How can I improve my stamina?
To be able to exercise and play sports for longer periods without getting burned out.
Stamina is defined as "the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort." In relation to sports performance, stamina is the difference between making it to the end zone and getting tackled in the process.
Safely increasing your stamina happens in two ways: sports specific training and proper nutrition.
High Intensity Interval Training, or HIIT, needs to become an integral part of your workout routine. HIIT involves taking a set number of compound bodyweight-based exercises, typically 8 to 10, and performing them in rapid succession. Once the last exercise is complete, take a 60 to 90 second break and begin again. Complete 2 to 3 sets for beginners and 4 to 6 sets for advanced lifters. If you are training for a specific speed-based sport then speed and agility drills should make up the majority of the HIIT exercises performed.
To complement your training, you need to be just as dedicated to your nutrition. The nutrients you consume provide you with the fuel you need to stay in the game. Follow these simple tips:
- Start every day with breakfast!
- Eat every 2 to 3 hours
- Eat a balance of your macronutrients: protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
- Drink no less than 8 to 10 glasses of water per day (even more if you are training on that day)
If you are going to use a supplement to improve your performance, make sure that it is safe and as natural as possible. Avoid sugar based performance enhancers as this will lead to a sugar crash. Together, the right training and proper nutrition will help to increase your stamina.