Have you heard...

...what are endurance basics ?

ENDURANCE SPECIAL – Part I

Endurance is not the same as condition! Condition is the generic term for energetic qualities of the organism and the musculature. This includes: power, endurance, speediness, flexibility, coordination. A condition-workout focuses on the improvement of conditional features. The endurance workout is in a way a part of the condition-workout. In sports, endurance means „physische und psychische Widerstandsfähigkeit des Organismus gegen Ermüdung bei lang andauernder Belastung und / oder die rasche Wiederherstellungsfähigkeit nach der Belastung„ (translated: the physical and mental resistance of the organism against fatigue during a long-lasting exposure and/or the rapid recovery after an exposure) (Grosser, 1986). Therefore, endurance is a motor basic feature / conditional ability, which is of great importance for almost each kind of sports. It is characterized by the following functions (Scheid/Prohl, 2007):

This means: Endurance = Resistance against fatigue + rapid recovery ability (see Grosser in Scheid/Prohl, 2007). Furthermore, a good endurance convinces by a high level of mental ability to cope with pressure.
The topic endurance – a vast and very complex construct – is divided into six areas (see Scheid/Prohl, 2007):

We would like to start with the terms „local and general endurance“ in the first part of our threepart endurance special.
The local and general endurance cover the demanded muscles. Local endurance means that only a very small muscles group (1/6 to 1/7 of the total skeletal musculature) is demanded during the motion. General endurance stands for the resistance against fatigue during motions whereas the whole body is demanded – that means large muscle groups are used, i.e. rowing.
Before starting the endurance workout, the corresponding workout target and workout condition have to be clear (i.e. by using an (introducing test). Regarding leisure sports and rehabilitation sports, the following targets are often categorized:

Based on the fixed workout target and the established workout condition, corresponding workout measures and methods are derivated. There are three different methods: duration method (continuous, with intensity change), interval method (extensive, intensive, iterative), competition and control method.

Walking Test

1. Preparation

   - Slightly moisten your chest strap and fix it underneath the chest muscles respectively the base of the bra.

2. Realization of the test

   The Walking Test can be either realized on the treadmill or outdoors. Please read carefully the advices, before you start the test.
   
   - On the treadmill: Set an incline of 1 % (--> simulation of the air resistance).
   - Walk a distance of 2 km as fast as you can.
   - Outdoors: If possible, use the sports grounds at your disposal in order to measure the distance covered.
     (--> stadium lap = 400 m).
   - Keep in mind time and heart rate at the end of those 2 km.
   - Write down time and heart rate on the questionnaire.

3. Attention

   Stop immediately the test when you recognize one of the following symptoms:
   
   - Pain in the thorax
   - Shortness of breath
   - Tickle in one's throat
   - Exhaustion
   - Pain
   - Dizziness
   - Nausea
   - Spots before one's eyes
   - Buzzing in one's ears

Norm chart Walking Test

Norm values for men

Norm values for women

Here you get to the Endurance special part II (Heartrate controlled workout)