Health

Endurance sports and activities create a stronger, healthier body by adapting the cardiovascular system, muscles, bones, and joints to sustain a task for a long duration.

Increases Metabolism

Endurance training produces lean muscle mass that continues to burn more calories post exercise.

Cleanses The Mind

Exercise can help with cognitive function. It also improves circulation, which also benefits the brain. Some of the best “thinking time” and creative ideas may cultivate during distance training. I create a lot of my workouts during my runs!

Calms The Mind

Exercise is a stress reliever and it releases endorphins that can alleviate mental emotions or depression from life. It’s definitely cheaper than therapy and it works wonders!

<h3>Builds Confidence

Surpassing your perceived limitations allows you to believe in your abilities and learn more about your inner strengths that you never thought was possible! You learn to push yourself mentally and physically past exhaustion and fatigue, which takes your physical abilities to a whole new level of accomplishment!

Enhances Quality of Life

Regular exercise increases your life expectancy by reducing the risk of disease, helping you sleep better, preventing aging, invigorating your mood, providing positive energy, along with all of the other benefits listed. It all translates into a better overall existence for an enhanced quality of life!

Week 2 Goals and Actions

This is the second week of the Endurance Training Program. If you are just joining in now, please refer back to the First Week to get the full program details.

Each week of the program builds upon the previous week with different exercises and time performed, therefore, it’s important to start the series from the beginning to achieve the best results.

Since this is week 2 of the Endurance Training Program, feel free to incorporate any exercises or the whole workout from week 1 in place of this new routine. It’s a way to keep your body familiar with a learned routine, yet refreshed with a new set of exercises too.

Program Goal: Develop muscular endurance and stamina

Week 2 Training Goal: Perform each exercise continually for 60 seconds, 2 sets

Plan: Perform this strength endurance workout on 3 non-consecutive days in conjunction with a solid cardio-based program on 3 days per week and consistent flexibility training following each workout.

Frequency:

• Three non-consecutive days per week Total Gym Strength Endurance Workout
• Three to four days cardiovascular training for 30-45 minutes. Vary your routine based on your schedule (ex: Power walking, running, biking, rollerblading, etc)
• Include flexibility training following each workout (ex: Relevant stretches, foam rolling, yoga, Pilates)
• Over Achiever: If you have one more workout day in you, perform the ‘Strength Endurance Workout’ on a 4^th day by performing 1 total set of each exercise from week 2 for as many reps as you can until the muscles fatigue and ‘burn out’.
• Bonus Treat: A weekly massage!

Week 2 Instructions

• Week 2 focuses on ‘power and pushing’ through plyometric movements. It is composed of explosive total body strength exercises that focus on power output while fatiguing the muscle.
• Perform each exercise for 60 seconds then immediately proceed to the next exercise with no rest.
• Perform 5 minutes of full range of motion exercises that prepare your body for the workout ahead. (ex: Jumping jacks, squats, lunges, push-ups, mountain climbers, planks)
• Complete the circuit and then repeat it again performing each exercise for 45 seconds on the second set. (2 sets total)
• Please take your time and focus on form first. If your form begins to suffer, try adjusting the incline and continue to perform the exercises slower with control until the time frame is achieved.
• Set the incline to accommodate your strength level for each exercise. You can always adjust it for more of a challenge.
• Set a timer to keep track of your intervals.
• Conclude your sweat session with a series of stretches that lengthen your muscles and recover them for your next workout, and prevent injury. (ex: Basic stretches, foam rolling, yoga)

Strength Endurance Circuit

Jump Squats

Targets: Quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, calves, abdominals, power, and cardiovascular system

Set Up: Squat stand connected

Perform: Lie supine on the glide board with the feet positioned in a parallel position the squat stand. I like to cup the bottom of the glide board to keep my body in the correct position and prevent slipping (Just watch where you place your fingers!) Begin to extend the legs and jump off of the glide board. Land softly to the squat stand and keep the knees in line with the toes as you stick each landing.

Bridge Press

Targets: Glutes, hamstrings, adductors, erector spinae, core stabilization

Perform: Lie supine on the glide board. Position the feet hip distance apart at the top of the squat stand with the feet and knees parallel. Keeping the glide board closed, articulate the spine to a bridge position.

Begin to press into the heels as the glide board opens by lengthening the legs. Keep the hips extended as the glide board closes to repeat the exercise. Be sure to keep the knees in line with the toes and press the weight through the heels as you extend.

Plyo Presses

Targets: Deltoids, trapezius, triceps, serratus anterior, upper pecs, and power

Set Up: Remove the squat stand and attach shoulder press bars (optional)

Perform: Lie in a prone position facing away from the tower and the head towards the bottom base. Place the hands on the base or use the shoulder press bars. This is a plyometric movement that requires continual strength and force production.

Powerfully push the glide board up the rails and land softly by absorbing the landing. The higher the incline, the harder the strength challenge.

Plyo Pull Up

Targets: Lats, biceps, upper back, core stabilizers, and power

Set Up: Remove the shoulder press bars (if used) and attach the pull up bars

Perform: Open the glide board, grasp the pull up bars, and lie in a prone position with the head facing the tower. This is a plyometric movement that requires continual upper body strength and force production.

Powerfully pull the glide board up the rails, quickly let go and re-catch the bars as it lowers. Continue this plyo pull up for the given time. The higher the incline, the harder the strength challenge.

Leg Raise Roll Up

Targets: Abdominals, spinal stabilizers, hip flexors, and core control

Perform: Lie supine on the glide board with the head closest to the tower. Bend the elbows and hold onto the top sides of the glide board.

Initially bend the knees to 90 degrees to articulate the lower spine upward to activate the core, and then roll down with control. Progress through the exercise by extending the legs or raising the incline higher. Avoid using momentum by keeping a steady control throughout the motion.

Plank Slides

Targets: Abdominals, posterior chain, arms, shoulders, glutes, hamstrings, and develops isometric strength, spinal elongation

Perform: Facing the tower, open the glide board by assuming a plank position.  Position the hands parallel so that the shoulders are directly on top of the wrists, core is engaged, and legs are extended long to create a diagonal line from the head to the heels.

Press the glide board slightly up the rails as you roll down to your forearms, then the roll back up to straight arms while maintaining the plank position. Keep the core engaged at all times to prevent “sinking” or “piking” of the hips. Modify the plank by either raising the incline or placing the knees at the bottom base for a decreased range of motion.

Be sure to check out the video to see how these exercises are performed.  Please ‘like’ and ‘share’ so that others can join in the program!

If you are following the program precisely, your muscles should be adapting to the training stimulus and developing strength as well as increased stamina. Stay tuned for the final week of the Endurance Training Program!

Train Hard,

Maria

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