How To Increase Endurance And Stamina: The 6-step Method

Whether you’re chasing a marathon PR, determined to run your first 5K without stopping, or gearing up for a brutal Hyrox where that final 1K and wall balls test everything you’ve got, your stamina and endurance will make or break you.

Think of it this way: endurance is what lets you go the distance; stamina is what helps you hold the pace when your body screams at you to stop.

Together, they’re your secret weapon against fatigue—and the key to performing stronger for longer.

So how do you actually build them? We’ve teamed up with runner Ryan Hartsig (marathon and half-marathon runner) to give you the proven strategies to take your fitness further.

Stamina Vs Endurance: What’s The Difference

If you’ve ever wondered what the difference between stamina and endurance is, you’re not alone. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but in sports science, they’re slightly different:

• What Is Endurance? Endurance is your ability to sustain lower-intensity effort over long durations [1].
• What Is Stamina? Stamina is your ability to sustain or repeat higher-intensity efforts without fatigue.

Hybrid athletes often rely on both. For instance, a marathon runner needs endurance to keep moving mile after mile but stamina to push through the final stretch. A functional fitness athlete needs stamina to attack repeated sets of burpees, thrusters, and rowing, but also endurance to maintain output across an hour-long workout.

Think of endurance as your fuel tank, and stamina as your horsepower. 🔋

Muscular Endurance vs. Cardiovascular Endurance

Endurance can be broken down even further into two categories:

• Muscular endurance is the ability of a specific muscle or group of muscles to repeatedly contract or sustain force without fatiguing. It’s typically developed through higher-rep, lower-load resistance training.
• Cardiovascular (aerobic) endurance is the ability of your heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen to working muscles over prolonged periods. This is usually developed through steady-state cardio (running, cycling, swimming) or interval training.

Most hybrid athletes need both. For example, a triathlete relies on muscular endurance to power each pedal stroke or swim stroke, and cardiovascular endurance to maintain pace throughout the race.

How To Increase Stamina And Build Endurance: 6 Steps For Success

Whether you’re training for a 10K or an ultra marathon, tailoring your training to build both endurance and stamina will help you last longer before fatigue sets in and give you the firepower to push through when it does.

Here are six proven ways to train smarter for both:

• Prioritize Lower Intensity Training (about 80% of your weekly sessions)
• Include High-Volume, Lighter Load Strength Training (yes, light weights work here)
• Add Interval Training (around 20% of weekly activity)
• Progressively Overload (track progress and push a little further each week)
• Fuel Your Body (what you eat around your training can make a difference, too)
• Stay Consistent (the golden rule–no excuses)

💡 The Hybrid Approach: Mix it up. Longer steady-state sessions build endurance. Shorter, sharper intervals build stamina. Hybrid athletes need both.

1. Prioritize Lower Intensity Training

Best for: Cardiovascular Endurance

Slowing things down might not feel glamorous, but it’s exactly how elite athletes build their base. Around 80% of your training should be in Zone 1–2:

• Zone 1 (50–60% HRmax): super easy, warm-up pace
• Zone 2 (60–70% HRmax): conversational pace, steady effort

Training here improves your aerobic system–making you more efficient at burning fat, fueling muscles, and delaying fatigue [2]. Runner, Ryan Hartsig advises pairing ‘a few recovery (zone 2) runs with a speed workout each week and you’ll shed minutes off your previous PR.’

He notes that ‘nutrition is the focus before and after a long, slow endurance activity,’ focusing on carbs before and carbs plus protein after: ‘Most runs start with a banana or toast and end with eggs, bacon, and more toast.’

👉 For hybrid athletes: Endurance training underpins everything–whether it’s Hyrox athletes holding steady through the 7th and 8th run, triathletes maintaining pace on the bike, or ultra runners staying strong hour after hour on the trails..

FYI: You can calculate your max heart rate easily, using this formula:

HRmax = 220 − age

Example: If you’re 30 years old → HRmax ≈ 190 bpm

2. Include High-Volume, Lighter Load Strength Training

Best for: Stamina & Muscular Endurance

Lifting lighter weights (40–60% of 1RM) for 12–20+ reps trains your slow-twitch fibers–the ones built for endurance. These fibers resist fatigue and use oxygen efficiently, helping you sustain repeated efforts [3,4].

It also boosts capillary density (more blood vessels feeding the muscles), which improves oxygen delivery and waste removal, improving stamina [5].

👉 For hybrid athletes: Muscular endurance is what keeps you moving when fatigue sets in–whether it’s Hyrox athletes grinding through wall balls, carries, or burpees, marathoners holding form in the final miles, or triathletes staying efficient in the water.

3. Add In Some Interval Training

Best for: Stamina

‘Long runs with race-pace intervals are non-negotiable for building both the stamina and endurance needed on race day,’ explains Ryan.

Intervals (like HIIT) are short, intense efforts with recovery in between. They’re proven to increase VO₂ max (your body’s ability to use oxygen), improve running economy, and boost fatigue resistance [6].

‘These runs aren’t fun or easy,’ adds Ryan, ‘but incorporating hard sessions builds both fitness and confidence, making long miles at goal pace feel much more manageable.’

How often should you do these sessions? ‘I make sure to hit the track for speed work once a week so my body can adjust to going fast in a controlled environment.’

Intervals are hard on your body, so Ryan advises focusing on rest and recovery following a tough interval session.

👉 For hybrid athletes: Intervals build the ability to surge when needed–whether that’s attacking a hill mid-marathon, holding threshold pace in a triathlon, grinding through an ultra’s final climb, or hitting each Hyrox station with intensity after the run.

‘I choose to go on this 15-mile long run at 5 AM. Not because it’s supposed to be easy. It’s not. It’s hard. But I’ve decided I will do hard things.’–Ryan Hartsig

4. Progressively Overload

Best for: Stamina & Endurance

Your body adapts when you challenge it, and progressive overload is how you do that. This might mean adding sets, reps, or weight, reducing rest, or adjusting tempo (e.g., time under tension training or faster run intervals).

💪 Strength Example:

A study on different rep ranges found that higher-rep training (20–28 reps) boosted muscular stamina and aerobic endurance, while lower-rep training (3–5 reps) led to more strength and size [7].

🏃 Cardio Example:

In another study, runners who progressively increased intensity improved more in VO₂ max, lactate threshold, and 5K performance compared to those who kept pace steady [8].

👉 For hybrid athletes: Progressive overload helps marathoners shave minutes off their time, triathletes sustain faster splits across all three disciplines, ultra runners increase resilience for longer distances, and functional fitness/Hyrox athletes hit heavier sleds and faster runs each training block.

5. Fuel Your Body With Smart Nutrition

Best for: Stamina & Endurance

Training isn’t just about what you do in the gym or on the trails–what you eat before, during, and after exercise has a huge impact on your stamina and endurance.

‘You can’t train your best if you’re not eating right and giving your body time to recover,’ warns Ryan, ‘Over time, I’ve shifted my focus, time, and money from my training to my recovery and diet. Be deliberate in what you eat and how you rest- your training will improve as a result.’

Ryan explains his simple approach to fueling his body:

‘Carbs before to fuel, protein and carbs after to rebuild – simple but effective.’–Ryan Hartsig

• Carbs for Fuel: Muscles rely on glycogen during long or high-intensity sessions. Whole grains, fruits, and starchy vegetables help sustain both endurance and repeated efforts. Eat a moderately high-carb meal (with a little protein) 2–3 hours before training [9]. If you have less time, opt for easily digestible carbs, like a banana or dried fruit. Post-workout, eating carbs along with protein accelerates recovery and enhances adaptive responses [10].
• Protein for Recovery: Protein supports muscle repair and adaptation after long runs, strength circuits, or interval sessions. Aim for 1.2–1.7 g/kg of body weight per day [11]. Consume protein within 30–60 minutes post-workout–through a shake, yogurt with fruit, or a balanced meal to maximize recovery and adaptation [12].
• Fats As A Long-Term Energy Solution: Fats are an essential energy source for endurance and stamina over the long term, but they digest more slowly than carbohydrates. For this reason, fats should be left for meals well before or after training. Research found that athletes with a diet of 20% protein, 30% carbohydrates, and 30% fat (and the remaining 20% of calories adjusted based on intensity and duration of activity) enhanced endurance compared to a lower-fat diet.
• Hydration & Electrolytes: Dehydration reduces performance in both steady-state and high-intensity efforts, particularly in hot conditions [13,14]. Drink at least 500ml of water two hours before exercising, and make sure to drink little and often throughout exercise. During longer sessions, it’s important to replace electrolytes (particularly sodium, potassium, magnesium, and calcium) to maintain muscle function, fluid balance, and prevent cramping. This could be through a sports drink, energy gels, or a homemade electrolyte drink (e.g., by mixing 500 ml of water, the juice of 1 lemon or lime, one teaspoon of honey, and ¼ teaspoon salt).

👉 For hybrid athletes: Think of nutrition as part of your training: Fuel with carbs before long runs, strength circuits, or intervals, hydrate and replace electrolytes during long sessions, and refuel with protein and carbs immediately after. This approach ensures you can sustain both endurance and repeated high-intensity efforts across multiple modalities, from running and cycling to functional fitness circuits.

6. Be Consistent

Best for: Stamina & Endurance

Endurance and stamina aren’t adaptations that can be developed overnight: They take time, dedication, and regular training to develop. By being consistent with your training, you’ll ensure that the body continually adapts to slightly higher demands, allowing improvements in stamina, fatigue resistance, and overall performance.

‘Be prepared to make long-term lifestyle changes in support of your efforts,’ Ryan states, ‘One of the best things about these events (beyond finishing them) is the discipline you develop training for them. That discipline will affect other aspects of your life and ultimately leave you changed for the better.’

Some tips to help build consistency include:

• Set a Realistic Schedule: Plan your workouts at specific times and days each week.
• Start Small and Progress Gradually: Begin with shorter sessions or lower intensity to avoid burnout.
• Track Your Progress: Keep a training log or use an app to record distance, pace, heart rate, and how you felt.
• Set Specific Goals: Focus on measurable targets (e.g., run 5 km in under 25 minutes, complete a 10K), breaking these bigger goals but with smaller, short-term targets to help. maintain motivation

👉 For hybrid athletes: Consistency is the foundation–it’s what allows marathoners to peak on race day, triathletes to balance three sports, ultra runners to toughen up for back-to-back training days, and functional fitness/Hyrox athletes to handle the grind of runs and stations week after week.