@iStockPhotos: fortton

Anyone who participates in endurance sports regularly thinks about how to improve their performance, especially when races are involved. Is there a specific training session that can significantly boost performance? And if so, should it be particularly intense or particularly long?

Constant dripping wears away the stone

It’s generally well known that endurance training is for the diligent. Those who train a lot and give their body enough time to adapt will be rewarded with steady performance development. At the beginning of a "sports career," the progress is significant—later, the improvements become smaller.

Intense training only works in the right context

It’s also well known that higher-intensity training sessions are needed if you want to become faster. However, it’s important to understand that a single intense session achieves little to nothing. In fact, it increases the risk of injury, especially if it's also long. Intense training only becomes effective when it's embedded in a structured training plan and performed progressively over several weeks.

Consistency leads to success

In other words, you’ll improve more effectively if you avoid extremes and instead aim for smart training progress that includes various training types. A sensible mix of intensity, duration, and frequency, applied consistently over a longer period, is key. The foundation is built with low-intensity sessions. It may sound odd that moving slowly can make you faster, but crucial metabolic changes occur: fat metabolism is optimized, carbohydrate stores are preserved, and energy is saved for the high-intensity sessions.

5 Tips to improve your performance

1. Train consistently over several weeks without interruption. It's better to train regularly than to occasionally do something extreme.
2. Don’t push your limits too hard; always leave a bit in reserve.
3. Keep the big picture in mind, and let go of the idea that a single training session will lead to a major performance breakthrough.
4. Training and recovery go hand in hand. Only train again once you’ve recovered from the last session.
5. Even if you want to get faster, never forget that low-intensity sessions form the foundation. Train 80% of the time at a low intensity and 20% at a high intensity.