How To Improve Stamina Quickly

Stamina is your body's ability to maintain an intense activity over an extended period. The American Council on Exercise says that increasing your stamina not only improves endurance, but also improves your ability to concentrate and your overall health. According to Philip Maffetone, author of "Training for Endurance," you can increase your stamina through intense exercise that raises your breathing and heart rate.

• 1

  Write down your daily schedule on a piece of paper to determine when you have time to spare for stamina training. You will be training four to six days a week in increments of 30 to 60 minutes.

• 2

  Begin skipping rope two to three days a week. When skipping rope, jump at a steady pace for nine minutes, followed by a one-minute break. Repeat three times for a 30-minute stamina workout. For a more intense workout, repeat the skipping routine three more times for a 60-minute workout.

• 3

  Start jogging two to three days a week. Begin the jogging exercise with a five-minute warm up walking period followed by jogging for 20 minutes and a five-minute cool down walking period. For a higher level jogging routine, repeat the 30 minute set for a 60-minute stamina-building workout.

• 4

  Get enough sleep. Sleep is important when you are putting your body through intense exercise as it allows your muscles to regenerate. According to the American Council on Exercise, when you are training for stamina you should get eight to 10 hours of sleep nightly. If you wake up tired, you are not getting enough sleep.

• 5

  Do not smoke cigarettes. According to the American Council on Exercise, smoking decreases your stamina and endurance. Smoking also causes various types of cancer and damages your lungs and heart.