How long can it take to see significant improvement in cardio endurance?

[dawn16]

Did you have other symptoms (wheezing, coughing, etc)? I ask because I was diagnosed with EIA in 2011 because I would be wheezing and coughing after runs. I always use my inhaler if I'm going to be breathing cold/dry air, but I often skip it in warmer weather. Wondering if not using it is reducing my aerobic capacity even though I don't feel any symptoms.

 

[dawn16]

Yeah, I had/have wheezing as well and would cough for hours after any kind of cardio. I generally don’t ever skip taking it, no matter what the weather (I’m the opposite where humid air feels worse). However, there have been times where the inhaler is basically empty or I forgot to take it and I do notice I can’t run as fast, and I cough afterwards. You could try taking it when you normally wouldn’t and see if it makes any difference?

 

[micktosin]

@kmar123 I was like you, too. Growing up I was pretty sedentary, but I grew into a very active person. That said, it took me a while... especially with running! Running was the hardest thing for me and all I can say is take it slow, its normal. I started doing 1-2 KM runs, to doing 6-8 KM a day!

 

[groggit]

@kmar123 What you’re describing seems normal to me. You may not be eating enough to power those runs or maybe running too fast that’s not sustainable. Also, I find I just can’t do cardio the days before my period. My body just can’t make it lol

Maybe set a “check in” type of cardio workout - like running around the block or a specific class and then do that once a month. That might make it easier to notice the subtle improvements that are happening.

If 60 min of cardio is too much, maybe try shorter tabata intervals? My 15 tabata spin class is just as hard as a 60 min more steady type of cardio.

 

[hungry_hungry_hippo]

@kmar123 Hey, are we twins??? I'm also 27 and was NEVER athletic. Like, I hated PE, didn't go to the gym on my own, didn't do sports, played video games/binge watched TV all day.

Yeah let me tell you - we start off in the negatives. At least that's how I felt. When I started exercising, I was SO weak compared to my peers who were somewhat more active in other ways. Hell I am still pretty damn weak! I suck at running and I suck at lifting. But I do it and I notice that I do improve, even if it's very little. And noticeably, my diet is a huge impact on that. Sometimes I have low energy and feel terribly sick due to not eating enough or not eating well.

Keep going at it. Keep following your program. Make minor adjustments so you can accomplish your goals.

Are you running too fast for the 5 min mark? Maybe your adjustment needs to be running at a MUCH slower pace. I remember I couldn't jog for even 90 seconds before! I had to turn the speed down.

Maybe you need to run through the easier weeks at 4-5 days/wk before trying for 5 min again.

Other things to consider:

- Is it a mental block you are facing?

- How is your diet?

- What about water intake?

 

[kmar123]

@hungry_hungry_hippo Haha I TOTALLY feel you! My friends also seemed way stronger / had better endurance just because their level of activity was naturally higher throughout the years, even if they weren’t gym goers. just now have I started to see I’m getting stronger than them, and they definitely still don’t exercise (maybe the odd bike ride here and there).

I do believe there could be a mental block because sometimes anxiety kicks in, which obviously induces a higher heart rate. it’s something that I’m starting to manage thanks to weight lifting though, it’s therapeutic for me.

Water intake is definitely great (I drink A LOT and I have to pee A LOT all day lol), the diet thing is more complicated, because I’m trying to stay in a slight deficit to lose a bit of fat, but I think I accidentally go too low some days as I am very, very active and I forget to take that into account. Maybe I need to rethink my diet tbh!

 

[hungry_hungry_hippo]

@kmar123 If you’re in weightlifting as well, I highly recommend looking into your diet! I do 4 days weightlifting and 2-3 days of cardio. I haven’t improved in my cardio as well but I’ve also been at a deficit.

I finally used the nSuns calorie tracker and I was vastly underestimating what my TDEE is, so I was eating at a MASSIVE deficit instead of slight. Per online calculators I should be eating 1400 calories to cut at 1600 TDEE but after doing that calc, it turns out I need closer to 1800-1900 calories so I was cutting toooooo much.

I started to eat more and the other day, I was either having a great day or the extra energy helps because I was actually able to jog for 3 mins straight. Like holy crap that’s a freaking feat for me, because I have been dying at 90 second jog (week 3??) of c25K

 

[217]

@kmar123 it definitely takes time to build up cardio. i haven't too much attention to how much cardio i'm getting, but i exercise three times a week, and usually at least one of those days is something like rollerblading around the block, going on a bike ride, or going running (if i can get my butt out of bed early enough in the morning). i still find myself completely sucking wind when i get to the top of a hill, even though i've been exercising consistently for almost 2 years straight now. but, the exercises i'm doing have gotten far more challenging. now, when i run up a hill, i'm doing it at a much faster pace than i was last fall. i bike faster than i ever have before, and i can rollerblade now, which i couldn't do last year.

obviously all of those activities are easily comparable by time and pace, and your cardio classes aren't. but do you find your range of movement, or ability in general has improved? when you first started doing classes, it's likely you weren't jumping as high, or keeping up as well, or coordinating the moves to the extent that you are now. maybe it feels like the same intensity, but you've still gotten better. i think that sucking wind/heart going crazy kind of feeling doesn't really go away for a very long time, but your cardio is still probably leagues better than it was when you first started!

 

[teriinnevada]

@kmar123 Depending on how heavy you're lifting and how you're scheduling your workouts, it might be worth it to ease up on the weights a bit if you want to build up your cardio endurance. This is purely anecdotal but I find I need to prioritize either getting stronger or getting faster. My body doesn't seem to want to do both at the same time. For now, stronger is the priority and most of my runs happen the day after I lift and I know it slows me down. My legs just feel tired pretty quickly. But if I lift one day, take a day off, and then run the day after that, I feel amazing and strong and fast (well, fast for me). In the long run, I know the cardio helps the lifting and the lifting helps the cardio and if I'm focusing on lifting, the cardio does improve, just verrry slowly. Oh, and make sure you're getting enough sleep, food, and water

 

[vowkeeper]

@kmar123 Honestly, pretty quick. I did an 8-week couch to 5k program and was shocked at how quickly I adapted and improved. Before this I was not an athletic person at all. If you're having trouble with the program slow down your running, you're probably overdoing it.

 

[chastity]

@kmar123 Lots of good advice here so here is my 2c: if you're finding exercise more difficult than you think you should, it might be worth talking to your doctor and getting your iron levels checked and checking to see if you have (exercise induced) asthma. Trying to do cardio with anaemia is just a horrible experience. I have mild asthma which definitely affects my endurance.

 

[negasi]

@kmar123 I really think it just depends. I went from no cardio only yoga 5x/week, to hiking 5x/week. It took me about 6 months to really be good, and about 8 months to be crushing trails, running down. Even If i would hike, say, 2 x/week, I could already notice how much harder it was. I am also NOT a cardio person. I honestly don't think I could run 1/4 mile right now, meanwhile my boyfriend hasn't ran in years and just ran 6 miles to see the other day. I think it's very human dependent. My theory is that back in the day, caveman times, I would've been the gatherer, the nurturer, not the hunter.

 

[godisveryreal]

@kmar123 Honestly I find that yoga helps me cross train with cardio- because of the focus on taking deeper breaths in yoga, I find I’m better able to keep up when I next do cardio.

 

[heartofberries]

@kmar123 Agreeing with the you might be running too fast advice. Also, if you've been running outside, and it's been summer for you, summer heat KILLS my endurance. As soon as the weather drops back below 60 my ability to run springs back pretty fast. It's crazy.

 

[timmckinney]

@heartofberries Weather is a HUGE thing. I always think I hate running, and then the weather drops down to the 70s and suddenly I remember that I don't hate it, I'm just kinda out of shape. What I hate is the heat. Stupid Texas summer.

 

[kmar123]

@heartofberries I actually hate running and I don’t plan on picking it back up, was hoping to improve my cardio endurance through other means (gym classes and dancing), but yeah, that was probably part of the problem!

 

[heartofberries]

@kmar123 That's fair! My 2017-2018 New Years Resolution was to try and find cardio I didn't hate. Was shocked to find that I don't actually hate running like I did when I was young! But it's definitely not universal, and I tried a LOT of stuff!

 

[kenny123]

@kmar123 If you get stuck, it's ok if you don't finish c25k in the specified week, you can repeat weeks until you feel comfortable. You're probably not used to longer periods of slow cardio and are going at a too high intensity. I finished c25k running at basically a "fast walk" pace, now my endurance is above average (not compared to professional athletes, but compared to people who do exercise). If you keep giving up and dropping out of a program and don't go to the same classes consistently, you're not really been working at it for 9 months, though - strength and flexibility don't bring cardio by magic. So don't use that reference to compare to someone who has been working mostly on cardio for 9 months.

 

[steveinalberta]

@kmar123 So the c25K for me was a struggle. I repeated weeks and it took me much longer to complete it. However, one I reached that point where I could run 25minutes straight, I improved drastically. After that I spent a month running 2-3 miles 3 times a week and the. Switched to the bridge to 10K plan which I completed easily. Didn’t have to repeat weeks. The first 2 miles is always the hardest for me. And then mile 4-5, but once I get past the 5 mile mark it’s easy again for me. I don’t know why that is.

This is just my experience though, it may not be the same for everyone and I am still new to running

 

[jpollock]

@kmar123 If you're struggling after 5 minutes of running then slow down. It may seem painfully slow to begin with but slowly over time you will be able to keep going for longer and gradually increase your speed. The theory is called MAF running and it will help to improve your aerobic base.
I've been doing it for a few weeks, I've gone from being able to run a half marathon and feel like death at the end to running a 17 mile run last weekend and although I felt physically tired i could have kept going if i had to. Granted it took me just over 3 and a half hours but it was enjoyable instead of mild torture.