How can I improve my Cardio Stamina? Can you recommend a good plan?

Question

I've been running on the treadmill for about a month..but I still feel like I'm not getting any better. I still get tired after running for about 2 minutes..so I just walk. I'm not really fat, 5'11", 198..but I have some extra meat around my belly I wanna loose. I usually walk 2 minutes on 3 or 4, then attempt 2 minutes on 6..for about 15-20 minutes total . I've been going to teh gym regularly...but its not getting any easier. Should I take it down another notch and work myself up slower? What should I do?

Answer 1

So is the goal to increase your cardiovascular endurance, or to lose weight, or both? because the two do not necessarily go hand in hand. If you are truly after increasing your cardiovascular endurance, this is what you do:

For the first 6 weeks or so, do some form of cardio for 20 minutes, three times a week. Now, let's qualify that a little bit. Those 20 minutes do not include the warm up and cool down. While you're doing this activity, you want your heart rate to be at least 140 beats per minute (bpm), and that's the heart rate that you have to sustain for those 20 minutes. You don't want to crank it up to 190, because you won't last for 20 minutes, so use common sense, and estimate as best as possible the right intensity that you would be able to maintain for those 20 minutes.

Each week, increase the length of time by NO MORE than 10%.

This will increase your stamina by just a bit, but the recommendation for stamina increase is 150 minutes in the Target Heart Rate Zone over the course of a week. You can divide that up however you choose: 30 minutes, 5 days a week, 50 minutes 3 days a week, etc.

Here is how to calculate your target heart rate:

subtract your age from 220. This is your estimated maximum heart rate. So, for example, if you're 20, it would look like this: 220-20=200. Next, multiply your Max HR (heart rate) by 0.65 and 0.8 These are the values for 65% and 80% of your maximum heart rate. You want to stay between those 2 numbers when doing cardio.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Try doing walk/run intervals. when you first get on make sure you warm up by gradually increasing to your fastest walking speed. Once you're there walk for 5 minutes then increase speed to a comfortable running pace and do that for 2-3 minutes then drop back down to your fast walking pace. Keep repeating this technique for the duration then make sure you gradually cool down by decreasing your walking speed slowly. Increase your grade (incline) as you see fit to do so.

Answer 3

I went from walking 3 miles an hour to building up to 3.5 an hour. I also have the incline up high. Start at your pace and get your heart rate up to the cardio target zone and do it for at least 20 minutes to start with. Build up to 30 minutes, then 45 minutes. You will get stronger and will see that you have to keep setting the treadmill at at a higher incline and speed just to get your heart rate up to the target zone. That means your heart has gotten stronger. Once you are maxed out on your walking zones, then go to running to get your heart rate up. You have to get it up and keep it up for at least 30 minutes to benefit from the cardio workout.

Answer 4

It's only a month, give yourself some more time. And try adding some stair-climbing to your schedule a few times a week; that really improved my stamina a lot. At first I could manage only a few flights, now I can climb all the way from the ground to our eighteenth-floor condo!

Answer 5

Run every OTHER day. Your body may just need some rest between exercising.