What is Endurance? Explain its types.

Endurance can be classified according to physical parameters as Muscular, Cardiovascular and Aerobic or Anaerobic.

Aerobic Endurance : The ability of the body to make efforts for a long period of time when oxygen is adequately available. The heart rate in this type of effort is between 140 and 160 per min. It has a positive impact on our health.

Anaerobic Endurance : The ability of the body to make efforts intensive but in a short period of time in conditions of low oxygen availability.

According to nature of activity –

(a) Basic Endurance also known as aerobic endurance. It is the ability to perform movements in which various body muscles are involved. This concerns when the activity is performed for a prolonged period, usually at a slow pace for example as in walking, jogging etc.

(b) Specific endurance is the ability to stand against fatigue in sport specific conditions. The better is the sport specific endurance, the better will the participant perform at this specific sport. For example, the endurance requirements of a 1500m runner, would be quite different from a wrestler.

(c) General endurance characterizes the ability of the whole body to sustain endurance exercises and reduce fatigue. The better the general endurance the better one can stand longer efforts at various sports disciplines. For example, if a 1500m runner has high levels of general endurance, he/she, can perform at a relatively high level also at 10K. However, it would not be easy to compete with 10K runners who have been developing their distance specific endurance.

According to Duration of Activity -

(i) Speed Endurance : It is the ability to prolong the amount of time where a near maximal speed can be maintained. During activity such as this, accumulation of blood lactate disturbs the excitation-contraction of the muscles. The muscle’s mechanical properties are disturbed, resulting in a decrease in force production, peak force and velocity. Speed-endurance training can improve the clearance rate of lactate and reduce early lactate formation. Speed endurance is crucial to a large number of athletes and a lack of it result in reduced sports capability.

(ii) Short term Endurance : When sports and events consist predominantly of bouts of exercise lasting between 30 seconds and 2 minutes, “short-term” muscular endurance training is advantageous. A circuit training set up is suitable for this type of resistance training.

(iii) Middle term Endurance : Middle term endurance is needed for such sports that need activities ranging from 2 to 11 minutes. It depends on both speed endurance (to a limited degree) and strength endurance. The endurance needed for middle distance runners such as 1500 m, is an example.

(iv) Long term Endurance : “Long term” muscular endurance is required for events lasting more than 11 minutes. Light loads are used so that exercises can be sustained for a prolonged period. Rest periods are kept to a minimum and ideally the athlete should progress so that the only rest between exercises is the time it takes to move between equipment.