Types of endurance

Types of endurance

A distinction is made between general and special endurance. General endurance is understood as the body's ability to perform with high efficiency any work for a long time, which involves many muscle groups and places sufficiently high demands on the cardiovascular, respiratory and central nervous systems.

Special endurance is the ability to endure loads characteristic of a particular type of activity for a long time. It is the ability not only to fight fatigue, but also to perform the task at hand in the most efficient way possible within a strictly limited distance or certain time.

Special endurance is divided into:

Speed endurance (characterized by the ability of a person for a long time to perform rapid movements without fatigue and violation of technique);

Speed-force endurance (characterized by the performance of actions of high force activity for a long time);

Coordination endurance (repeated repetition of complex technical and tactical actions);

Strength endurance (indicates the muscular ability to perform heavy exercises for a long time without visible technical violations. This type of endurance shows the muscle's ability to contract repeatedly over a minimum period of time); Strength endurance has two types: dynamic and static.

Dynamic strength endurance is characterized by performing heavy muscle exercises at a relatively slow pace, but for a sufficiently long time.

Static endurance allows you to maintain muscular exertion for long enough periods of time without changing your posture.[2]

Endurance is provided by increased functional capabilities of the organism. It is determined by many factors, but primarily by the activity of the cerebral cortex, which determines and regulates the state of the central nervous system (CNS) and the performance of all other organs and systems, including the energy system. The CNS and its higher nerve centers determine muscle performance, coherence of functions of all organs and systems, and the performance of movements and actions of an athlete. The CNS has great capabilities in this respect. During endurance training, the whole system of nervous processes is perfected, which is necessary for performing the required work, improving the coordination of functions of organs and systems, and economizing their activity. At the same time the nerve cells of the brain increase their ability to work longer without decreasing their intensity, they themselves become more enduring.

The most important factors determining general endurance are the body's energy supply processes: aerobic (with oxygen participation) and anaerobic (without oxygen participation). In sports practice, the term "aerobic performance" is considered synonymous with the concept of "general endurance", and the term "anaerobic endurance" coincides in its meaning with the concept of so-called "speed endurance".

Aerobic and anaerobic endurance

Aerobic endurance is the ability to perform a load in aerobic mode (below the lactate threshold). It is related to the function of the cardiovascular system.

Anaerobic Endurance is the ability to perform load in anaerobic and maximal training mode (above the lactate threshold). It is related to the function of muscles to buffer lactic acid.

Alactate anaerobic, phosphogenic (provided by energy of breakdown of ATP and CP). Alactate anaerobic performance is assessed by the value of the alactate fraction of oxygen debt, the content of inorganic phosphorus in the blood, the value of maximum anaerobic power.

Lactate anaerobic, glycolytic (provided by energy generated in the process of anaerobic glycolysis). Lactate anaerobic performance is assessed by the maximum value of oxygen debt, its lactate fraction, the maximum accumulation of lactate in the blood, the shift of blood acid-base equilibrium parameters.

The Fox-Haskell table shows the relationship between aerobic (light orange) and anaerobic (dark orange) exercise and heart rate.

Estimated Indicators:

Anaerobic metabolic threshold (PANO)

Maximum oxygen consumption (VO2 max)

Oxygen work equivalent (OWE)

Oxygen Utilization Efficiency

Methods of determining physical performance

Training. Training at (or slightly above) the anaerobic (lactate) threshold is performed to develop aerobic endurance. Anaerobic endurance is developed with high-intensity and interval training.

Read more: making a running training plan.

First, you need to know your maximum heart rate (MHR, or MHR). You can calculate this yourself or use a monitor. Conventional formulas (for men: 220 for age; for women: 226 for age) are not suitable for trained people. Studies of heart rate in professional and non-professional athletes show how big the gap can be between them and their non-sports peers.

Means and methods of developing general endurance

A variety of training methods are used to develop endurance, which are divided into continuous and discontinuous exercise methods. Each of them has its own characteristics and is used to improve one or another component of endurance depending on the parameters of the exercises used. By varying the type of exercises, their duration and intensity, the number of repetitions, as well as the duration and character of rest, it is possible to change the physiological orientation of the work performed.

The regular continuous method consists of performing exercises of low and moderate power for 15-30 minutes to 1-3 hours. This method develops aerobic abilities.

The variable continuous method is characterized by periodic changes in the intensity of continuously performed work. The body works in a mixed aerobic-anaerobic mode. The method is designed to develop both special and general endurance. It allows you to develop aerobic capabilities of your organism, the ability to tolerate hypoxic conditions, which periodically arise in the course of acceleration and are eliminated with a subsequent decrease in the intensity of exercise, teaches students to "endure", and develops willpower qualities.

The repetitive method is characterized by the use of both standard and different length and intensity segments of the distance, repeated at unplanned rest intervals. The running speed and length of individual sections may be the same, progressive and regressive. Rest intervals are arbitrary. The runner's subjective feeling of readiness for the next load determines the length of the rest intervals. It is not necessary to wait for full recovery. The main thing is to perform the load with a certain number of repetitions and planned speed.

The interval training method consists in dosed repetition of exercises of relatively short duration (up to 2 minutes) in strictly defined rest intervals, which can be dosed by time, distance, and level of physiological indicators (heart rate). This method is usually used to develop specific endurance for any particular work. It can develop both anaerobic and aerobic components of endurance.

General endurance is the basis for the maintenance of high physical performance in athletics, it ensures the tolerance of high volumes of training loads, i.e. the physical efficiency of a person.

Building training for endurance

When starting to work on endurance it is necessary to follow a certain sequence of training.

At the first stage you should concentrate on aerobic abilities development, improvement of cardiovascular and respiratory systems' functions, strengthening musculoskeletal apparatus, i.e. general endurance development.

At the second stage the volume of loads in mixed aerobic-anaerobic mode should be increased.

At the third stage, increase the volume of loads by means of more intensive exercises, performed by methods of interval and repeated work in mixed aerobic-anaerobic and anaerobic modes, and selective effect on separate components of special endurance.

The development of endurance is an important part of their comprehensive physical training. Children adapt well to work of aerobic nature, as a result of which their oxygen-transport system capacity increases; adults should do this more gradually. Childhood and adolescence are the most favorable for improving general endurance. In this period the foundations are laid for later training with high volume and high intensity.

Adolescents of 13-16 years have lower levels of overall physical performance due to uneconomical functioning of the cardiovascular system than children of 10-12 years or even 7-9 years old. Therefore, it is necessary to strictly dose loads aimed at endurance development and prevent formation of training groups of children with different training experience.

Systematic use of training tasks with considerable requirements for speed endurance can be reasonable only for adults with well-developed general endurance. This means that the training of young athletes can include exercises of anaerobic nature, but their volume should not be significant. To increase the speed endurance the following exercises are used: running on the sections from 200 to 800 m, running uphill, relay races, overcoming obstacle courses, shuttle run, game exercises.

Exercises must meet the following requirements:

high (HR 160 -180 beats/min) and submaximal (HR 180 beats/min) intensity;

duration from 30 s to 2 min;

Continuously shortened rest intervals, from 3 - 5 min to 1 min between repetitions and up to 10 min between series, passive rest;

Number of repetitions in a series: 3-5, number of series: 1-3. It is reasonable to plan the exercises for the development of endurance for the second part of the class.

Long runs, crosses, various games and game tasks are effective means of developing general endurance in children. Most often running at a regular pace at a relatively low speed is used, the duration of which gradually increases from 5-8 to 30-60 minutes.

The following volumes of running load are allowed in sports exercises with children: for 11-12-year-olds - up to 12 km in one exercise, for teenagers 13-14 years - up to 18 km.

To develop endurance the sportsmen use widely training means enabling to increase essentially the functional capabilities of the organism without using a big volume of work which is maximally close to the competitive activity.

The main methods of endurance training are: the regular method of training, different variants of alternating, game and circular methods. You must not give preference to only one method of endurance training. They must be optimally combined during the whole period of preparation. Great attention must be paid to the circular method in the process of education of general endurance which allows effectively developing other motor qualities, as well as provides a high density and emotionality of the occupations. It is expedient to combine a circular method with running in various variations, especially in game and competitive forms. It also allows you to individualize the amount of load.

When performing exercises aimed at the development of general endurance, the following five components of the load should be focused on:

exercise intensity (speed of movement);

exercise duration;

the duration of rest;

the nature of the rest;

The number of repetitions of the distance.

As the level of general endurance increases, more and more attention is paid to the development of special endurance - the ability to effectively perform a specific load within the time limited by specialization. This is possible due to overcoming changes in the internal environment of the organism, in accordance with the athlete's individual resistance to fatigue. Methods of development of special endurance are selected according to the athlete's specialization. The main methods include: alternating, interval, repetitive, competitive.

One of the most important tasks of special endurance development is the increase of anaerobic capacity of the organism by holistic passing of a competitive distance or repeated performance of a competitive exercise.