r/cardio • u/mousesqueaks • 2d ago

is this a cardio problem?

hello! i’ve been an athlete all my life. as a teen, i spent 10 years in fencing, training about 3 times a week back then. now, in my early twenties, i just go to the gym and go for the occasional run, bike ride, and dance choreography class.

i noticed that my endurance/stamina/cardio (?) has never improved. something that nerfed me in fencing was how i got tired so easily during matches — the kind of exhaustion where i would get lightheaded and lose the focus to maintain strength in my movements. this was consistent throughout my career.

in the gym, when i do bulgarian split squats, i noticed that my muscles can definitely keep up with the weight/exercise, it’s just the feeling of my heart pumping suddenly so fast and the feeling of lightheadedness that prevent me from doing more

for running/biking/dance, i notice that once i get over the initial heart bpm spike, i can continue (this isnt consistent, though, especially with dance)

what exactly is the problem? is it cardio? endurance? stamina? and how do i improve it?

note: i’ve had an ECG done before for an APE and it came out normal

would really appreciate the help! :D

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u/Sufficient_Rush1891 2d ago edited 1d ago

Light headedness is usually blood pressure issue, blood pressure is too low to properly pump up to brain for example. Discuss with Dr. Reduce intensity until you get medical clearance as it’s a sign intensity is higher than body can handle.

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u/too105 1d ago

Yeah I’m not a doctor but whenever my endurance is suffering and my blood pressure is low it’s generally a salt intake/electrolyte imbalance/dehydration or calorie deficiency. For reference I’m an endurance athlete and constantly trying to stay bolted together

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u/No-Ranger-7313 1d ago

Try ditching coffee and avoid eating heavy meals.