Building endurance is a foundational goal for anyone who is looking to improve their health, fitness, or athletic performance. It’s the ability to sustain physical activity over an extended period. To help you navigate this process, this article provides a structured, evidence-based guide to building your endurance from the ground up.
We’ll break down how to test your current level, identify signs of good endurance, and outline the most effective methods for improvement. You’ll get a detailed beginner-friendly endurance workout plan, equipment recommendations, and a realistic timeline for seeing results.
How Can I Test My Endurance Level?
You can test your endurance level using simple, repeatable field tests that measure how long or how far you can sustain a specific activity. These tests provide a baseline to track your progress and calibrate your training intensity.
The Cooper 12-Minute Run/Walk Test
One of the most accessible and well-validated tests is the Cooper 12-minute test. The objective is to cover as much distance as possible in 12 minutes on a flat, measurable surface like a running track or treadmill.
- Procedure: After a 10-15 minute warm-up, start a timer and run or walk for exactly 12 minutes. Record the total distance covered.
- Evaluation: Compare your distance to age and gender-normative charts to classify your cardiovascular fitness level from “very poor” to “excellent”. For example, a 35-year-old male covering 2,300-2,700 meters would be considered “good”.
- Why It Works: This test is an excellent proxy for your VO2 max, which is the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise. A higher VO2 max is a key indicator of aerobic endurance (1).
The 20-Minute Functional Threshold Power (FTP) Test for Cyclists
For cyclists with a power meter, the 20-minute FTP test is the gold standard for assessing sustainable aerobic power. FTP is a test that allows you to measure the highest average power you can sustain for approximately one hour, measured in watts, by riding 20 minutes instead of an hour. (2).
- Procedure: Following a thorough warm-up, ride as hard as you can for a continuous 20-minute period.
- Calculation: Take your average power from the 20-minute effort and multiply it by 0.95. The result is your estimated FTP. For instance, an average power of 200 watts over 20 minutes yields an estimated FTP of 190 watts (200 x 0.95).
- Application: Your FTP score is used to establish personalized power-based training zones, ensuring your workouts are precise and effective.
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The Step Test
A simple at-home option is the step test, which measures your heart rate recovery after a period of stepping (3).
- Procedure: Step up and down on a 12-inch (30 cm) bench or step for 3 minutes at a steady pace (e.g. 24 steps per minute).
- Measurement: Immediately after finishing, sit down and measure your heart rate (pulse) for 60 seconds.
- Evaluation: A lower heart rate indicates better cardiovascular fitness, as your heart can recover more quickly from the exertion.
To better understand the difference between sustaining effort and resisting fatigue, explore the concepts of stamina vs endurance.
Read more: How to Build a Gym Routine from Scratch (Beginner-Friendly Guide)
How Do You Tell if You Have Good Endurance?
You can tell you have good endurance when you exhibit specific physiological and performance markers, such as:
- A low resting heart rate
- Quick heart rate recovery
- The ability to maintain a conversational pace during exercise without excessive fatigue
These signs indicate that your body’s energy systems are efficient.
Low Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
A well-conditioned aerobic system results in a stronger heart muscle. A stronger heart pumps more blood with each beat (increased stroke volume) (4), which means it doesn’t have to beat as often to supply the body with oxygen.
- General Population: The average RHR is 60-100 beats per minute (bpm) (5).
- Good Endurance: Individuals with good endurance often have an RHR of 40-60 bpm (6).
Quick Heart Rate Recovery
Heart rate recovery is the speed at which your heart rate declines after you stop exercising. Faster recovery is a hallmark of a fit cardiovascular system (7).
- Measurement: Check your heart rate immediately after stopping a moderate-intensity exercise and again one minute later.
- Indicator of Good Fitness: A drop of 20 bpm or more in that first minute is a sign of a healthy, responsive heart.
Ability to Sustain Conversational Pace
A key real-world indicator is your ability to hold a conversation while performing an activity such as jogging or cycling. This corresponds to what experts call “Zone 2” intensity (8).
- Physiological Basis: Exercising at this level means you’re operating below your first lactate threshold (LT1), the point where lactate begins to accumulate in the blood (9).
- Performance Marker: Being able to comfortably sustain this effort for 45 minutes or more demonstrates a solid aerobic base. You’re primarily using fat for fuel, a highly efficient process.
Low Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
Your subjective feeling of effort for a given task will decrease as your endurance improves. An activity that once felt like an 8 out of 10 on the RPE scale might feel like a 5 or 6 after several weeks of consistent training. This shows that your body has adapted and become more efficient, but means you need to keep track of your training!
If you want to focus on your ability to perform repeated movements against resistance, learn more about muscular endurance exercises.
What Is the Easiest Way to Build Endurance?
The easiest and most effective way to build endurance is by consistently performing low-intensity, long-duration exercise, which is often referred to as Zone 2 training (10). This method forms the foundation of almost every successful endurance training program because it creates powerful physiological adaptations without causing excessive stress or fatigue.
The Power of Low-Intensity Training
The core principle is to spend the majority of your training time – around 80% – at a low intensity. This approach, which is known as polarized or pyramidal training, has been proven effective in both elite and recreational athletes.
- Defining the Intensity: This “easy” intensity is below your first lactate threshold (LT1), which typically corresponds to about 60-75% of your maximum heart rate (HRmax) (10). At this effort, you should be able to speak in full sentences.
- Physiological Adaptations: A 2025 perspective in the European Journal of Applied Physiology highlighted why this type of training is so effective. It promotes (11):
- Mitochondrial Biogenesis: It increases the number and density of mitochondria, which are the “powerhouses” of your cells that generate energy aerobically. More mitochondria means you can produce more energy from fat and oxygen.
- Capillary Growth: It builds more capillaries (tiny blood vessels) around your muscle fibers. This enhances the delivery of oxygen and fuel to working muscles and improves the clearance of metabolic waste products such as lactate.
- Fat Oxidation: It trains your body to become better at using fat for fuel, sparing your limited carbohydrate (glycogen) stores for higher-intensity efforts.
How to Implement It
To start, focus on consistency rather than intensity. Accumulate time performing your chosen activity at a conversational pace.
- Choose an Activity: Select a low-impact activity you enjoy, such as walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming.
- Start Small: Begin with 20-30 minute sessions, three to four times per week.
- Monitor Your Effort: Use the talk test. If you’re too breathless to speak comfortably, slow down.
- Gradually Increase Duration: Add 5 minutes to your long session each week. The goal is to progressively extend the time you can exercise, not the speed at which you do it. This steady progression is the cornerstone of building a deep aerobic base.
If you’re a runner who is looking for specific routines to improve your performance, check out these treadmill workouts to increase speed and endurance.
Read more: Bodyweight Circuit Exercises: Your Definitive Scientific Guide
What Is a Beginner-Friendly Endurance Workout Plan?
A beginner-friendly endurance workout plan is a structured, 12-week program that gradually increases training volume and introduces small amounts of intensity. It should focus on building a strong aerobic base with low-intensity work before layering in more challenging sessions.
This plan uses a mix of training zones to develop all aspects of endurance. The zones are (8):
- Zone 2 (Easy): 60-70% of HRmax. Conversational pace. Builds mitochondrial density.
- Zone 3 (Tempo): 70-80% of HRmax. “Comfortably hard”. Improves lactate clearance.
- Zone 4/5 (High Intensity): 80%+ of HRmax. Hard efforts. Boosts VO2 max and speed.
Here’s a sample 12-week endurance training program that’s suitable for a beginner runner or cyclist. The plan is designed to be adaptable for an endurance workout plan for women and can be modified for an endurance workout plan at home using a stationary bike or treadmill.
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Phase 1: Building the Base (Weeks 1-4)
The focus here is on consistency and accumulating time in Zone 2. The goal is to lay the physiological foundation for future, more intense work.
| Day | Workout | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest or active recovery (e.g. gentle walking) | 20-30 mins | |
| Tuesday | Zone 2 session | 30-40 mins | Maintain a conversational pace throughout |
| Wednesday | Zone 2 session + strength training | 30 mins + 30 mins | Perform strength work after your aerobic session |
| Thursday | Rest | ||
| Friday | Zone 2 session with strides | 30-40 mins | After the session, do 4 x 20-second faster efforts |
| Saturday | Long Zone 2 session | 45-60 mins | Focus on extending the duration |
| Sunday | Rest or active recovery | 20-30 mins |
- Progression: Increase the Saturday long session by 10% each week.
Phase 2: Introducing Intensity (Weeks 5-8)
Now we introduce tempo intervals to improve your lactate threshold, which allows you to hold a faster pace for longer. Your total weekly volume of Zone 2 work should remain high.
| Day | Workout | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest | ||
| Tuesday | Tempo intervals (e.g. 3 x 5 mins @ Zone 3) | 45 mins total | Warm-up, then intervals with 2 mins easy recovery |
| Wednesday | Zone 2 session + strength training | 40 mins + 30 mins | Keep this session easy to recover |
| Thursday | Rest or active recovery | 20-30 mins | |
| Friday | Zone 2 session with strides | 40 mins | 6 x 20-second strides at the end |
| Saturday | Long Zone 2 session | 75-90 mins | Continue extending your longest session |
| Sunday | Rest |
- Progression: Increase the duration of the tempo intervals each week (e.g. 3×6 mins, then 3×8 mins).
Phase 3: Sharpening Performance (Weeks 9-12)
In this final phase, we add short, high-intensity intervals. Research on speed endurance training has shown that these efforts improve your top-end speed, fatigue resistance, and running/cycling economy (12).
| Day | Workout | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Rest | ||
| Tuesday | High-intensity intervals (e.g. 6 x 1 min @ Zone 4/5) | 45 mins total | Warm-up, then 1 min hard / 2 mins easy recovery |
| Wednesday | Zone 2 recovery session | 30-40 mins | Very easy pace to promote recovery |
| Thursday | Tempo session (e.g. 2 x 10 mins @ Zone 3) | 50 mins total | Your main intensity session for the week |
| Friday | Rest | ||
| Saturday | Long Zone 2 session | 75-90 mins | 90-120 mins |
| Sunday | Rest | Week 12 should be a recovery week before any event |
- Progression: Increase the number of high-intensity intervals (e.g. to 8 x 1 min). This endurance workout plan for beginners provides a balanced approach to improving all facets of performance.
What Gym Equipment Is Best for Endurance?
The best gym equipment for endurance includes machines that allow for sustained, rhythmic, and low-impact cardiovascular activity, alongside free weights for building complementary strength.
Cardio machines are ideal for controlled, weather-independent training, while strength equipment improves movement economy and injury resilience.
Cardio Machines
These are the cornerstones of building aerobic fitness in a gym setting.
- Treadmill: Allows for precise control over speed and incline, which makes it perfect for structured workouts such as interval training. It closely mimics running, a fundamental human movement.
- Stationary Bike (Upright or Recumbent): A zero-impact option that is excellent for beginners or those with joint concerns. It’s ideal for long Zone 2 sessions and can be used for an endurance workout plan at home. Power-meter-equipped bikes allow for precise, watt-based training.
- Elliptical Trainer: Provides a full-body, low-impact workout that engages both the upper and lower body. It’s a great choice for reducing the repetitive stress of running.
- Rowing Machine (Rower): A powerful tool for developing cardiovascular and muscular endurance simultaneously. It engages over 85% of the body’s muscles, including the legs, core, and back.
- Stair Climber/StairMaster: Excellent for building lower-body strength and cardiovascular fitness. The constant resistance against gravity makes it a challenging and efficient workout.
Strength Training Equipment
Concurrent training – combining endurance and strength work – has been shown in multiple meta-analyses to significantly improve endurance performance (13). Heavy resistance training enhances movement economy (using less oxygen at the same speed) and power output (14).
- Barbells and Dumbbells: Essential for compound lifts that build functional strength. Key exercises for endurance athletes include:
- Squats: Build leg strength and power.
- Deadlifts: Develop posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings) and core strength.
- Lunges: Improve single-leg stability and strength, crucial for running and cycling.
- Kettlebells: Great for dynamic, full-body movements such as kettlebell swings, which develop explosive power and muscular endurance.
- Resistance Bands: Versatile and ideal for activation exercises (e.g. glute bridges, lateral walks) to prime the muscles before a workout and reduce injury risk.
How Long Does It Take to Build Endurance?
You can expect to see noticeable improvements in your endurance after 4 to 6 weeks of consistent training, with more significant, lasting adaptations occurring over 8 to 12 weeks (15, 16). The exact timeline depends on your initial fitness level, consistency, and the quality of your training program.
Initial Adaptations (Weeks 1-4)
In the first month, your body starts to make rapid neurological and cardiovascular adjustments.
- Improved Efficiency: Your brain and nervous system, the neuromuscular system, become better at recruiting muscle fibers (14), which makes movements feel smoother and less strenuous.
- Increased Plasma Volume: Your blood plasma volume increases, which enhances cardiovascular efficiency and your ability to cool down (17).
- Subjective Feel: You will likely feel that activities are becoming easier, and you can go for longer before feeling tired.
Foundational Adaptations (Weeks 4-12)
This is where the deeper, structural changes that define true endurance fitness take place.
- Mitochondrial and Capillary Growth: As outlined previously, your muscles build more mitochondria and capillaries. This process requires consistent stimulation over several weeks (18).
- Cardiac Changes: The left ventricle of your heart may slightly increase in size and strength, allowing it to pump more blood with each beat (19).
- Performance Gains: You’ll see measurable improvements in your test results (e.g. faster 12-minute run, higher power output on the bike). Your Zone 2 pace will get faster at the same heart rate.
Long-Term Adaptations (Months 3+)
Endurance development is a long-term project. After the initial 12 weeks, your progress will slow, but will continue for years with smart training.
- Continued Refinements: Your body will continue to refine its ability to use fat for fuel, further improving your efficiency.
- Tendon and Ligament Strength: Connective tissues adapt more slowly than muscles (20). Long-term training strengthens them, which increases your resilience to injury (21).
- Plateauing: It’s normal to hit plateaus. Breaking through them often requires adjusting your endurance training program by changing the stimulus (e.g. adding different types of intervals, increasing volume, or focusing on strength) (22).
Low-intensity, long-duration cardiovascular exercise such as running, cycling, or swimming is the most effective for increasing foundational stamina and aerobic endurance. This type of training (Zone 2) stimulates mitochondrial growth and improves your body’s ability to use fat for fuel, which allows you to sustain effort for longer (10). The peak age for endurance performance is typically later than for speed- or power-based sports, often falling between the late 20s and early 40s. While VO2 max may peak in the late 20s, factors such as improved movement economy, mental strategy, and lactate threshold can continue to develop, allowing athletes to achieve personal bests in their 30s and beyond (23). The body type that is most associated with elite endurance performance is the ectomorph, which is characterized by a lean, light frame with long limbs and low body fat. This physique is advantageous because it minimizes the energy cost of moving your own body weight, particularly in activities such as long-distance running. However, people of all body types can significantly improve their endurance (24). Any activity that keeps your heart rate elevated for a sustained period will build endurance. The most common and effective activities include running, cycling, swimming, rowing, cross-country skiing, and brisk walking or hiking (25). Consistency and duration are more important than the specific activity you choose.Frequently Asked Questions
Which exercise increases stamina the most?
What is the peak age for endurance?
What body type is best for endurance?
Which activities build endurance?
The Bottom Line
Developing endurance is a rewarding process that enhances your health, mental resilience, and capacity for adventure. It’s not about pushing your limits every day. Instead, it’s about the consistent application of proven principles: building a large aerobic base with easy-effort training, layering in targeted intensity, and supporting your work with strength and recovery.
By following a structured plan, you’ll empower yourself to achieve sustainable, long-term fitness.
DISCLAIMER:
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not serve to address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for making any kind of decision-making. Any action taken as a direct or indirect result of the information in this article is entirely at your own risk and is your sole responsibility.
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SOURCES:
- Validity and Reliability Analysis of Cooper’s 12-Minute Run and the Multistage Shuttle Run in Healthy Adults (2011, journals.lww.com)
- Is the FTP Test a Reliable, Reproducible and Functional Assessment Tool in Highly-Trained Athletes? (2019, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Step Test (n.d., physio-pedia.com)
- Cardiovascular Effects and Benefits of Exercise (2018, frontiersin.org)
- Target Heart Rates Chart (2024, heart.org)
- Endurance training and heart rate (2016, link.springer.com)
- Heart Rate Recovery: What It Is and How to Calculate It (2022, my.clevelandclinic.org)
- What To Know About Exercise and Heart Rate Zones (2022, health.clevelandclinic.org)
- Lactate Threshold (n.d., physio-pedia.com)
- What Is “Zone 2 Training”?: Experts’ Viewpoint on Definition, Training Methods, and Expected Adaptations (2025, journals.humankinetics.com)
- Why low-intensity endurance training for athletes? (2025, link.springer.com)
- Speed Endurance Training to Improve Performance (2025, onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- Effects of Concurrent Strength and Endurance Training on Measures of Physical Fitness in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Adults: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis (2023, link.springer.com)
- Neuromuscular adaptations to resistance training in elite versus recreational athletes (2025, frontiersin.org)
- Normal Versus Chronic Adaptations to Aerobic Exercise (2023, ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Adaptations to Endurance and Strength Training (2018, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Hormonal and Plasma Volume Alterations Following Endurance Exercise (1992, link.springer.com)
- Effects of Exercise Training on Mitochondrial and Capillary Growth in Human Skeletal Muscle: A Systematic Review and Meta-Regression (2025, link.springer.com)
- Cardiovascular Adaptations to Exercise Training (2016, onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- Functional Adaptation of Connective Tissue by Training (2019, germanjournalsportsmedicine.com)
- CURRENT CONCEPTS OF MUSCLE AND TENDON ADAPTATION TO STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING (2015, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- A Subject-Tailored Variability-Based Platform for Overcoming the Plateau Effect in Sports Training: A Narrative Review (2022, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Endurance exercise performance in Masters athletes: age‐associated changes and underlying physiological mechanisms (2008, physoc.onlinelibrary.wiley.com)
- The Shape of Success: A Scoping Review of Somatotype in Modern Elite Athletes Across Various Sports (2025, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
- Physical Activity and Your Heart – Types (2022, nhlbi.nih.gov)
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