Endurance: Last Longer, Stay Fast

You don’t notice it at first.

A few seconds slower to react.
A little less power when you move.

Your mind’s locked in — but your body isn't following.

You are trained to be explosive. You have worked to be powerful.

But now, when the pressure's highest and it’s the end of the game, your energy is slipping.

And the last thing you want?
To trade your speed and strength for "lasting longer" — only to show up slower when it matters most.

In this edition:

• Build endurance without losing speed or power.

• Match your training to your sport’s real work-rest demands.

• This week’s focus: Last longer without slowing down. 

— Paco Raven, Editor & Founder

Training for the Wrong Game

You’re training hard to last longer — but are you training for the right kind of "lasting"?

Running endless miles will help a 5K runner hold pace across a race.
But if you're a team sport athlete — moving fast, resting, moving fast again — it's a different game.

The difference comes down to something almost nobody talks about: work-to-rest ratio.

• A 5K runner moves at a steady pace for 15–25 minutes without stopping.

• A football player might sprint for 5 seconds, rest for 20 seconds, and repeat that over 90 minutes.

• A baseball player? Explode for 2 seconds, then recover fully over minutes.

• Every sport has a different work-to-rest ratio, and to build the right endurance, you need to know yours.

The demands aren't the same, so the training shouldn’t be either.

If you build endurance like a distance runner when you need to explode like a sprinter, you risk exactly what you fear:

• Losing power.

• Losing speed.

• Feeling heavy when it matters most.

Instead, lasting longer the right way means building stamina at the speed your sport demands — without killing the qualities that make you dominant.

But here’s what most athletes miss:

• You can't build real endurance volume during the season when your body needs to perform every week.

• The off-season is your chance to stack the right endurance base — training the work-rest rhythm your sport demands.

• In-season, you maintain it with less volume, and your training is more focused on skills and performance.

Train the right way, at the right time — and you’ll last longer without losing what makes you explosive.

If you want to build the right kind of endurance without losing your explosiveness, the key is simple:

Before you dive into training, it’s crucial to understand the unique rhythm your sport demands. Here’s how you start:

1. Identify Your Sport’s Rhythm

Different sports demand different rhythms.
You can't treat a baseball player like a distance runner, and a 5K runner shouldn’t train like a footballer.

Rough guidelines for every type of sport:

• Team Sports (Football, Basketball, Rugby, Hockey):
  Sprint or move hard for 3–10 seconds → Rest 20–50 seconds → Repeat for 60–90 minutes.

• Strength & Power Sports (Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting, Strongman):
  Max effort lifts lasting under 10 seconds → Long full recovery (1–5 minutes).

• Endurance Sports (Running, Cycling, Rowing, Swimming):
  Continuous steady movement for 15–120 minutes depending on event.

• Skill & Precision Sports (Tennis, Golf, Gymnastics, Table Tennis):
  Short bursts (2–15 seconds) of high precision effort → Moderate rest periods.

• Combat Sports (Boxing, MMA, Wrestling, Judo, Taekwondo):
  High-intensity work for 2–5 minutes (rounds) → Short recovery (30 seconds–1 minute) between rounds.

• Extreme & Action Sports (Parkour, Skateboarding, Motocross, Freestyle Skiing):
  Short powerful bursts (1–10 seconds) → Longer active recoveries or resets between efforts.

Your endurance training needs to mirror these patterns, not generic long, slow cardio.

Look at your sport, map out your work-to-rest rhythm, or use these general patterns — they'll get you 90% of the way there.

2. Build the Right Endurance in the Off-Season

Here’s the catch:
You can’t build big endurance volume when you're competing every week.

The off-season is where you stack the right base.
That way, when the season hits, you only need lighter maintenance doses — so you stay sharp for skills, power, and game performance.

Takeaway:
Last longer without slowing down by training the right endurance for your sport — and doing the heavy work at the right time.

Want These Exercises Built for Your Sport?
I’ll personalize them based on what type of sport you play — but only if I get your info in time for tomorrow’s newsletter.

What do you think about this email? Tap your choice below and share your thoughts. Your feedback helps us make The Stoiclete even better!

Thank you for reading.

Next Monday, we will be back with a new Q&A edition.

And if you missed last Monday's Q&A edition on how to build rotational power for game-defining kicks, throws, serves & more. Read it here.

Until next week,
Paco Raven, Editor & Founder
The Stoiclete

DISCLAIMER: None of the content provided in this newsletter constitutes medical, training, or performance advice. This newsletter is strictly educational and is not intended to be a substitute for professional guidance or personalized coaching. Please be mindful of your limitations and perform exercises at your own risk.