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Basic 4 · Physical Education · Healthy Diet

Building Endurance

In this topic you will discuss how longer physical activity increases endurance.

By the end of these notes you should be able to:

  • Explain endurance
  • Describe how regular long activity builds endurance
  • Plan a simple endurance programme

What you already know

  • Heart rate and aerobic fitness

Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.

Strand
Physical Fitness
Sub-strand
Healthy Diet
Indicator
B4.4.1.4.2 – Discuss how prolong physical activity increases endurance allowing movement to occur for longer periods of time

Introduction

When Kojo started jogging, he could only run for 2 minutes. After six weeks of practice, he could jog for 15 minutes. His endurance improved.

1. What is Endurance?

Endurance: The ability to keep doing an activity for a long time without getting too tired.

Types of endurance
TypeMeaningActivities
cardiovascularheart and lungs keep workingjogging, skipping, swimming
muscularmuscles keep workingpush-ups, curls, squats

2. How Endurance Improves

  • The heart becomes stronger and pumps more blood with each beat.
  • The lungs take in more oxygen.
  • Muscles get used to working longer.
  • Recovery after exercise becomes quicker.
A bar chart showing jogging time increasing over six weeks
Figure 1: Building endurance Make a chart of your own activity time.Illustration: Sirbus

3. Simple Endurance Plan

Endurance plan
WeekActivity
1jog 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat twice
2jog 5 minutes, walk 2 minutes, repeat twice
3jog 8 minutes non-stop
4jog 10 minutes non-stop

Tip: Eat healthy food and drink water to support your training.

New words

endurance
The ability to keep going for a long time.
cardiovascular
About the heart and blood vessels.
recovery
Getting back to normal after exercise.
progress
Getting better over time.
training
Regular practice to improve.
stamina
Another word for endurance.

Summary

  • Endurance is the ability to keep going for a long time.
  • Regular, longer activity strengthens the heart, lungs and muscles.
  • Increase activity time little by little.
  • Good food and water support training.

Class activity: Endurance Tracker

  1. Jog or skip for as long as you can at a steady pace.
  2. Record your time on the activity record card.
  3. Plan to add one minute each week.

You need: Woven exercise mats, Local drum, Sticks of chalk

Exercises

Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.

  1. 1. The ability to keep going for a long time is…

    • A. Endurance
    • B. Speed
    • C. Flexibility
    • D. Balance
    Show answer
    Answer: EnduranceThat is endurance.

  2. 2. Which activity builds cardiovascular endurance?

    • A. Jogging
    • B. Sleeping
    • C. Sitting
    • D. Watching TV
    Show answer
    Answer: JoggingIt works the heart and lungs.

  3. 3. Getting back to normal after exercise is…

    • A. Recovery
    • B. Training
    • C. Progress
    • D. Pace
    Show answer
    Answer: RecoveryThat is recovery.

  4. 4. Endurance improves with regular practice.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: TrueTraining builds endurance.

  5. 5. Doing very long runs on the first day is the best way to build endurance.

    • A. True
    • B. False
    Show answer
    Answer: FalseIncrease gradually.

  6. 6. Another word for endurance is ______.

    Show answer
    Answer: staminaThey mean the same.

  7. 7. Give two ways the body changes as endurance improves.

    Show answer
    Answer: Any two: stronger heart, better lungs, muscles work longer, quicker recovery.The body adapts.

  8. 8. Why should training time be increased gradually?

    Show answer
    Answer: To let the body adapt safely and avoid injury and exhaustion.Gradual progress is safe.

Homework

  1. Follow week 1 of the endurance plan at home.