How to Increase Stamina for Half Marathon running?

In every sport that we play, stamina plays a major role in determining how long you can put up the fight on the field and walk back victorious. Especially, in the outdoor games, where we perspire heavily, winners stand out as the guys who have more stamina than the losers. So, one of the steps that a buding sportsman should focus on is on his or her stamina.

Building stamina is not an overnight process. It takes years and years of hard work for you to build that ultimate stamina that you crave for. However, merely playing your game alone does not help you in developing stamina. Increasing your stamina is not about muscular perseverence but about the way your heart and lungs coordinate in order to provide maximum oxygen to your muscles so that they stay fit and help you contribute your maximum.

Here are a few exercises that you have to persistently work upon in order to develop fitness and in specific, stamina. They might be no-brainers to most of you, but the truth is that most sportsmen unfortunately do not consider this as part of their daily regimen.

Skipping : Skipping can be done with a rope or simple hopping is sufficient. Start with small easy hops and gradually move towards jumping higher. The more you jump against gravity, the more your calf muscles work in order to push you higher and blood flow to your legs improves.

Swimming : Swimming is the best form of exercise any sportsman can do. But most of us, swimming is a seasonal exercise which is not done in winters. Frontstroke and backstroke are both absolute musts if you want to build your stamina.

Cycling : While running is given high priority by serious sportsmen, the same is not given to cycling which is not meticulous. Cycling uphill (or against the slope, no matter how steep) is the best form of exercise you can give to your heart. For best results, cycling and running is to be done as a race against time since that will counter your body's entry into comfort zone.