Stamina refers to the ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort. More simply put, it's your overall energy levels that allow you to keep going when an activity becomes difficult or tiring.
Some key points about stamina:
- Stamina relies heavily on cardiovascular fitness. Your heart and lungs need to effectively deliver oxygenated blood to your working muscles. The fitter your cardiovascular system, the longer you can sustain effort.
- Muscular endurance is also very important. This refers to your muscles' ability to continue contracting and resisting fatigue. Good muscular endurance prevents your muscles from "giving up" before your cardiovascular system does.
- Mental endurance matters too. Pushing through physical tiredness also requires mental grit and focus. Having strategies to manage mental fatigue can improve stamina.
So in summary, stamina depends on:
- Cardiovascular fitness
- Muscular endurance
- Mental endurance
Here are some ways to improve stamina:
- Engage in "cardio" exercise 3-4 times per week like running, swimming, cycling etc. Start off with shorter sessions and gradually increase duration.
- Do muscular endurance work like circuit training, bodyweight exercises and lighter weight/higher rep lifting.
- Build mental strategies to manage fatigue, self-talk and mindfulness techniques. Having mental tenacity and awareness helps override tired messages from the body.
The more you train, the greater capacity your cardiovascular and muscular systems develop. So be consistent, challenge yourself progressively, fuel properly and allow sufficient recovery.
With time and dedication, you can make big improvements to stamina! Let me know if you have any other questions.