What Are Some Basic Exercises for Beginners to Increase Stamina?

Increasing stamina is very important for achieveing fitness goals. (Photo via Unsplash/Minna Hamalainen)
Increasing stamina is important for achieving fitness. (Photo via Unsplash/Minna Hamalainen)

If you find yourself gasping for breath when you climb stairs or feel exhausted after a few simple workouts, it might be time to work on your stamina.

Stamina can be termed as the ability of the body to sustain physical exertion for long periods. It's the ability to withstand high-intensity and short exercises as well as low-intensity and long workouts.

Increasing your stamina can help you become stronger against muscle wear and tear, overcome problems like stress and weakness, and help you achieve other benefits, like muscle strength, better metabolism, and weight loss. Improving your stamina can also reduce exhaustion and fatigue and allow you to undertake daily chores at a higher level without expending much energy.

Fortunately, there are several exercises that can help increase stamina. Here’s a list of some of the most basic ones best suited for beginners.


Exercises to Improve Stamina

Here’s a look at five easy exercises to increase endurance and stamina. These exercises help by pumping oxygen into the body while increasing your stamina over time. Let's get started;

1) Squat

Squats are one of the most important and effective exercises to increase stamina. They not only target the entire body but also help in improving the functions of ligaments and tissues.

To do this exercise, stand on the floor with your legs at shoulder distance. Keep your spine straight and knees bent as you prepare to initiate the squat movement. Push your hips slightly back as you bend your knee and go down. Position your hands on the front, and make sure to keep your spine stable, straight, and relaxed. Do at least ten reps.

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2) Push-up

Push-ups are another very beneficial exercise that focuses on strengthening and improving the core and entire upper body. It involves several muscles, including the biceps, triceps, chest, legs, and back.

To perform a push-up, lie down on the ground on your stomach, and place your palms near your chest. Raise your body while putting all the pressure on your palms. Hold this posture for as long as you comfortably can, and repeat the exercise at least thrice.

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3) Burpee

Burpees are a staple exercise when it comes to boosting endurance and strength. It's a full body exercise that works on the muscles and explosiveness while also enhancing heart rate.

To do this exercise, take a squat position, keeping your knees bent, feet at shoulder distance, and back tall. Move your hands to the floor in the front so that they are just inside your feet. With your entire weight on your hands, jump your feet back so that you are on your toes and hands, and in a standard push-up position.

Keeping your body straight from your heels to head, perform a push-up, and do a frog jump to return to the starting position. Reaching your arms over your head, jump quickly, and land back. Make sure to land with your knees bent, and immediately get into a squat to continue with the next rep.

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4) Mountain Climber

Mountain climbers are another productive exercise that target several muscles at the same time, including the deltoids, quads, hamstrings, biceps, triceps, obliques, abdomen, and core. It's an amazing full body exercise that gets your heart rate faster.

To do a mountain climber, lie down on the ground with your face down. Raise your body using your toes and hands. Pull your left knee towards your midsection, and move it back. Repeat the same with your right knee, and continue the exercise for a few seconds.

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5) Wall Sit

Wall sits are an easy yet muscle-burning exercise that work great in improving stamina.

To do this exercise, stand tall with your back against a wall and your hands locked at your elbows. Slide down the wall so that your knees get at a 90-degree angle from the ground, and your hamstrings get parallel to the floor. Hold this position for as long as you can.

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Takeaway

As you work towards increasing your stamina, keep in mind that it's absolutely fine to experience energy loss at times. Don't expect your body to work at its maximum energy at all times.

While performing the aforementioned exercises, remember to listen to your body, and do not overtrain your muscles. Take rest when needed, and do not push your body beyond its limits.

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