We often hear the word 'endurance' thrown around. Can you explain to us what endurance actually is? Why is it important that we prioritise movement that is going to boost our endurance? 

Endurance by definition is ‘the ability to endure an unpleasant or difficult process or situation without giving way’. Endurance in my opinion is the ability to perform a movement or exercise repeatedly over and over again with adequate form/technique without dropping off in performance. Movements or exercises that allow us to perform larger tasks are beneficial as they will allow us to perform certain exercises/workouts more efficiently for a longer period of time (example: calf endurance can be beneficial for longer distance running).

What types of exercises are going to be best for improving our endurance? 

This all depends on what we need/want endurance for. By performing a high amount of reps repeatedly over and over again we are able to train any muscle group to improve endurance.

When we improve our endurance, what might we notice? 

When there is an improvement in muscular endurance, you will notice that you are able to perform a certain movement/exercise at a high level, without reaching fatigue for a longer period of time.

So how does endurance training differ from strength training? 

Endurance training can fall under the umbrella of strength training, assuming we are performing a strength exercise for a large amount of reps with a low-moderate weight. Performing exercise such as swimming, running, riding etc, is obviously not classified as strength training, however your strengthening exercises will allow you to improve endurance on these types of workout.

Why have you chosen to combine strength and endurance training into Challenge 2 of Workout In Winter? What should we aim to improve? 

The goal of this training phase is to not only improve on strength so that we are able to lift more and potentially add more lean muscle tissue, but also to allow us to train at a moderate-high intensity for a longer period of time before the fatigue sets in and training output/quality drops off.

Do you have to have a certain level of fitness to take on your endurance training? 

Not at all, anyone and everyone can start today! The only thing to keep in mind is that you should be building your endurance slowly, remember, it’s a marathon not a sprint, sometimes literally.