80 The word stamina can be synonymous with endurance, but they are not exactly the same: the former refers to a person s ability to do something at maximum effort for as long as they are able to. In contrast, endurance is a person s ability to do something not at maximum intensity but still for as long as possible. Can you list the most common signs of fatigue? ENDURANCE Endurance refers to the body s physical capability to sustain an exercise for an extended period. Fatigue is a form of the body s defence mechanism that informs us when the limit of endurance for a given effort has been surpassed. To counteract fatigue, our body needs a greater energy supply and must be able to make the most of its resources. Main components We can define endurance as a complex system of various components that work synchronously. The main are: cardiorespiratory endurance, which refers to how well your heart and lungs can supply the oxygen your body needs while exercising at medium to high intensity. Good cardiovascular endurance allows medium intensity exercises for a long time before it makes you tired; muscular endurance, which refers to the ability to continue contracting a muscle, or group of muscles, against resistance, such as weights or body weight, over a period of time. Greater muscular endurance allows you to complete more repetitions of an exercise; body structure, which refers to the body s ratio of fat mass to fatfree mass like muscles and bones: non-essential body fat can limit endurance. Endurance training Endurance training involves different types of exercises depending on the activity and the body structure but in order to avoid injuries and physical problems it is important to set gradual intensity for the exercises. The most common types of training involve: the constant speed method: the exercise is performed for progressively longer periods while maintaining the same speed; the variable speed method: usually, these are medium-intensity exercises with changes in pace (e.g., running uphill and downhill); the interval training: it comprises phases of exercise at medium or high intensity followed by recovery intervals, however the exercises should be resumed before the recovery is fully completed; the repetition method: short distances are covered at maximum speed for a brief duration, followed by recovery, and the exercise is repeated after the recovery is complete. to counteract: contrastare pace: ritmo uphill: in salita 154 SCIENCE AND PHYSICS