Endurance-Strength Training workouts

Why Endurance-Strength is Important?

Oswaldo Koch, MBA, PMP, P.Eng. / Fitness Trainer - Martial Arts Instructor

There are few things worse than losing muscle mass and vitality as we get older. These conditions increase the risk of many health problems, falls and fractures, which can be quite detrimental as we age.

Falls are a common reason for trips to the emergency room. About 40 million older adults fall each year in North America - resulting in more thatn 40,000 deaths. Many things can cause a fall - weakness in the lower body, bad posture, osteoporosis, loss of vison, and lack of core strength to move with balance and coordination. To prevent these debilitating conditions the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend regular muscle-strengthening exercises for all age groups.

The practice of endurance-strength training depends on your age, how sedentary you are and what type of exercise you're doing. Here are four areas of your physical fitness that you will improve with daily practice of endurance-strength training:

  • Cardiovascular endurance
  • Muscular strength
  • Balance and coordination
  • Flexibility and mobility.

IMPORTANT: As explained in the next sections, the integration of endurance and strength exercise will make you even more fit and stronger than either alone.

Endurance-strength exercises will help you to develop muscle mass and bone density.

Endurance training benefits

Endurance training builds cardio-respiratory fitness as we get older. As we become more aerobically fit, our ability to transport, deliver and utilize oxygen for energy production is enhanced and the amazing benefits don't end there:

  • Improves muscle mass consistently - Cardiovascular adaptations of large muscles used over an extended period of time will increase muscle mass.
  • Boosts mental well-being as we age - Gains in respiratory function help lift our mood, decrease anxiety and improve our ability to manage stress.
  • Reduces the risk of diseases - In addition to protecting your heart, cardiovascular fitness can reduce the risk of diabetes, arthritis, asthma, high blood pressure and chronic diseases.

Note: Studies have shown that fat is the preferred fuel for muscles during the early stages of endurance training.

Good posture is the result of core strength and bone density.

Strength training benefits

Strength Training is doing any exercise that pushes your muscles outside of their comfort zone (homeostasis), forcing them to rebuild stronger to prepare for a progressive overload - doing slightly more than last time (lift heavier weight or do 1 more rep) consistently. As a result:

  • Muscles will constantly have to adapt and rebuild themselves.
  • Body's metabolic rate increases, which prevents obesity and premature aging.
  • Increases bones mineral density in both younger and older adults.
  • Microscopic tears force the muscles to go through hypertrophy, meaning they grow bigger and stronger so they can meet the demands of progressive overload.

Note: Strength training enhances mental health, cognitive abilities, self-esteem at every stage of our lives.

Leg exercises will boost your metabolism and build muscle mass.

Endurance-strength training made easy

Most people are increasingly getting more and more sedentary. Prolonged sitting and no exercise weaken the muscles of your midsection. Keeping your core muscles strong is important because it is the body's center of power, balance and good posture to prevent falls and back injuries.

One effective way to develop core muscles is achieving high level of cardiovascular and endurance fitness. This level of fitness will help you to live life to its fullest extent. Using hip rotation and our bodyweight for resistance, each Mastermoves routine focuses on building:

  • Functional movements for injury prevention.
  • Cardiovascular endurance for enjoying an active life.
  • Core strength through a range of hip motions to enhance balance and muscles strength.
  • Flexibility, balance and coordination in 15-minute full body workout.

Other workouts proven to improve your endurance and strength fitness are:

The 5BX Plan - Five Basic Exercises was devised by Dr. Bill Orban for the Royal Canadian Air Force in the late 1950's. The workout is based on:

  • Five basic exercises that could be done virtually anywhere.
  • Rigorous push-up, sit-ups and running in places with few breaks.
  • Workouts for cardiorespiratory and musculoskeletal fitness.

The Tabata style circuit training - 20-second on, 10-second off workout format established back in the 1990s by a Japanese physiologist Izumi Tabata, who helped to coach the country's Olympic speed skating team. The workout is based on:

  • Work out conducted on exercise bikes.
  • Sprints for 20 seconds then took a 10 second break - repeated 8 times.
  • Body weight style exercises like squats, push-ups, rows, planks that lasts just four minutes.

Seven-minute workout - Established by Chris Jordan from Orlando, Florida. Essentially the seven-minute workout uses one's own body weight to work the body in such a way that builds both strength and cardio capacity. The workout is based on:

  • 30 second sprint exercises that could be done virtually anywhere.
  • Exercise like jumping jacks, wall sits, push-ups, crunches, squats, and planks.
  • You don't need any equipment, since all the exercise use your bodyweight for resistance.

To care for others, you must care for your health and fitness.

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