Importance and types of endurance

Endurance is the ability to sustain an activity. Barrow and McGee, define endurance as she result of a physiologic capacity of the individual to sustain movement over a period of time. Mr. Herre, also defines endurance as the ability to resist fatigue. In all activities, endurance is directly or indirectly of high importance. It is usually measured by the number of repetitions. For example, the number of sit-ups an individual can complete in one minute is often used to measure the endurance of the stomach muscle.

 

Types of Endurance 

1. Types of Endurance According to the Nature of Activity:

(a) Basic Endurance: 

Basic endurance is also called aerobic endurance because it depends mainly on aerobic endurance. In fact, basic endurance is the ability to perform movements in which large number of body muscles are involved and the activity (movements) is performed at a slow pace for a long duration such as jogging. walking, slow running and swimming at moderate speed for more than 30 minutes. Basic endurance forms the basis of all types of endurance. 

(b) General Endurance: 

General endurance is the ability to resist fatigue satisfactorily caused by different types of activities. These activities may be aerobic or anaerobic in nature. These activities may be of low or high intensity but for a longer duration. However, this duration is much shorter than required for basic endurance activity. In another words, it can be said that general endurance enables a sportsperson to perform different types of activities for a long duration without getting tired. 

(c) Specific Endurance: 

Specific endurance is the ability to resist fatigue caused by a specific or particular sports activity. As the nature of fatigue is different for different sports, the specific endurance is also different, respectively. For example, specific endurance of a wrestler is to combat effectively in the three rounds or six minutes, whereas it is of four rounds for a boxer. 

2. Types of Endurance According to the Duration of Activity 

(a) Speed Endurance: 

Speed endurance is the ability to resist fatigue in activities lasting up to 45 seconds. The event of 400 m sprint is the most suitable example of speed endurance. Speed endurance is mainly dependent on the power and capacity of energy production. 

(b) Short Term Endurance: 

Short term endurance is needed to resist fatigue in sports activities lasting from about 45 seconds to 2 minutes. This endurance also depends to a large extent on strength endurance and speed endurance. The endurance needed for 800 m race is the most suitable example for short term endurance. 

(c) Middle Term Endurance:

The middle term endurance is needed for such activities which last from 2 to 11 minutes. It also depends on strength endurance and speed endurance but to a limited degree. The endurance needed for 1500 race and steeple chase race by a runner is the most suitable example of middle term endurance. 

(d) Long Term Endurance: 

Long term endurance is needed in such sports activities which last for more than 11 minutes. The sports activities such as 5000 m 10,000 m cross country and marathon races require such type of endurance. 

So, in this article we got to know about the importance of endurance and it's type. In next article we will be looking at the methods to develop endurance.