I brought up a conversation with my mother today in regards to stamina. Amongst all your lovely threads there isn't really an answer to this. My mother claims "I'm a sprinter" and that she has no stamina for anything long distance or time (or did, we are refering to the more healthy, younger her.) Looking back I have to say the same, however I have never been healthy enough to really give it a good shot. soooooo my point is, even though stamina CAN be obtained through long term training are some just better suited and more able to it than others? Or is that just a lie and an excuse for slackers who don't dare to venture close to their "wall" let alone over come it? I would love to know. When I did try running a few years ago (when I was in fact healthier than I am now) I used to get severe chest pains (like breathing ice cold air) to the point I couldn't breathe even after a good warm up. Same at the gym but the trainer said I should continue and do my best to over come this? Around the same time I managed to hike for over 7days dawn-dusk and did that very competently (it was the only time I pushed myself). With any exercise that involves fast activity its my breathing that stops me rather than my muscles.
"I'm a sprinter" is this true?
- Thread starter xRougex
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When you tried running, did you do it in intervals?
My cardio is terrible but getting better. What my trainer has made me do so far looks a bit like this: jog 15 seconds, then walk 45; jog 15, walk 45... for 4 minutes, then a minute break, then back to 15/45 x 4 ... That was the first week. then it went up to a 20/40 ratio, then 25/35...
I know that is not an answer to your question, but maybe a bit of useful information? However I am very curious about it and will ask my trainer this week when I see her next!
I *think* a clue to the answer may come from people with asthma. I am not sure about this, but I remember hearing they can sort of train themselves to have better lung capacity? I would not quote me on this, and hopefully someone else knows and can tell us.
I am sure that like everything else, some people have more "potential" than others... just like some have faster metabolisms, higher IQs, etc...
My cardio is terrible but getting better. What my trainer has made me do so far looks a bit like this: jog 15 seconds, then walk 45; jog 15, walk 45... for 4 minutes, then a minute break, then back to 15/45 x 4 ... That was the first week. then it went up to a 20/40 ratio, then 25/35...
I know that is not an answer to your question, but maybe a bit of useful information? However I am very curious about it and will ask my trainer this week when I see her next!
I *think* a clue to the answer may come from people with asthma. I am not sure about this, but I remember hearing they can sort of train themselves to have better lung capacity? I would not quote me on this, and hopefully someone else knows and can tell us.
I am sure that like everything else, some people have more "potential" than others... just like some have faster metabolisms, higher IQs, etc...
I know there are different types of muscles: fast twitch and slow twitch. Everyone has a mixture of both, those with fast twitch muscles can sprint best, those with slow twitch muscles can jog for longer.
But on further research, scientists found that the difference was only about 40/60 in the most extreme cases and that is just not enough to justify saying "I cannot do a certain exercise, its not possible". It is possible to train for anything if you a) put in the effort and b) really want it to work.
I am not the biggest fan of exercising- I hate it. It leaves me sweat, feeling out of breath and my muscles ache. But I still force myself to do so. I prefer other forms of exercise such as core stability, abs, yoga...but if I just did those exercises I'd not be challenging myself. I may find myself able to do a handstand with dramatic ease, but I'd not have great fitness in my mind- I'd only be able to do one sort of thing.
Exercise works well when its varied. Variation helps stop you becoming bored bt also means your body has to work harder- it has more to learn, more to recover from, can do more as a result and can train harder. As a result you get a better looking physique as its not so easy to overlook certain muscle groups or over work others.
See, there really is little excuse- you can really do anything bar physical issues getting in the way.
If your chest pains become too bad, see a doctor, get heart issues ruled out but I can say for the most part, its likely to be a sign that your pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and this is a good thing in terms of improving your fitness.
See it works like this: you exercise and your heart pumps blood fast around your body (circulation.) It carried oxygen in the blood to feed the muscles and this oxygen means they can carry on working. Where does the oxygen come from? its from your lungs. Your lungs and heart need to work harder in order to pump oxygen around your body when you exercise and if your not used to it, it may feel difficult and take some practice to get better at it.
Your going to notice a difference in your breathing, it becoming more laboured as your lungs and heart work harder. It wont always be like this.
Things which can make things harder are;
Being a smoker or even a heavy passive smoker (the lungs are put under more pressure and its harder to get oxygen to circulate around the body as a result).
Being overweight (the heart has to work that bit harder as fat builds up around the heart).
Being tierd or stressed or malnourished: the organs are tierd and the same force to work hard is not there, they need to rest so they can work properly.
But on further research, scientists found that the difference was only about 40/60 in the most extreme cases and that is just not enough to justify saying "I cannot do a certain exercise, its not possible". It is possible to train for anything if you a) put in the effort and b) really want it to work.
I am not the biggest fan of exercising- I hate it. It leaves me sweat, feeling out of breath and my muscles ache. But I still force myself to do so. I prefer other forms of exercise such as core stability, abs, yoga...but if I just did those exercises I'd not be challenging myself. I may find myself able to do a handstand with dramatic ease, but I'd not have great fitness in my mind- I'd only be able to do one sort of thing.
Exercise works well when its varied. Variation helps stop you becoming bored bt also means your body has to work harder- it has more to learn, more to recover from, can do more as a result and can train harder. As a result you get a better looking physique as its not so easy to overlook certain muscle groups or over work others.
See, there really is little excuse- you can really do anything bar physical issues getting in the way.
If your chest pains become too bad, see a doctor, get heart issues ruled out but I can say for the most part, its likely to be a sign that your pushing yourself outside your comfort zone and this is a good thing in terms of improving your fitness.
See it works like this: you exercise and your heart pumps blood fast around your body (circulation.) It carried oxygen in the blood to feed the muscles and this oxygen means they can carry on working. Where does the oxygen come from? its from your lungs. Your lungs and heart need to work harder in order to pump oxygen around your body when you exercise and if your not used to it, it may feel difficult and take some practice to get better at it.
Your going to notice a difference in your breathing, it becoming more laboured as your lungs and heart work harder. It wont always be like this.
Things which can make things harder are;
Being a smoker or even a heavy passive smoker (the lungs are put under more pressure and its harder to get oxygen to circulate around the body as a result).
Being overweight (the heart has to work that bit harder as fat builds up around the heart).
Being tierd or stressed or malnourished: the organs are tierd and the same force to work hard is not there, they need to rest so they can work properly.
biggestloser105
New member
I think unless you have health issues it is pretty much an excuse. A normal healthy person should be able to build up a decent stamina over time by training.
That said, you said you couldn't breathe, is it possible that you have exercise induced asthma? I have asthma and if I push myself too much (like with running) my airways will close up so I limit myself to walking (which I have been able to build up to a fairly decent pace over the past few months).
I think you should see a doctor about possible asthma. It can be manageable, and there are even olympic athletes with exercise induced asthma. But I would say it's better for you not to do risky things like running until you get checked out, because it's possible to get a severe attack that can even be dangerous to you.
That said, you said you couldn't breathe, is it possible that you have exercise induced asthma? I have asthma and if I push myself too much (like with running) my airways will close up so I limit myself to walking (which I have been able to build up to a fairly decent pace over the past few months).
I think you should see a doctor about possible asthma. It can be manageable, and there are even olympic athletes with exercise induced asthma. But I would say it's better for you not to do risky things like running until you get checked out, because it's possible to get a severe attack that can even be dangerous to you.
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Harold14370
New member
Absolutely. Like any athletic ability, part of it is training and part of it is a talent that you inherit.
Thanks for all your replies 
I might just get checked out with the doc. I would love to run properly when I get the confidence. Possibly its out of my comfort zone but I have a high tolerance to pain but this just doubles me over. It like you have swallowed something big and whole. My uncle has asthma and although I have never touched a cigarette my family smokes lots. Let's just hope its bad fitness eh! ty again.
I might just get checked out with the doc. I would love to run properly when I get the confidence. Possibly its out of my comfort zone but I have a high tolerance to pain but this just doubles me over. It like you have swallowed something big and whole. My uncle has asthma and although I have never touched a cigarette my family smokes lots. Let's just hope its bad fitness eh! ty again.