Cardio and Endurance Workouts???

Question

I run every day for at least 3 miles.besides lifting weights 5 days a week I do jumping jacks, up-downs and jump roping.I love running, but it seems doing the jumping jacks, updowns and jump rope arent doing anything for me as far as increasing my endurance, I can basically do these things all day and I dont get much of a workout from them anymore at a high intesity like ive hit a plateau plateau or something. What is a good Cardio/Endurance workout besides that, that will really give me a challenge and further my Endurance???

Answer 1

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Two physically challenging workouts come to mind, one that is something you might try once in a while when you have a weekend or more time, and the other on a 2 to 4x/week basis.

**For an occasional cardio-endurance challenge**

Try backpacking, and particularly backpacking on hilly or mountainous terrain.  Last summer my son, daughter and I backpacked the length of Isle Royale in Lake Superior, and with inordinately heavy packs.  It was tough, just flat-out tough.  However, that one week of backpacking provided me with the mental and physical toughness it took to run the entire the Chicago Marathon later in the season (90+ degrees; over 30% dropout; one death, sadly).

**For a regular cardio-endurance workout**

Something I picked up last year, mostly to train across the winter for a triathlon this spring, is Spinning.  Spinning involves the use of special "Spin" exercycles, each of which has a 30-40 pound front flywheel.  Spinning is commonly a group activity you can pick up in park district programs and other exercise facilities.  (I don't think you can get it in a YMCA - Mad Dog Athletics, the 'owner' of Spinning, and the Y do not have, I believe, an agreement in place for this to happen at the Y.)

Like a lot of other workouts, how much you get out of it depends upon how much you put into it.  But if you put a lot of yourself into it, you'll find yourself hurting during each workout, and in three to four weeks building up significant cardio-endurance.

Spinning, I've found, is extremely effective for a lot of good fitness results:  increasing endurance, increasing leg strength (=speed), and interestingly enough through the continuous intense circular motion (essentially cycling with a weight), I've found almost a complete eradication of Achilles tendon problems that have been a part of my running for decades (no guarantee this can happen for you, though).

Start with one hour of Spinning at least twice a week, moving up to three or four.  After a month of one-hour Spinning classes, move up to two-hour classes, three times a week, for a totally straining physical challenge.

If you can find an authentic Spin class, try it, I think you will like it!

Regards,

Running_Dad

A note:  be sure to find a Spinning class with a certified Spin(c) instructor in a certified Spin(c) facility.