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Im 23 6'3'' 235 pounds. In high school I was an avid water polo player/swimmer. College is when the endurance hit the road and pounds came knocking. I do need to loose about 25 pounds, but how can I build up my endurance so I can run more than down the street before I want to lay down and die? Is there a technique to training or building the endurance back up?
I appreciate all the words of advice guys and gals.
If you were a swimmer and water polo player in high school you have already done what you need to restore much of your endurance. You don't have to swim again if you don't want to.
Your swimming training was probably very interval centric. The same principles can be applied to any aerobic sport. You probably hate long running or similar sports. You can apply intervals to running. Cycling can be interval like if you are riding in varying terrain.
You can always start swimming again. Join a local Masters swim program. You don't have to compete. You might find a good group with a coach and a group of similar ability.
You CAN regain your fitness. But the longer you wait, the harder it will be.
Nobody just starts off again running 4 miles distances. You have to start small and work your way up to get better, much like anything else in life. Start with one mile for a week, then a mile and a half, then two miles, etc... Eventually you will be back in shape and the weight should come off naturally unless you eat nothing but pizza/beer and have a horrible metabolism. Obviously select your exercise of choice as running isn't good for everybody.
We started with the Couch to 5k program. It really helped me build my endurance in the first few weeks. After about week three, I was able to run over a mile and then just started adding more and more. I ran my first ever 5k last month!!! Now I am running 3 miles just about every time out...
We started with the Couch to 5k program. It really helped me build my endurance in the first few weeks. After about week three, I was able to run over a mile and then just started adding more and more. I ran my first ever 5k last month!!! Now I am running 3 miles just about every time out...
Good luck!
Thanks everyone for the words of insight.
I have heard good things about the Couch to 5k program, il see how it works for me.
Im 23 6'3'' 235 pounds. In high school I was an avid water polo player/swimmer. College is when the endurance hit the road and pounds came knocking. I do need to loose about 25 pounds, but how can I build up my endurance so I can run more than down the street before I want to lay down and die? Is there a technique to training or building the endurance back up?
I appreciate all the words of advice guys and gals.
OK..you're a big guy and you want to to lose some excess poundage and increase your endurance, or more preciesly, your "cardio" or "aerobic fitness" level. These are exercises in which your body uses oxygen, as opposed to "anaerobic" exercises like weight-training in which less oxygen and more sheer muscle is used.
The first rule I tell my clients who want to do this--I'm a personal trainer--is that it's crucial they find an exercise that is fun for them; otherwise they're gonna burn out quickly and quit their regemin. This is the most common mistake people make. So..you don't necessarily HAVE to run or jog, unless you happen to truly enjoy that. For example, you could: swim, bike, hike trails or mountains, rollerblade, take any number of aerobic-based classes at your local gym, like dance--don't laugh, it's hard, and you're surrounded by hot chicks--or other classes like body combat, or spinning (riding a stationary bike, usually to music.)
Whichever of these you chose, simply start out slow and slowly increase your time. Like, if you decide to jog, begin by walking and jogging. Jog for maybe a couple hundred yards and then walk for a couple hundred yards. What's important to remember is that the emphasis should always be on how much TIME you can spend doing your chosen exercise: not how fast you can go. It's better to jog & walk for an hour than it is to run for twenty minutes. or to be able to do three miles in 35 minutes than to do two nine-minute miles. Speed will come later.
You want to attain your "target heart-rate." This is found by taking the number 200 then subtracting your age. So...220 minues 23--let's call it 200. You want to keep your heartrate at 70% of 200 (135-140) for around 30-40 minutes a day for three to four times a week to begin. Then just increase from there as you get more fit.
Remember above all to have FUN!!
Good luck.
Last edited by DrummerBoy; 12-15-2009 at 09:52 PM..
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