Small Steps to Stronger Cardio

Crystal Anthony knows that adding strength is a daily effort. The professional mountain biker and gravel cyclist rides for Liv Racing Collective. She’s also an endurance sport coach who helps cyclists, runners and triathletes get stronger while they increase the mileage. Anthony knows it’s hard to stick with a fitness routine, especially if it requires you to build cardio by logging long biking or running miles. “Endurance can be boring,” she says. “You need to find a way to enjoy it, and it needs to be harmonious with the rest of your life.”

Here are Anthony’s first strength-building steps to adding more endurance to your routine. To inspire those small steps to strength, follow this 30-day plan packed with expert advice. Every week, we’re releasing a fresh set of tips for training well, eating well, living well, and feeling great. Lean into the daily guidance and grab a think! High Protein Bar to provide your body with delicious fuel to crush your goals. Each week adds up to a unique routine with advice according to a different expert from muscles and mobility to sleep habits and nutrition.

Pace Yourself 

Most athletes start out too hard and fast, both during their individual workouts and within their overarching goal. “Go slower than you think you should at first,” Anthony says. “Sprinting up a hill will only wear you out and leave you exhausted for the rest of the workout.” 

The same principle applies for your big goal. If you want to run a marathon in 12 months, getting out of the gate too hard and fast the first week of training will only wear you out for the long haul, and it’ll most likely result in injury or loss of interest. Cardio strength builds slowly over time. You can’t rush it.

Limit Medium Days

“Most everyday athletes go too easy on their hard days and too hard on their easy days,” Anthony says. “You need both to get better. The worst place to hang out is in the middle. The problem with stacking medium hard days together without rest, is you’ll get overtrained and never recover. You’ll never get stronger if you’re always doing the same effort, day in and day out.” 

Follow the Two/Five Rule 

Any given week of training should consist of two hard days and five easy days. You can still exercise on those easy days, but your effort needs to be minimal. Your hard days, though, need to be legitimately hard where you’re pushing either the pace or the duration of your effort. 

Hit the Gym for Endurance 

Most people run or bike for cardio, but you have to think about all the muscles involved in supporting you through those endurance efforts. “Training the muscles that help you maintain your posture as you run or bike over lots of miles is super important,” Anthony says, adding that you should focus mostly on movements that incorporate your whole body. “But there is no one right gym movement. There’s no magic lift that works for everyone.”

Anthony likes the balance board for targeting her core muscles and hitting small muscles in her lower body that help support running and cycling.

Balance Board Squat 

Start by standing on a balance board. Once you’re stable, slowly lower into a full squat. Return to standing and repeat. 

Balance Board Plank

Get in a push-up position with your feet on the floor and your hands spread shoulder-width apart on a balance board. Hold a plank, balancing on the board. Slowly shift your weight to the left and right, so the board moves slowly, transferring your weight to either side. Start with 30 seconds total and work toward 60 seconds.

Forget Your Big Goal

You want to ride 100 miles of gravel, or run an ultra, or just finish a local 10K. Great. Set that goal, then forget it. “Focusing on a big goal can be intimidating and can keep some people from even trying,” Anthony says. “Instead, break that big goal into a series of smaller, more manageable steps. Showing up every day, doing little things every day, will get you to your big goal. You just have to go out and do the work today. Don’t worry about tomorrow.”

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