5 Effective At-Home Exercises for Boosting Endurance
Published March 16, 2023.
Are you out of breath when walking up the stairs? Do you feel winded when working out? These may be signs that you need to improve your fitness and endurance levels.
Endurance refers to your ability to sustain exercise over an extended period. Activities that help build stamina are called endurance exercises, such as walking, jogging, and swimming, which raise your breathing and heart rate. They help keep your heart, lungs, and circulatory system healthy.
Low endurance can be caused by factors such as:
- Respiratory problems
- Unhealthy diet
- Poor sleep
- Stress
So, what exercises increase endurance?
Low-intensity, high-repetition workouts are best for improving endurance, but activities like brisk walking, biking, and dancing can also help. By consistently engaging in these activities, you can gradually build your endurance.
How long does it take to increase endurance?
It takes about 2 to 3 months to see significant improvement in your endurance with consistent training.
5 At-Home Exercises to Increase Endurance
If you're wondering how to improve endurance at home or even if you can do it, don't worry. There are many such workouts that can be done anywhere, anytime, and don't even require fancy gym equipment.
Here are some at-home workouts that improve endurance:
- Jumping jacks
- Pushups
- Climbing stairs
- Squats
- 7-Minute Workout
1. Jumping Jacks
Jumping jacks are a type of cardio workout that helps increase your stamina, fitness, and strength. But does cardio increase endurance? The answer is yes. They're an excellent example of how cardio workouts can indeed boost endurance.
By incorporating 30 minutes of cardio training, 3 times a week, you can significantly increase your endurance in just 8 to 12 weeks. Additionally, cardio workouts offer other benefits, such as strengthening your heart and elevating your mood.
Jumping jacks can be performed anywhere—at home, the office, in the park, or even in your hotel room while traveling. They work to strengthen your muscles and burn calories, helping you lose weight and become more toned.
Here’s how to do jumping jacks:
- Stand up straight with your feet together and your arms at your sides.
- Jump up, simultaneously spreading your legs shoulder-width apart and raising your arms above your head, clapping your hands together.
- Jump again, returning your legs to their original position while lowering your arms back to your sides.
- Repeat this as many times as you can.
2. Pushups
Pushups are an excellent choice for endurance training. They work your chest muscles while engaging your back, arms, legs, and core. Pushups also improve blood circulation.
Want to know how to do a pushup?
- Start in a high plank position with your hands placed shoulder-width apart on the ground, fingers pointing forward, and your toes on the ground.
- Your body should form a straight line from your head to your heels. Make sure to keep your core tight and your back straight.
- Lower your body towards the ground by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your body.
- Push yourself back up to the starting position, straightening your arms fully. That completes one pushup.
- Repeat this as many times as you can.
There are different pushup variations such as:
- Diamond pushup: For this type of pushup, bring your arms closer together, forming a diamond shape with your hands. This variation primarily strengthens your triceps, inner chest, and shoulders.
- Box pushup: In this variation, your knees touch the floor. It's best to perform this on a mat to support your knees.
3. Climbing Stairs
Climbing stairs is an ideal endurance workout, especially for beginners. It's easy to do, and it's low-impact. You can simply climb the stairs in your apartment building, at your office, or even in a nearby mall to change up the scenery.
Climbing stairs helps boost endurance as it works your heart and lungs. It strengthens your lower body and tones the muscles in your buttocks, thighs, and calves. Engaging in this activity regularly helps maintain healthy bones, muscles, and joints.
Incorporate stair climbing into your daily routine to increase your endurance. Make an effort to climb stairs whenever and wherever possible, turning it into a habit that supports your fitness goals.
4. Squats
Squats are among the most efficient strength-training exercises available. But does strength training improve endurance? Yes, strength training exercises, such as squats, can help improve your endurance. Squats are an excellent choice as they work multiple muscle groups simultaneously.
There are many different variations of squats. You can perform squats with or without weights. If you choose to use weights, consider using easily accessible items, such as water bottles or exercise bands, to assist your at-home workout.
How to do squats?
- Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and arms at your sides.
- Bend your knees and hips, lowering your body as if sitting on an imaginary chair.
- Keep your back straight, core engaged, and ensure your knees don't go beyond your toes.
- Pause at the bottom, then stand back up, exhaling as you rise.
- Repeat as many times as you can.
5. 7-Minute Workout
The 7-minute workout is an excellent choice for those new to fitness. It's non-intimidating, can be done at home, and easily fits into most schedules.
The 7-minute workout by TDC incorporates SIT (Sprint Interval Training) exercises, a form of interval training that enhances fat burning. This workout offers numerous benefits, such as:
- Boosts stamina and metabolism: High-intensity intervals not only increase your metabolism but also enhance the afterburn effect, allowing your body to continue burning calories even after the workout.
- Time-efficient: It's ideal for people with limited time who still want to experience a quick, effective workout.
- No equipment needed: The workout uses your body weight to create the resistance necessary for strength and endurance training, so you can perform these exercises anywhere, anytime, without needing equipment.
Boost Your Endurance with Easy At-Home Exercises
Incorporate stair climbing into your daily routine to enhance your endurance. Take every opportunity to climb stairs, whether at your apartment, office, or shopping malls.
Jumping jacks, pushups, and squats are all effective endurance-boosting exercises that you can do at home. A 7-minute workout that includes these exercises can be even more impactful in building your endurance, complete with warm-up and cool-down exercises.
Start incorporating these exercises into your routine today and experience the endurance-boosting benefits for yourself.
