I often get asked 'how can I get fitter' or 'what's the best way to improve my fitness'. The answer is often Intensity. Push a little harder, rest a little less, do a heavier weight (if you're moving properly). Sometimes the answer is to move better through flexibility and mobility. And always, always always, the answer is to improve your cardiovascular capacity through aerobic conditioning.
If you look at all the best athletes in the world in any given sport (that has some degree of intensity) they put in hours every week of long, enduring cardiovascular work to improve the lung capacity and recovery when resting.
Benefits of cardiovascular endurance:
1. Healthier heart that pumps the blood more efficiently. The left chamber increases size and can push more with less effort.
2. Larger lung capacity, means you take longer to 'gas out' due to the improved output of your heart and lungs taking on more oxygen with every breath.
3. Quicker recovery times during rest periods, as your lungs can take in more oxygen it means your blood brings more to your muscles faster, therefore decreasing the time needed for your muscles to recover (because the oxygen has already made it there, faster and in larger quantities).
4. For some of you, better mental game. This is an individual response as some of you will see a desire to push, and push hard.
Long story short, adding larger pieces of cardio will make bigger workouts and longer sets seem not so difficult and you will be able to pick up the bar/medball/kb earlier because you won't be breathing as heavy and your heart rate will come down faster than usual.
How to implement: For some of you it will be adding a walk for 40 minutes a couple of times per week. The goal is not outrageous intensity, the goal is consistently raised Heart Rate so that your heart can adapt and create a way to accomodate (larger pumping system). As you get comfortable adding these sessions in you can begin to turn it into running. 10 mins on 10 mins off for example or even 5 minute stints. And slowly build up to a jog for an extended period.
You can also improve your cardiovascular output through interval training. Using 400m lengths is usually a good way to start and a good distance to see the body actually challenged. This option would be for those who have a good level of running ability already. 8- 10 intervals. Manage your rest. start with 2-3 mins between and work down to 60-90 seconds between efforts. Keeping the same speed on the runs the whole time.
So next time you want to see your workouts improve, go for a run. time yourself, and repeat again, that week, or the week after. You might not feel stronger, but your ability to push through a workout will be greatly increased.
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