It’s no secret we love a good, sweaty cardio class here at obé. And between our current offerings—Cardio Boxing, Dance Cardio, Dance HIIT, HIIT, Bounce, and Ride—we already have lots of variety for you to choose from to get your heart pumping. But there’s one cardio class type you shouldn’t sleep on: Endurance!
Fans of Circuit and Low-Impact HIIT will recognize some of the elements—like longer work periods and medium-intensity moves—but this class type is all-new and improved. Endurance is not completely low-impact, but it is less impact than traditional HIIT classes, as Melody D., our Training + Programming Manager, notes.
Expect sets of bodyweight moves (no equipment needed!) like jabs, jacks, and mountain climbers, plus a recovery period between rounds. You’ll work at a moderately high level for longer periods of time than your traditional HIIT class, with athletic movements that are challenging but sustainable.
Endurance is the perfect class for someone looking for a lower impact, lower intensity workout that focuses on aerobic training (as opposed to anaerobic HIIT classes—see below for more on that). There are no dance steps to learn, no boxing combos to follow; just simple, effective cardio movements that will leave you sweaty, breathless but not completely taxed.
What’s the Difference Between Aerobic and Anaerobic Training?
“Simply put: Aerobic exercise (aka Endurance) is light activity you can sustain over long periods of time, such as jogging,” Melody says. “Anaerobic activity (aka HIIT) consists of bursts of activity for short periods of time—think sprinting. Aerobic exercise increases your endurance and cardiac health, while anaerobic exercise will burn fat and help you gain lean muscle mass.”
To go a little deeper into it for the exercise nerds among us, in aerobic training like Endurance classes, your heart rate will typically be in the range of 60 to 80% of your estimated max heart rate. This means the exercise can be done continuously for prolonged periods of time, and you’ll build endurance and improve your cardiovascular and respiratory function. Translation: It helps your heart and lungs become stronger and more efficient, enabling you to train harder and longer.
With anaerobic training like HIIT classes, your heart rate can reach 80 to 90% of your estimated maximum heart rate. But once you hit that level and you’re pushing so hard that you cannot continue to exercise at the same intensity, you will have to drop back into the mainly aerobic energy production system.
Anaerobic training is a fantastic way of improving your fitness levels once you achieve a baseline aerobic level of fitness, Melody says. And good news: You don’t have to do it for very long to reap the benefits. Read why 10 minutes of HIIT-style workouts is really all you need here.
Even better news? Both types of exercise provide a metabolism boost that will last for hours after the workout. And the best results come when both are incorporated into your routine.
What Does an Endurance Class Look Like?
Here’s an example:
Aerobic Intervals:
3 rounds (1 min on, 30 seconds off): Air squats, inchworm walkouts, karaoke
3 rounds (1 min on, 30 seconds off): Alternating lateral lunges, skaters, straight leg sit ups
Waterfall Finisher:
10 Air Squats
10 Air Squats,10 Jumping Jacks
10 Air Squats, 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 High Knees
10 Air Squats, 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 High Knees, 10 Lateral Shuffles
10 Air Squats, 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 High Knees, 10 Lateral Shuffles, 10 Push Ups
10 Air Squats, 10 Jumping Jacks, 10 High Knees, 10 Lateral Shuffles, 10 Push Ups, 10 Hollow Rocks
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