If you are able to perform many repetitions against a given resistance for a prolonged period of time with the combination of strength and endurance, it results in muscular endurance.
Muscular endurance is important for every fitness activity, from the anaerobic weight lifting repetitions or “reps” to intense aerobic activities like jogging.
It is also important for athletes such as swimmers, runners, rowers and cyclists.
Muscular endurance determines how well your slow twitch muscle fibers are developed. Your body contains two types of muscle fibers: slow twitch and fast twitch.
Slow twitch fibers cannot exert as much force as fast twitch, but can uphold an effort over a much greater period of time.
Fast twitch fibers can exert a great amount of force for a limited amount of time. Therefore, slow twitch muscle fibers equals endurance while fast twitch muscle fibers equals strength.
You have to pay attention to muscular endurance if you are playing sports or involved in physical activities that lasts quite a while.
If you want to improve muscular strength and endurance, involve yourself in cardiovascular activity such as biking, running and playing sports. Walking also can help you to stay healthy and condition your leg muscles.
For improving muscle endurance of your upper body, body weight exercises such as tricep dips, chin ups and push ups will improve and your strength will also be improved.
Different types of muscular endurance:
Different types of sports require different endurance levels. It is split into three groups: power endurance, short term muscle endurance and long term muscle endurance.
Power endurance: Athletes like martial artists, swimmers, wrestlers, and tennis players produce powerful movements and repeat several times with little or no rest. To maintain same amount of power with each effort, power endurance of certain level is required.
Power endurance should consist of intense and repeated efforts for a relatively short period of time. Power endurance can be used to train fast twitch fibres to resist fatigue allowing explosive power to maintain for long time.
Short term muscle endurance: When you are performing sports and events which consist of bouts of exercise lasting between thirty seconds to two minutes, short term muscular endurance is advantageous. Muscular endurance training helps athletes to cope with fatigue and tolerate high lactic acid levels.
Long term muscle endurance: It is suitable for continuous and steady state events such as triathlon, rowing and marathon which last beyond two minutes. Light loads are used because exercises can be performed for a prolonged period.
Rest periods should be kept to minimum and the rest available for exercises is the time it takes to move between equipment.
Tips for building muscular endurance:
- Muscular strength and endurance is increased through overload. Overworking your muscles makes them stronger and gives more endurance. But, you should not overdo it. Moderate increase achieve with lower risk of injury.
- To build endurance, average three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions is an excellent way while weight lifting.
