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Endurance (also called sufferance or stamina) is the ability for an animal to exert itself for a long period of time. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise. The definition of 'long' varies according to the type of exertion - minutes for high intensity anaerobic exercise, hours or days for low intensity. Training for endurance can have a negative impact on the ability to exert strength unless an individual also undertakes resistance training to counteract this effect.[1]

Psychological endurance[]

Physical endurance[]

Physical endurance is the ability of animals to exert themselves through aerobic or anaerobic exercise for relatively long periods of time.


The definition of 'long' varies according to the type of exertion - minutes for high intensity anaerobic exercise, hours or days for low intensity. Training for endurance can have a negative impact on the ability to exert strength unless an individual also undertakes resistance training to counteract this effect.[2]

Endurance exercise[]

Endurance exercise or endurance training consists of performing low- to medium-intensity exercise for long periods of time. E.g., jogging or running several miles to hundreds of miles; cycling dozens of miles to thousands of miles; swimming hundreds of yards or meters to dozens of miles or km.

Physical endurance is differentiated from other forms of physical stress in that in endurance exercise fatigue of the muscles and cardiovascular system do not force the effort to end. The need for sleep, the buildup of non-recyclable waste chemicals, the depletion of convertible energy stores and other needed chemicals (e.g., water, sodium), physical injury, psychological failure, or attainment of the goal will bring the effort to an end.

See also[]

  1. Hickson, R.C. (1980). Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 45 (2-3): 255–263.
  2. Hickson, R.C. (1980). Interference of strength development by simultaneously training for strength and endurance.. European Journal of Applied Physiology and Occupational Physiology 45 (2-3): 255-263.
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