Sports like running, cycling, swimming, and triathlon require good cardiorespiratory endurance for better performance.Įven if you are not a competitive athlete, there are numerous benefits of having good cardiorespiratory endurance or improving it.įrom a general health standpoint, cardiorespiratory endurance is correlated with better cardiovascular health, cognitive performance, and a decreased risk of heart attack, hypertension, stroke, and cardiovascular disease.Īccording to the National Institutes of Health, a high level of cardiorespiratory endurance also decreases the risk of type 2 diabetes, certain cancers, and premature all-cause mortality. Why Is Cardiorespiratory Endurance Important? This allows you to continue to sustain the exercise activity without needing to stop and rest, without feeling completely winded and breathless or like you are hitting your max heart rate at a relatively slow pace or easy intensity.įor long-distance or long-duration events and workouts, such as a 10k+ running race, a long bike ride, a triathlon, a long-distance swim, or even just a long cardio workout at the gym on the elliptical machine, your level of cardiorespiratory endurance will directly affect your performance in the event or workout.

Overall, having high cardiorespiratory endurance usually translates across different forms of aerobic exercise because cardiorespiratory exercises condition the heart and lungs to take in and deliver enough oxygen for the working muscles during high-intensity physical activity. However, hos or her legs may be burning on long or steep uphill climbs because of the unaccustomed muscular workload on the quads. However, if the same runner decides to hop on a bike and go on a hilly bike ride with friends, he or she may have no trouble breathing or delivering oxygen to the muscles with a consistently high heart rate. This is an important distinction because it is possible to have high cardiorespiratory endurance but poor muscular endurance, particularly if you are doing a different type of aerobic exercise than you are accustomed to.įor example, a marathon runner who consistently trains several times per week with long runs and structured running workouts will have excellent cardiorespiratory endurance and good muscular endurance for running. If you have good cardiorespiratory endurance, you will be able to sustain high-intensity physical activity without stopping or fatiguing for an extended period of time.įor this reason, some people like to think of cardiorespiratory endurance as your stamina for exercise in terms of the cardiovascular and breathing aspects of the activity, which is distinct from muscular endurance. Like these other aspects of fitness, many people have a general awareness of what cardiorespiratory endurance is but may not be able to actually define or explain the term when they are tasked to do so.Ĭardiorespiratory endurance refers to the ability of your heart, lungs, and vasculature to support exercise for an extended period of time. Let’s jump in! What Is Cardiorespiratory Endurance?Ĭardiorespiratory endurance is one of the five health-related components of physical fitness, alongside muscular endurance, muscular strength, flexibility, and body composition. How to Improve Cardiorespiratory Endurance.

How Is Cardiorespiratory Endurance Measured?.Why Is Cardiorespiratory Endurance Important?.In this article, we will discuss what cardiorespiratory endurance entails, the benefits of having good cardiorespiratory endurance, and the best strategies and tips for how to improve your endurance through effective cardiorespiratory endurance exercises.

If you are an endurance athlete, such as a marathon runner, a long-distance cyclist, or a long-course triathlon, you are likely aware that there are many different approaches to training to improve your cardiovascular endurance for your sport.īut, what is cardiorespiratory endurance, and why is it so important? What about the best cardiorespiratory endurance exercises for athletes?

Best exercise for cardio endurance