Moderate endurance training. Get better without overdoing it – that’s how the best do it!
Autumn and winter: the perfect time to build up your basic endurance and strengthen your immune system
Many people still believe that if you want to get fitter, faster or slimmer, you have to push yourself to the limit in every training session. Yet the very best do exactly the opposite. Top athletes devote a large part of their training to moderate endurance sessions – not out of laziness, but because it is the most sustainable way to build performance, avoid injuries and stay healthy in the long term.
Especially now, as the days grow shorter and the immune system needs more protection, it’s worth strengthening your endurance base. This is because moderate training acts as a foundation for body and mind: it strengthens the heart and circulation, improves metabolism, protects against overexertion and helps to keep stress and the winter blues at bay. If you train sensibly, you’ll have more energy in the spring, be better able to cope with tougher workouts – and stay healthy in the process.
Tip from hotelsINshape – best fitness hotels: Many of our partner hotels offer perfectly equipped cardio areas, personal trainers and tests to help you find your individual training zone. Ideal for laying the foundations for a strong new year of training whilst on holiday.
Why a moderate pace is often better than going flat out
Hard work, burning muscles and maximum pace seem like the quickest route to progress. Yet sports medicine experts agree: in the long term, the body adapts best when it is frequently trained within a range where the heart and muscles are challenged but not overloaded. This zone is usually between 60–75 per cent of maximum heart rate – the so-called aerobic zone.
Here, the body learns to use oxygen more efficiently, increase the number of mitochondria (the ‘powerhouses’ of the cells) and improve fat burning. The result: you’ll become more enduring, resilient and recover more quickly – without the typical risk of overload that comes with constant high-intensity training.
hotelsINshape tip: Many of our fitness hotels offer performance diagnostics – from lactate tests to spiroergometry – to pinpoint exactly what your ideal base training zone is. If you know these figures, you’ll train smarter, not harder.
This is how the world’s top athletes do it
It sounds paradoxical, but professional cyclists such as Tadej Pogačar or triathlon legend Jan Frodeno spend over 70 per cent of their annual training volume at moderate intensity. Why? Because they know that a strong foundation is crucial for coping with tougher intervals and competitions later on.
Winter sports athletes also rely on long, steady sessions during the off-season: cross-country skiing, easy runs, indoor cycling or mountain biking at a moderate pace. This training keeps the heart and muscles fit without weakening the immune system. During the winter season, they can build on this and increase the intensity in a targeted manner.
Health benefits you can feel
Moderate endurance training is more than just building fitness – it’s preventive healthcare through exercise:
- Cardiovascular system: The heart beats more efficiently, and blood pressure and cholesterol levels fall.
- Immune system: Regular, moderate exercise boosts the body’s defences – perfect for the cold and flu season.
- Metabolism: The body learns to use fats as a source of energy and improves insulin sensitivity – which is beneficial for weight management and the prevention of diabetes.
- Mental strength: Regular exercise helps to relieve stress, lowers cortisol levels and makes it easier to cope with dark winter days.
Autumn and winter: the ideal time of year for many athletes to train
When outdoor sports become more challenging, it’s worth looking into indoor options. Modern gyms and fitness hotels offer cushioned treadmills, watt-controlled bikes, rowing machines and even altitude chambers. At the same time, there are plenty of outdoor options in winter: Nordic walking, cross-country skiing, gentle runs, winter cycling or ski touring are ideal at a moderate pace.
hotelsINshape – best fitness hotels tip: Make the most of the darker months of the year for a fitness holiday. Many of our hotelsINshape partner hotels offer guided endurance sessions, ranging from heart-rate-based running coaching to indoor cycling classes in the watt range. Combined with spa treatments, healthy eating and recovery, this creates the perfect foundation for a successful year of training.
How to manage your training properly
- Using your heart rate: A rough calculation: 220 minus your age = maximum heart rate. Train at a moderate intensity of 60–75 per cent of this. Even better: have a test done at a fitness hotel or by a sports doctor.
- Breathing and speaking: If you can still speak easily whilst exercising, you’re usually in the right zone.
- Regular rather than extreme: 30–60 minutes of moderate exercise three to four times a week is more effective than infrequent, gruelling workouts.
- Combining indoor and outdoor training: Rain? Hop on the indoor bike or treadmill. A sunny winter’s day? Head outside, but stay within a moderate heart rate zone.
Why patience is the key
The body builds up endurance like a solid foundation: slowly but surely. You’ll start to notice the first improvements after a few weeks, but real physiological changes take months. If you stick with it, you’ll reap the long-term benefits – and be better able to cope with tougher workouts in the spring.