How long can it take to see significant improvement in cardio endurance?
- Thread starter kmar123
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@elissanjuice Yes!! Well done 
It can be so frustrating at the start when everything seems so slow, but hearing other peoples amazing progress stories keeps me going
It can be so frustrating at the start when everything seems so slow, but hearing other peoples amazing progress stories keeps me goingletsgohome
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@kmar123 Depending on the intensity of your class, how well you know the moves, and whether or not you're properly controlling your breathing.
Do you notice if maybe you're exerting yourself more, as you've gotten used to the movements? If I'm familiar and have memorized a routine I can go from a moderate heart rate to a really high heart rate, depending on how much I feel like pushing it.
If the class is designed to be more HITT like, that could also be part of the reason as it's meant to go as hard in as little time as possible. Ask your class instructor for tips. Could be a common problem that they've dealt with, so maybe you aren't alone.
If you know the movements, try doing the class on your own but at a slower pace. Try doing it at a medium pace. And then try doing it how you'd do it in class. Pay mind to your breathing and pay attention to your body. Personally, I can get really nervous during classes and it makes my heart rate go up and I lose focus on my breathing and end up over exerting myself.
Do you notice if maybe you're exerting yourself more, as you've gotten used to the movements? If I'm familiar and have memorized a routine I can go from a moderate heart rate to a really high heart rate, depending on how much I feel like pushing it.
If the class is designed to be more HITT like, that could also be part of the reason as it's meant to go as hard in as little time as possible. Ask your class instructor for tips. Could be a common problem that they've dealt with, so maybe you aren't alone.
If you know the movements, try doing the class on your own but at a slower pace. Try doing it at a medium pace. And then try doing it how you'd do it in class. Pay mind to your breathing and pay attention to your body. Personally, I can get really nervous during classes and it makes my heart rate go up and I lose focus on my breathing and end up over exerting myself.
@kmar123 Yeah this is normal. It's the bane of my fitness too. I've been making really good progressive gains with weights, reps etc but with cardio endurance it's been one step forward two steps back.
What really helped me was doing a lot of interval training (getting my heart rate up to max and then back to around 120bpm improved the speed of my heart rate recovery) and switching to a running program instead of running chaotically/by the ear. I now do 1 high speed interval run, 1 combo run and 1 long distance run at low HR and I mostly see a snails pace improvement in my cardio endurance (though not sleeping, not eating well and/or being sore from lifting throws the occasional wrench in).
I'd say prepare yourself mentally that you won't see as much steady progress with this as you might with other things.
What really helped me was doing a lot of interval training (getting my heart rate up to max and then back to around 120bpm improved the speed of my heart rate recovery) and switching to a running program instead of running chaotically/by the ear. I now do 1 high speed interval run, 1 combo run and 1 long distance run at low HR and I mostly see a snails pace improvement in my cardio endurance (though not sleeping, not eating well and/or being sore from lifting throws the occasional wrench in).
I'd say prepare yourself mentally that you won't see as much steady progress with this as you might with other things.
@kmar123 Few months of running felt noticeably better. I would say the trick to running is to go as slow as physically possible at the start, barely above a brisk walk. If you can't do more than 5 mins you're probably thinking "running" too literally like you have to try go fast, just the slowest "jog" is more like it. It's a lot of patience. I started at 13:30 min/mile.
For long endurance slightly lower intensity stuff is more efficient at building that ability to sustain it. High intensity improves your ability to handle intensity better on the whole. They both help each other but cardio has varying efficiency routes to stuff really and not everything always translates to other stuff very well either. See: I can run fine, put me on a bike and I'm gassed instantly.
Something you can just sustain at a lower intensity for a longer time is probably the best way, be it a jog, or a bike is usually one of the easier ones to get the sweet spot on. Swimming potentially. If you're saying your heart rate is already very high doing what you're doing then you're just training above the ideal zone for building endurance a bit quicker.
For long endurance slightly lower intensity stuff is more efficient at building that ability to sustain it. High intensity improves your ability to handle intensity better on the whole. They both help each other but cardio has varying efficiency routes to stuff really and not everything always translates to other stuff very well either. See: I can run fine, put me on a bike and I'm gassed instantly.
Something you can just sustain at a lower intensity for a longer time is probably the best way, be it a jog, or a bike is usually one of the easier ones to get the sweet spot on. Swimming potentially. If you're saying your heart rate is already very high doing what you're doing then you're just training above the ideal zone for building endurance a bit quicker.
@kmar123 I was like you and started from no endurance whatsoever. I decided to start running and it took a very long time, at least 6 months of training using dedicated running programs, before I had gained enough cardio fitness to comfortably run 10K in about an hour, and much less comfortably run a half marathon.
You're probably running too fast. You should be going at barely even a jog at first. Speed gains come much later. You will just naturally get faster the more you run. Also, it takes sooooo long because your body is literally growing new capillaries for blood flow, strengthening your heart and diaphragm, reinforcing your joints and tendons, and so much more. There is a ton of physiological change that happens while you're working to build more fitness.
I've since quit my running habit, and developed a hockey habit, which is more HIIT than steady-state cardio. But I've found that now I can go a few weeks or even months without doing much dedicated cardio, and I will feel cruddy when I start back up again, but it comes back so much faster. It's like I've built a base level of cardio fitness that will always be there as long as I'm maintaining some kind of physical activity in my life. So imo, even though my initial foray into cardio was really awful and took forever, it was worth the investment into my fitness.
You're probably running too fast. You should be going at barely even a jog at first. Speed gains come much later. You will just naturally get faster the more you run. Also, it takes sooooo long because your body is literally growing new capillaries for blood flow, strengthening your heart and diaphragm, reinforcing your joints and tendons, and so much more. There is a ton of physiological change that happens while you're working to build more fitness.
I've since quit my running habit, and developed a hockey habit, which is more HIIT than steady-state cardio. But I've found that now I can go a few weeks or even months without doing much dedicated cardio, and I will feel cruddy when I start back up again, but it comes back so much faster. It's like I've built a base level of cardio fitness that will always be there as long as I'm maintaining some kind of physical activity in my life. So imo, even though my initial foray into cardio was really awful and took forever, it was worth the investment into my fitness.
imnotachristiandealwithit
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@daisyjo I started out with Couch to 5K. Then I did the Hal Higdon 10K novice program. When I finished that, I loosely adapted the intermediate program along with the Hal Higdon half marathon novice program. I did my best to keep the level manageable for me, and sometimes substituted in easier or shorter runs, but was strict about running at least *some distance* on every scheduled run day. It was too easy to fall off the wagon for me when I skipped one or two runs - before I knew it I would have skipped a whole week.
Consistency is really crucial for building your running mileage, and you need to build mileage to improve pace. If you only run 5Ks, it's difficult to improve pace. It seems counterintuitive, but actually running longer distances will help your 5K times to come down quickly! When I was at my peak running fitness, I would do runs of 10-15K and then finish by sprinting as long as I could - it helped train me to go fast on tired legs, so that going fast on fresh legs felt like a breeze.
Consistency is really crucial for building your running mileage, and you need to build mileage to improve pace. If you only run 5Ks, it's difficult to improve pace. It seems counterintuitive, but actually running longer distances will help your 5K times to come down quickly! When I was at my peak running fitness, I would do runs of 10-15K and then finish by sprinting as long as I could - it helped train me to go fast on tired legs, so that going fast on fresh legs felt like a breeze.
@ibiggy Agree with the probably running too fast comment. I recently added running to my programming and I was getting really upset because I could run maybe a mile (about 8-9min/mi pace) and then just be totally done for the day.
My PT looked at me like I was nuts and told me to set the treadmill to barely above a power walking pace (13-14min/mi) and use jogging form. Then he had me increase the time about 25% each week. Now I can comfortably “run” for about 40mins and still have enough gas in the tank to do a weights session!
My PT looked at me like I was nuts and told me to set the treadmill to barely above a power walking pace (13-14min/mi) and use jogging form. Then he had me increase the time about 25% each week. Now I can comfortably “run” for about 40mins and still have enough gas in the tank to do a weights session!
@ibiggy
Yuuuusss. I was completely inactive until my late 20s and at 5'4" was nearly 300 pounds. I finally decided to take my life into my own hands and began with walking, which turned into walking faster and uphill, which turned into hiking and eventually vigorous uphill hiking, which turned into flirting with a bit of trail running, and then finally I started road running. By this time, my heart was conditioned to be able to get up to 160-170 BPM for a sustained period. That first road run was on July 5th, 2015.
Since then, I've run countless 5k and 10k races, and just did my first half marathon last fall. While I burned out on running after my half and have taken a huge break from running, I can STILL go out and run a 5k no problem, even if I haven't in months. Sure, I'm not as fast, and my muscles are like "wait, you're doing this again?", but it comes back quickly. Since it's cooling down, I'm starting to get back into running, and I'm so glad I have a strong foundation that can quickly adapt and get back to business.
It's so worth all the hard work and dedication I put in. Nothing feels better than having really strong, badass cardio fitness and endurance. And now at 38, I am a healthy weight for my height and will never ever go back to how I used to be.
Yuuuusss. I was completely inactive until my late 20s and at 5'4" was nearly 300 pounds. I finally decided to take my life into my own hands and began with walking, which turned into walking faster and uphill, which turned into hiking and eventually vigorous uphill hiking, which turned into flirting with a bit of trail running, and then finally I started road running. By this time, my heart was conditioned to be able to get up to 160-170 BPM for a sustained period. That first road run was on July 5th, 2015.
Since then, I've run countless 5k and 10k races, and just did my first half marathon last fall. While I burned out on running after my half and have taken a huge break from running, I can STILL go out and run a 5k no problem, even if I haven't in months. Sure, I'm not as fast, and my muscles are like "wait, you're doing this again?", but it comes back quickly. Since it's cooling down, I'm starting to get back into running, and I'm so glad I have a strong foundation that can quickly adapt and get back to business.
It's so worth all the hard work and dedication I put in. Nothing feels better than having really strong, badass cardio fitness and endurance. And now at 38, I am a healthy weight for my height and will never ever go back to how I used to be.
@swenne120 I feellllll this!!! Every time I do something physical and no longer get winded the way I used to... I thank my past self for all the hard work. I used to have a lot of anxiety whenever friends invited me to go hiking. I'd be so worried about keeping up, what if I slowed everyone down, it will be embarrassing if they have to wait for me, etc. But now I don't worry about it whatsoever, I know I can keep pace with almost anyone and I don't mind slowing down to wait for others. It's so freeing!!
My fiance and I got into cycling this year and at first I felt that pang of nerves again. Like, what if I'm too slow and get stuck on a big uphill on a narrow path (such as the numerous bridges in our city) and everyone starts piling up behind me and getting mad. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. My general cardio fitness translated really well to cycling, and sure the first couple of weeks felt a bit slow (also coming out of quarantine lockdown, everyone was a bit slow) but after that I felt totally capable of powering through rides, and even on long uphills I was able to find that comfortable pace and just focus on breathing through it without having to stop and take breaks. Now I'm able to really enjoy cycling both as a form of exercise and a fun hobby!
My fiance and I got into cycling this year and at first I felt that pang of nerves again. Like, what if I'm too slow and get stuck on a big uphill on a narrow path (such as the numerous bridges in our city) and everyone starts piling up behind me and getting mad. Turns out I had nothing to worry about. My general cardio fitness translated really well to cycling, and sure the first couple of weeks felt a bit slow (also coming out of quarantine lockdown, everyone was a bit slow) but after that I felt totally capable of powering through rides, and even on long uphills I was able to find that comfortable pace and just focus on breathing through it without having to stop and take breaks. Now I'm able to really enjoy cycling both as a form of exercise and a fun hobby!
@ibiggy Wow, I relate to this so hard. I remember being so big and out of shape and being horrified of doing anything remotely physically active with friends because I was so embarrassed about being sweaty and breathing hard and struggling to keep up. God, that sucked.
Now I’M the one that has to slow down for pretty much anybody that works out with me. It’s such a trip. It’s hard to relate to the person I used to be.
I’m also really wanting to get into cycling!! I need to buy a bike but that’s totally the next activity that I want to focus on because it’s so much faster than running and you can cover so much more ground, plus WAY less stress on your body. I know I’ll have to build up some specific cycling muscles but it’s good to know that my cardio base will help with getting started!
Now I’M the one that has to slow down for pretty much anybody that works out with me. It’s such a trip. It’s hard to relate to the person I used to be.
I’m also really wanting to get into cycling!! I need to buy a bike but that’s totally the next activity that I want to focus on because it’s so much faster than running and you can cover so much more ground, plus WAY less stress on your body. I know I’ll have to build up some specific cycling muscles but it’s good to know that my cardio base will help with getting started!
@swenne120 You're already a runner, it'll be an easy transition for you! And yes, it's like zero impact which is so nice. Unlike running, you can cycle every day without worrying too much about injury. And yes, you can go so far and see so much on bike rides!
@tahitirun Ahh this is a great explanation!!
henrietta66
New member
@tahitirun This thread was exactly what I needed to see today! I started doing C25K in August, and I only have one run left to do but I don't feel like I'm anywhere near actually running 5km. My pace fluctuates between ~6:30/km and 8min/km, and I was feeling pretty down on myself about that. I think my longest run was still less than 4km. It's good to know that I'm not just doing it wrong, and I shouldn't be discouraged by this in the beginning. For the record I'm 31 and have never, ever been a runner or a fan of cardio before now.
I found the thing that made the biggest difference was doing some of the guided runs from Nike run club. The actual coaching helped me relax and enjoy myself a lot more than that random computer voice telling me to "begin running" on the C25K app.
I found the thing that made the biggest difference was doing some of the guided runs from Nike run club. The actual coaching helped me relax and enjoy myself a lot more than that random computer voice telling me to "begin running" on the C25K app.
@henrietta66 I also started C25k in August, have never ever gotten into running before, and have one more run to do. It's still hard and there are weeks I can't do as much (especially the week right before my period).
I think the biggest thing for me was realizing that progress day to day isn't linear, but added up over a long period of time (say, a year) can be. It really helped me stay consistent without looking too much into short term benchmarks.
I think the biggest thing for me was realizing that progress day to day isn't linear, but added up over a long period of time (say, a year) can be. It really helped me stay consistent without looking too much into short term benchmarks.
@henrietta66 Honestly that pace range sounds pretty good to me! I ran cross country all 4 years in high school and was in good shape for most of it, and my PR was 24 minutes for a 5K. A 20 minute 5K was varsity times! So as someone who just started running a couple months ago, you seem to have quite a lot of speed. Adult races are usually a little slower.
Maybe you should try slowing it down a little and adding distance? The key to a 5K is a consistent pace where you start slower than you think you need to at the beginning.
Edit: I’m dumb. I calculated your speed per mile rather than kilometer. But I think it still stands! 13 minute miles are a good pace to use to reach distance, and then slowly increase speed once you can do 5K!
Maybe you should try slowing it down a little and adding distance? The key to a 5K is a consistent pace where you start slower than you think you need to at the beginning.
Edit: I’m dumb. I calculated your speed per mile rather than kilometer. But I think it still stands! 13 minute miles are a good pace to use to reach distance, and then slowly increase speed once you can do 5K!