Different types of endurance

From: hubermanlab
Endurance is a fundamental aspect of both physical and mental performance, critical for sustaining effort over time. The Huberman Lab Podcast delves into the science of endurance, highlighting its various forms and the specific training protocols that optimize each type. Here, we’ll explore the four distinct kinds of endurance as discussed by Dr. Andrew Huberman, focusing on how they impact our physiology and how they can be trained.

Overview of Endurance

Endurance is the ability to engage in continuous effort over extended periods, whether it be running, swimming, or another form of sustained exercise. Importantly, endurance isn’t just physical; it’s closely tied to mental perseverance and willpower willpower. The limiting factor in endurance is often not physical capacity but rather psychological thresholds mediated by your nervous system. Specifically, the central governor in the brain decides when we should stop or continue exertion based on fuel utilization and neuron activity [00:20:00].

Types of Endurance

1. Muscular Endurance

   Muscular endurance is the capacity of muscles to perform repeated tasks without fatigue, predominantly from local muscular failure rather than cardiovascular limitations. Training this type of endurance involves high reps of moderate effort exercises such as push-ups or isometric holds like planks [00:39:00].

   Training Protocol for Muscular Endurance

   • Sets and Reps: 3-5 sets of 12-100 reps
   • Rest Periods: 30-180 seconds between sets
   • Example Exercises: Push-ups, isometric planks, sled pushes muscular endurance

2. Long Duration Endurance

   This is what most people typically consider when thinking about endurance. It involves extended activities like long runs or swims, focusing on cardiovascular efficiency and mitochondrial density in muscles. It helps to build capillary networks within the muscles, optimizing oxygen delivery [00:52:02].

   Long Duration Protocol

   • Duration: 12 minutes to several hours
   • Intensity: Below 100% VO2 max
   • Key Benefit: Increase in capillary beds and mitochondrial efficiency mitochondrial efficiency

3. High-Intensity Anaerobic Endurance

   Anaerobic endurance involves short bursts of near-maximal effort effort, pushing the body beyond its normal oxygen utilization. This kind targets muscle’s ability to continue high output efforts briefly with rests in between, expanding your capacity to sustain intense bouts of activity [01:02:03].

   Anaerobic Endurance Training

   • Sets: 3-12 sets
   • Work-to-Rest Ratio: 3:1 to 1:5 (e.g., 30s work, 10s rest)
   • Applications: Team sports requiring bursts of sprints

4. High-Intensity Aerobic Endurance

   This form of endurance is characterized by repeatedly doing high efforts interspersed with equal or less periods of rest, like running intervals. It primarily enhances the heart’s stroke volume and overall cardiovascular and respiratory efficiency [01:11:02].

   Aerobic High-Intensity Protocol

   • Common Format: 1-to-1 work-to-rest ratio
   • Example: 1 mile run, equal rest, repeat
   • Impact: Improved cardiovascular reliability and efficiency cardiovascular efficiency

Application and Benefits

Each type of endurance serves different functional and adaptive purposes. Muscular endurance supports local muscle performance muscular performance, while long-duration exercises enhance cardiovascular health. High-intensity interval training, both aerobic and anaerobic, improves both short and sustained performance, benefiting athletes and individuals involved in high-intensity sports.

Integrating these various endurance types into your routine will contribute to healthier neurovascular and muscular systems, fostering improved physical capacity and mental resilience over time resilience.

For further details on specific programming or the physiological mechanisms at play, consider reviewing the scientific literature linked in the Huberman Lab Podcast show notes [00:36:00].