Endurance Training
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I train very hard in the spring and summer by cycling. I seem to peak in mid-July, and by mid-August my aerobic capacity drops off. I fatigue easily and struggle to keep up with my cycling group. What is going on and how can I prevent this next year?
Most NFL players spend the off-season recovering from injuries or pumping iron. Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Dhani Jones, 31, spent the spring of 2008 traveling from Switzerland to Singapore, trying his hand at the world's most exotic sports, for his new Travel Channel show, Dhani Tackles the Globe, premiering March 16.
No mountain? No problem. As our man discovered, racing up a skyscraper provides a challenge as daunting as many high peaks.
The 12 most common, performance-defeating fitness mistakes, and how to fix them
A revolutionary—and brutish—new fitness regimen.
It's a lot easier than you think to train for an Olympic-distance triathlon. And if you follow our newbie-friendly plan, it's also a blast.
Spring is here. Time to wipe the cobwebs off your bike, oil your chain, and kick your fitness into a new gear. Here's how.
What's the most efficient way to lower my resting heart rate? Stan Chesterfield, MO
Put that weekly jog to rest and take your training to a new level with our guide to technique, gear, and recovery
What is the best way to train for hills if you do not live in an area where there are hills? Thank you. Martin Indianapolis, Indiana
You skipped breakfast because you overslept because you couldn’t fall asleep because you didn’t have enough time to exercise. Sound familiar? Then turn the page and let us—and Michael Phelps—show you how to recalibrate for your best year ever.
I have poor lung capacity and want to ride the 100-mile El Tour de Tucson. I lose major speed on even the slightest incline or hill and lose my breath. I've had asthma for 18 years. How can I develop better lung capacity ? Brynne Winfield, IL
Sorry, abs: One muscle trumps all others. Keep your ticker in top shape with our complete guide to cardio health.
I met a former endurance athlete who advised that I intentionally limit my fluid intake while training so that I would adapt to a lower fluid requirement for races in hot conditions. Is this a legit strategy?
No time? No equipment? No excuses. Our experts kick your training into overdrive with customized 30-minute workouts for every harried athlete.
Got any suggestions for a good heart-rate monitor that is reasonably priced? Jeanna Princeton, New Jersey
Make skate skiing part of the season's regimen and you'll start the year with fitness to spare
I've been following a training progr for several months, but there are days when I just don't feel like doing my workout. I don't know if my body's trying to tell me something or if I'm just wimping out. Jason Portsmouth, ME
Will you look ridiculous trying a Hollywood workout? Quite possibly. But you'll also tap into America's greatest training resource.
What happens when training goes digital? Your workouts get real.
Can I use my 10k running time to figure out how fast I could run a marathon? Stewart W. Doylestown, Pa.
I just got invited to a four-day hiking trip around Aspen, Colorado, early this fall (while the aspen leaves are bright yellow, I've been told). I'm excited about the trip, but I'm from Missouri so I'm worried about the altitude. Is there anything I can do to prepare for four days of hiking at 9,000+ feet of elevation? Carl T. Missouri
Knees are critical joints, and they can't be traded in like last year's cell phone. Keep your hinges state-of-the-art with our complete guide to strength, conditioning, and injury prevention.
Want a spin bike delivered to your room? Get that and more with our guide to staying fit on the road.
Tackle cycling's ultimate fitness test and learn where your riding really stands
You may never have what it takes to race up steep alpine passes like the best cyclists in the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from their training secrets. You’re using the same muscles, pedaling up the same inclines, and maybe even riding the same bike. So the…
Learn Spanish and other languages while you train with this smarter-than-average spinning class
Ready to play your way to total fitness? We thought so. Kick-start your transformation with a visionary six-week approach to bringing body and mind together for strength, stamina, and your best performance ever.
Train right with tips and tricks and of the trade from Chris Carmichael and Carmichael Training Systems.
I used to run consistently but have, well, slacked. Can you give me a good one-month schedule that would help me build up a base? Don Boulder, Colorado
Want real results? A new regimen sheds pounds, builds strength, and shortens your workout time.
Oxygen chambers allow you to simulate the world's altitude extremes. But should you? Depends on what you're after.
Ski all you want with our 21-day late-winter plan for optimizing shoulder-season fitness
Because every second you’re not living life to the fullest is an opportunity missed—and the clock is ticking. To get you going, we’ve handpicked a no-regrets, full-throttle, see-the-world list of 50 things to do before you die—from climbing an 8,000-meter peak to making the perfect martini. Pro surfer Kelly Slater…
I have been participating in duathlons, but I find my biggest problem is that I carry too much upper body muscle. Are long training rides/runs the only way to improve strength to weight ratio for the bike/run? S Boston, Massachusetts
Is it really possible to go from a beginning runner (i.e., comfortable for about a half mile) to someone who can manage 10.8 miles in a mere nine months with proper training, or I kidding myself? y Atlanta, Georgia
WHEN I WAS RACING BIKES in the 1980s, we still had no idea what we were doing when it came to sports drinks for endurance. We knew we needed more than simple water to replace the calories and minerals we were burning up and sweating out during training. But beyond…
NEED NEW INCENTIVES TO STAY IN SHAPE? How about gunfights, acrobatics, and international espionage? Spy School, a new fitness program from the Los Angeles–based gym Absolution (www.absolution-la.com), offers a custom menu of health and “adrenaline management” courses designed to turn you into the next Mr. or Mrs.
Fit or not, it's time to wise up and listen to your ticker. It could be headed for an untimely failure.
Boxing drills aren't just for pugs anymore—they'll jump-start your fitness for mountain biking, paddling, climbing, and more
How does lap swimming compare with other aerobic workouts? Does a mile of swimming equate at all with a mile of running?
I'm about to go to the Alps for a ten-day snowboarding trip. What would be the best use of my time to ensure I don’t lose too much bike fitness? Rob London, England
Dr. Claudio Stampi teaches endurance sailors how to perform better on minimal sleep. The secret, he says, is learning how to power-nap.
What's the fastest way to bring power and stamina to your sport? Start moving very, very slowly. (No, even slower than that.)
I love working out, but not in a gym. Is there anything I can do to tone up and better define my muscles without stepping foot inside one? I currently run, bike, swim, and do yoga. Mary Kay Reston, VA
If elliptical machines and treadmills supposedly give you the se workout, why can I "run" on an elliptical machine for 45 minutes with no trouble when I struggle to run 10 minutes on a treadmill? Seth Mountain View, CA
If you're only willing to set aside 30 minutes a day to do something to improve your fitness, what should you do?
How many training days can I skip before I fall out of shape? Brett Bara New York, New York
I'm an endurance athlete. How often should I lift weights? Jes Cunnings Austin, TX
Los Angeles-based coach and author Steve Ilg (Total Body Transformation, Hyperion 2004) has spent the last 20 years honing a workout program that combines the best of strength, focus, balance, endurance, and flexibility for athletes
I'm going to buy my sister an exercise machine for her birthday and it's a toss up between an elliptical trainer and a treadmill. Which do you believe would give her the better workout? Erica Luddington Halifax, Nova Scotia
Assuming you're doing the se workout in both places, does cardio training at high altitudes burn more calories than at low altitudes? Megan Miller Santa Fe, NM
Smart trend or exercise fad? We sorted out the tired and the wired to find 2004's fitness winners.
Chase your travel dreams with 48 handpicked adventures guaranteed to satisfy every type of wandering soul
If I do 20 minutes of cardio at one time and then another 10-12 minutes a few hours later, will I get the se benefit as if I do it all at once? Nancy Caledonia, Ontario
Pass the summer splash test with these rowdy water fitness contests
Want an easy plan to prepare you to climb a mountain—say, 14,494-foot Mount Whitney? Here's a five-week program that'll whip you into summit-worthy shape.
Grueling workouts are the only way to get ready for long-distance endurance, right? Wrong.
This month in New Zealand, the crew of Oracle/BMW will try to win the America’s Cup with the help of some unorthodox conditioning: grunting up and over sand dunes, terra firma’s closest approximation of a yacht rolling at sea.
True fitness follows the adage "Use it or lose it." Turns out the brain follows the same rule.
Calling all fitness Luddites and low-tech aerobic warriors—it's time to change your ways. Let us unlock the mysteries of heart-rate training and help you maximize your workouts.
SKIER'S HOP Start with your left leg on the ground and your right leg planted on an 8- to 12-inch-high platform. In one motion, use your right leg to leap laterally over the platform and land in the opposite of the starting position. Repeat, leaping from side to side…
Science is sprinting toward the super-enhanced athlete. Say hello to tomorrow's inhuman being.
A corps of rock rats in a hurry is putting the pedal to the mettle in big-wall climbing
How to use those health club machines to your post-holiday advantage