Endurance sports

What is endurance sports?

Endurance sport is sport in which the body's ability to resist a certain stress stimulus is trained.
These are long-term stress stimuli. In the endurance training, the body's resistance is trained over time. In endurance sport, the cardiovascular activity is mainly improved, the blood flow to the working muscles is optimized and metabolic processes are adapted to the load.

Types of endurance sports

A distinction is made between aerobic endurance, in which the body has sufficient oxygen to cope with stress, and anaerobic endurance, in which the body goes into metabolic forms in which lactate is produced.
The lactate tolerance threshold is improved here, i.e. the body's ability to deal with the metabolic by-product. There are many other forms of endurance that depend on the type of exercise, e.g. Basic endurance, strength endurance, sport-specific endurance and many more.

Which sports belong to endurance sports?

Endurance sports include all sports in which a load is held over a certain period of time. Classic endurance sports are:

• Long distance run
• Cycling
• Swimming
• hike
• Triathlon
• rowing
• Cross-country skiing
• Riding, whereby the sprint discipline of the respective sport usually no longer falls under the endurance range

Group sports such as soccer, handball, volleyball or hockey are also endurance sports, even if there are repeated demands on strength and speed, the body is required to perform over a longer period of time. The fatigue behavior of the body is trained.

Read more on the topic: Endurance sports

How should I adjust my diet for endurance sports?

In endurance training, the body is challenged over a long period of time and needs a lot of energy. So you should make sure that the body's energy stores are well filled before starting training. Unlike strength training, resilience is not about muscle growth. A lot of protein is necessary for muscle growth because our muscles are made up of protein.

In endurance sports, however, the energy stores are more important. Carbohydrates are quick sources of energy. So it makes sense to eat a diet rich in carbohydrates before training. You should use branched carbohydrates (whole grain products, vegetables), since pure sugar is consumed quickly. Nevertheless, food should contain a certain amount of protein in order to counteract muscle breakdown. If the body does not get enough protein, it will make use of the body's own protein stores, the muscles. A certain amount of protein before training protects the muscle from being broken down during exercise.

Read more on the topic: Endurance sports and nutrition

Can you do endurance sports at home?

Endurance sports can also be done at home. Home trainers such as cross trainers or ergometers are ideal if there is enough space available, but you can also increase endurance through a home work-out.
For this purpose, exercises are recommended in which the pulse is driven up over a longer period of time. Exercises in which the whole body works (e.g. jumping jacks or burpees) are well suited. As a rule, such workouts are an endurance performance.

An exercise is performed over a long period of time, measured in terms of time or repetition. Usually the break is replaced by an exercise for a different muscle group so that the pulse remains permanently at a raised level. Circuit training of this kind is ideal if you have little time and want to challenge yourself at home. Training ideas can be found in a large number on the Internet or in apps, there are also some books or videos that offer training plans for endurance training at home.

Further information on the subject is available at: Endurance sports at home

What do I have to consider if I want to lose weight through endurance sports?

Basically, endurance training is a good calorie burner. You move over a longer period of time and boost your metabolism. However, you have to keep in mind that you don't necessarily gain muscle mass in endurance sports. But muscle mass is metabolically active mass in our body and helps us lose weight.

In endurance training, the calorie consumption during training is very high, but in the long term no increase (possibly even a decrease) in the basal metabolic rate is to be expected. In order to lose weight you need a negative calorie balance, so you have to burn more energy than you eat. A high basal metabolic rate is helpful here. When losing weight through endurance sports, care should be taken not to break down too much muscle (protein-containing food). A calorie balance is useful.

You might also be interested in this topic: Lose weight with exercise

What are the effects of endurance sports on pulse, blood pressure, and fats?

Endurance training affects our entire body and influences many cardiovascular parameters, but also blood values ​​and positive changes in the immune system.

Endurance changes the lung function, you can take in more oxygen with one breath, which has a positive effect on our circulation. Our heart is a muscle; the requirement to pump blood around the body during exercise trains the muscle and becomes more efficient. The heart can carry more blood in fewer beats. The impact increases, the pulse decreases. Endurance athletes often have a very low resting heart rate.

The blood flow to the heart also improves, which prevents cardiovascular diseases. Due to the increased need for oxygen during exercise, the body reacts with an increased production of red blood cells. In addition, regular endurance training lowers the risk of thrombosis, has a positive effect on the vascular condition, reduces the tendency of blood platelets to clump (thrombocytes) and improves the flow properties of the blood. In addition to these cardiovascular parameters, other organ systems will also change in the long term through endurance sports.

Endurance sports can change the muscles. Not only is the blood flow adjusted and increased as required, but also the fiber structure is rebuilt and firmer, the metabolism of the muscles is optimized and the corresponding cell organelles are increasingly incorporated. Overall, the percentage of body fat is reduced (with a corresponding calorie intake).

Endurance training also has positive effects on the immune system. The immune defense is strengthened. This is due to the fact that the body produces more antibodies that can become active immediately when exposed to the pathogen and fight the pathogen before symptoms even appear. Through exercise, glucose (sugar) can be better absorbed into the cells, so that less insulin is required. Insulin affects our entire metabolism, for example it prevents fat loss. Because of the lower insulin level, fat loss can be improved. Blood fats such as LDL and triglycerides ("bad fats") also decrease in the blood, whereas good HDL cholesterol appears in increased amounts in the blood and transports cholesterol from the periphery to the liver. The risk of atherosclerosis is reduced.

Endurance sports also have a number of positive effects on the psyche (stress hormones decrease, memory is improved, anxiety and depression are reduced, self-confidence is strengthened).

You can find out how you can improve your endurance performance and what you should pay attention to here: Endurance Performance - How To Improve It

How can you do endurance sports without putting strain on your legs?

The classic image of endurance sports is running or cycling, but there are also a variety of ways to do endurance sports without straining your legs. There are, for example, hand-held ergometers that can be placed on the table and are driven by the movement of the arms. Swimming can also be carried out without using the legs; Pulbouys are aids for this.

There are also some upper body strength endurance workouts that can be done on a stool, for example, and even done at home. Boxing exercises challenge many muscle groups in the upper body and raise the pulse. By slightly varying the exercises, they can be performed sitting or standing, but without great demands on the legs.

Endurance sports during pregnancy

Especially at the beginning of pregnancy, endurance sports are not a problem during pregnancy and can even have a positive effect on pregnancy. However, a few things should be observed in order to create optimal conditions for mother and child.

Fast and jerky movements or contact sports should be avoided during pregnancy because of the increased risk of injury, even if the auditor is trained. The pregnant woman should only train as long and as intensely as she feels comfortable. In order to ensure a sufficient supply of energy for mother and child, a diet rich in carbohydrates should be adhered to, especially before training with prolonged endurance exercise. Training in the water or cycling are particularly good during pregnancy, as there is no shock load on the body such as while running.

Further information on the subject can be found at: Exercise during pregnancy- this is what you should pay attention to

Endurance sports against depression

It has been proven that serotonin is released during endurance sports. Serotonin is a hormone that is less common in depression. An increase in serotonin levels is also the starting point for many antidepressant drugs. Endurance sports can have a positive effect on depression. Not only through the release of hormones but also through an improved self-esteem and the inhibition of the release of stress hormones.

Nevertheless, endurance sport should not be seen as a full therapy or replacement therapy. A depression can be positively supported by endurance sports, but drug and / or psychotherapeutic treatment should still be used in any case!

also read: Therapy for depression
Running - the endurance sport for body and mind

Endurance sports in old age - what should be considered?

Endurance sport in old age is a good way to counteract the consequences of the aging process. The positive effects on the entire body (see above) can prevent cardiovascular and mental illnesses. Especially people who have been involved in endurance sports their entire life can continue to do so in old age.
If people want to start endurance sports in old age, they should observe their body carefully, especially at the beginning. Overloading should be avoided, even sports that involve heavy joint loads are not optimal in old age.

It is important that the cardiovascular system changes with age. The pulse is generally slower and should only be brought into high ranges for a short period of time. Lung function deteriorates with age, so shortness of breath can occur more quickly. The influence of medication should also be discussed. It is important to stop training immediately and consult a doctor in the event of symptoms such as chest pain, tightness, dizziness or other signs of excessive strain. In general, it makes sense to use an exercise ECG to determine the individual performance level so that exercise limits can be adhered to during training.

You might also be interested in this topic: Weight training for the elderly

Are dietary supplements useful in endurance sports?

Basically, a balanced diet is usually sufficient for normal physical activity.
In the case of strong exertion, dietary supplements can be useful to support the energy balance. Carbohydrate-containing preparations are best suited for endurance sports. Long-chain carbohydrates ensure long-term energy supply, short-chain carbohydrates are more useful for short, heavy loads.

What can also come into question for the normal amateur athlete are electrolyte supplements. As a result of physical activity, the body begins to sweat and loses both fluids and electrolytes. Headaches or cramps can occur. Here it can be useful e.g. To prevent magnesium supplements.

Read more on the topic: Food supplements

Can you do endurance sports if you have a cold?

In principle, you should not do sport during an illness so that the body can use its forces to take action against the illness.
If there are slight signs of a cold, you can still do endurance sports, but you should listen to your body in particular and stop immediately if the symptoms worsen. Endurance sport strengthens the immune system in the long term, but this does not apply to the moment immediately after exertion. Here the defense is initially weakened before it builds up again over time. In the case of a cold, the symptoms can worsen.

In no case should you do sports, especially if you have a sore throat, as a possible bacterial infection can otherwise spread better and the bacteria could be better distributed by the heated circulation.

also read: Exercise after a cold - when?