Skimboard Training - Cardiovascular Endurance

Cardiovascular endurance is the ability to exercise continuously for extended periods of time without tiring. It is an important component of skimboarding. Cardiovascular Endurance deals with how well you are able to get oxygen to working muscles. Working muscles use oxygen to burn carbohydrates and other fuels to produce energy. A high cardiovascular fitness level will help your skim sessions last longer. Longer sessions means more runs, more tricks thrown, and ultimately more tricks landed. The more practice you get on your board, the better you’re going to get, but you can’t practice if you can’t breath.

Here are some exercises you can do to increase your cardiovascular endurance.

Jogging
Your goal is to work up to a ½ hour. If you are not there yet, jog for as long as you can. Every 5 minutes run as hard as you can for 30 seconds, then decelerate back to your jogging pace. If you are jogging for a ½ hour you should end up sprinting 6 times (at 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, and so on).

Bicycling
Your goal is to work up to a ½ hour. If you are not there yet, ride for as long as you can. Every 5 minutes pedal as fast as you can for 30 seconds, then decelerate back to your normal pace. If you are bicycling for a ½ hour you should end up sprinting 6 times (at 5 minutes, 10 minutest, 15 minutes, and so on).

Swimming
Your goal is the following workout
Swim 600 yards, rest for 10 breaths.
Swim 300 yards, rest for 8 breaths.
Swim 100 yards, rest for 6 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x50)

The following program will help you work up to the goal workout if you are not there yet.

Week 1 (Three days a week)
Swim 100 yards, rest for 12 breaths,
then repeat 1 more time (for a total of 2x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 8 breaths,
then repeat 1 more time (for a total of 2x50)
Swim 25 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 1 more time (for a total of 2x25)


Week 2 (Three days a week)
Swim 100 yards, rest for 12 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 8 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x50)
Swim 25 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x25)

Week 3 (Three days a week)
Swim 200 yards, rest for 12 breaths.
Swim 100 yards, rest for 10 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 6 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x50)
Swim 25 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x25)

Week 4 (Three days a week)
Swim 400 yards, rest for 12 breaths.
Swim 100 yards, rest for 8 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 5 more times (for a total of 6x50)
Swim 25 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 5 more times (for a total of 6x25)

Week 5 - Goal Workout (three days a week)
Swim 600 yards, rest for 10 breaths.
Swim 300 yards, rest for 8 breaths.
Swim 100 yards, rest for 6 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x100)
Swim 50 yards, rest for 4 breaths,
then repeat 3 more times (for a total of 4x50)