Ever feel like you’re gasping for air halfway through your workout?
Or maybe you start strong but fade faster than your phone battery in the red zone.
You’re not alone.
It’s not uncommon to see people working hard but not developing the endurance or stamina they’re expecting.
Let’s fix that by breaking down the difference between the two and showing you how to build endurance and stamina.
Endurance vs. Stamina: They’re Not The Same Thing
Though often used interchangeably, endurance and stamina are actually distinct physiological capabilities:
Endurance is your body’s ability to sustain an activity for an extended period of time.
Think marathon runners, cyclists, or that one friend who can talk for three hours without taking a breath.
Endurance is primarily about aerobic capacity—how efficiently your body uses oxygen during prolonged activity.
Stamina is your body’s ability to sustain maximum effort for a shorter duration.
It’s about power output over time.
Think pro athletes like hockey, football or any activity that requires a burst of energy that needs to be repeated.
Stamina is primarily about anaerobic capacity – the amount of energy your body generates without oxygen.
Here’s the real-world difference: Good endurance means you can jog for an hour.
Good stamina means you can carry a heavy load up a flight of stairs without feeling like you’re about to pass out.
We’ve seen plenty of runners with fantastic endurance but zero stamina.
Conversely, we’ve seen plenty of lifters with great stamina but their endurance is garbage.
To perform at your absolute best, you’ll want to build both endurance AND stamina.
Sport Specific Training: Context Matters
In what context are you wanting to develop endurance and stamina?
Your body adapts specifically to the demands you place on it.
This is why marathon runners don’t typically excel at powerlifting, and vice versa (unless they’re those annoying genetic freaks who are good at everything).
The SAID Principle (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands) means you need to train in a way that mimics the activity you’re trying to improve at:
- Training for a 5K race? Running should be your primary activity.
- Want to improve your tennis game? Include lateral movements and interval training.
- Need to keep up with your toddler? Random bursts of chaotic movement with no predictable pattern (and probably some squatting to pick up toys).
Most activities don’t have a direct carry over effect.
Running or rowing won’t directly enhance your performance as a swimmer.
However there are a few exercises (such as hard style kettlebell swings or snatches) that have a pronounced What The Hell effect because of their carry over performance benefits to other activities.
Building Endurance: The Long Game
Improving your endurance is all about progressively conditioning your cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen more efficiently. Here’s how to do it:
1. Start with a solid base of steady state exercise
Begin with steady-state cardio at a moderate intensity where you can still carry on a conversation.
The “talk test” is a simple way to gauge this—if you can speak in complete sentences, you’re in the right zone.
This is what is often referred to as Zone 2 cardio. If you’re using a heart rate monitor, you’ll want to maintain a level of intensity that allows your heart rate to stay between 110 and 140 (for most people).
You’ll want to begin with sessions of 20 to 25 minutes (if you’re not currently active).
If the idea of spending this much time running, rowing or any single modality, check out our post on Conditioning for Cardio Haters.
2. Gradually increase volume
Similar to strength training, progressive overload applies to endurance training too.
Increase your conditioning volume by:
- Adding 5-10% more time each week (20 minutes → 22 minutes → 24 minutes)
- Adding another session each week once you’ve built capacity beyond 30 minutes
3. Incorporate Interval Work
About 80% of your endurance training should be at a lower intensity (being able to hold a conversation).
This builds your aerobic base without overtaxing your system.
One of our favorite methods for recovery is also a fantastic application to begin building intensity.
Begin by slightly increasing your intensity for 10 to 15 seconds and then reduce your intensity back to the level of your steady state sessions (allowing your heart rate to drop back below 130).
4. Track your progress
Monitor your resting heart rate over time—it should gradually decrease as your cardiovascular fitness improves.
A lower resting heart rate means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard during normal activities.
In addition to your actual performance, this is another way to check to see if your endurance is improving.
5. Include Strength Training
Strength training and conditioning each require different adaptations from your heart.
Conditioning builds the capacity (volume) of your heart and strength training thickens the walls of your heart so that each heartbeat has more power.
Additionally, strength training will complement your endurance with resilience and injury prevention.
Building Stamina: The Power Reserve
Stamina training focuses on your ability to maintain high-intensity output without crashing.
Don’t make the mistake of confusing endurance and stamina here.
Trying to endure higher levels of intensity for longer periods of time (intervals) can compromise performance and recovery.
World class 100 meter sprinters don’t try to sprint a mile thinking this will improve their 100 meter performance.
The Alactic Energy System is depleted in about 15 seconds.
Contrary to popular training methods, you can’t work at maximum intensity for 15 seconds and then recover enough in 15 seconds to repeat the effort and intensity.
Zone 2 is steady state and power training is Zone 5 effort.
Many people make the mistake of trying to train at higher intensities for longer periods of time. This will put you in Zones 3 and 4 which produce higher levels of lactate and require significantly more recovery time.
Instead of trying to endure higher levels of lactate, we prefer to train in a way that produces less.
This is where Zone 5 and true power intervals reside.
- Use explosive exercises that require maximum effort (swings, snatches, sprints, med ball slams, squat jumps)
- Work in 10 second intervals (so you don’t fully deplete the Alactic Energy System)
- Rest for 50 seconds
- Repeat for 10 rounds
You can use an On The Minute format for this type of training and you can progressively increase the number of rounds until you reach the 20 minute mark.
A personal favorite with this format is using Kettlebell Swings in Minute 1 and Explosive Push Ups in Minute 2.
If your intensity or movement quality declines, this is your sign to end the session.
This approach allows you to effectively train for power and build stamina without compromising your recovery.
Recovery: The Missing Piece
Here’s where most people mess up.
They get motivated, train hard for a week, then wonder why they feel like they’ve been hit by a bus and can’t get out of bed.
Remember this: It’s not about how much exercise you can do, it’s about how much exercise you can recover from.
It’s important to gradually build your capacity with both endurance and stamina so you don’t wreck your recovery.
Strategies for optimal recovery:
- Sleep like it’s your job – Quality sleep is when most of your physical recovery happens. Aim for 7+ hours consistently. Scrolling through social media until 1 AM doesn’t count as recovery.
- Hydrate and fuel properly – Your body needs materials to rebuild. Protein for tissue repair, carbohydrates to replenish glycogen, and enough water to make it all work.
- Active recovery – Light movement on rest days (walking, swimming, gentle yoga) promotes blood flow without adding stress.
- Breathing exercises – Practice deep diaphragmatic breathing to downregulate your nervous system and enhance recovery between sessions.
- Don’t eat within 2 hours of bedtime – Digestion requires significant energy. During sleep, you want your body’s resources focused on repair and recovery, not processing that late-night burrito.
The Bottom Line
Building endurance and stamina isn’t about destroying yourself in every workout.
It’s about applying the right stimulus at the right time, then allowing your body to adapt and grow stronger.
Whether you’re preparing for your first 5K, trying to keep up with your kids, or just want to climb stairs without sounding like Darth Vader, these principles will help you build the physical capacity to live a more energetic, capable life.
After all, what’s the point of developing your level of fitness if you’re too exhausted to enjoy it?
