Improve your Muscular Endurance to help with everyday tasks like carrying the shopping or climbing up the stairs.
G’day all,
Over the last weeks we have been looking at the health components of fitness, namely
This week we move onto muscular endurance.
While muscular strength involves producing a lot of force for a very short amount of time, muscular endurance falls on the other side of this. It is about producing force but for an extend amount of time. In terms of exercise it is about contracting your muscles repeatedly for an extended period.[i]
As you can imagine, muscular endurance plays a big part of our everyday physical lives. While we sometimes we need to exert a large amount of force in a short time (muscular strength) when we fall, for example, we often have to do repetitive activities everyday like when doing housework or playing with the kids.[ii] Even simple tasks such as stirring food or walking upstairs uses muscular endurance.[iii]
How much muscular endurance do I have?
As per muscular strength, muscular endurance is specific to a particular muscle. Ever try to learn a new skill like playing the guitar? Notice how quickly you hand tires? This is a lack muscular endurance in your hand muscles.
A muscular endurance test for your upper body muscles (specifically the core, triceps, shoulders and chest) is the push up test.[iv] This upper body endurance is essential for swimmers, golfers and climbers but also essential for everyday tasks like carrying bags and picking up small humans.[v]
Photo by daizuoxin/iStock / Getty Images
After a warm-up, start in the push up position and, while keeping a straight line between your shoulders and toes, lowering your body until your elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Then push back up. That’s one rep.
See how many you can do.[vi]
How do I improve my muscular endurance?
While we don’t want get into an argument about rep ranges here, for most people the best way to improve your muscular endurance is to choose the muscle (or muscle group, we recommend compound exercise that work groups of muscles for most people) and perform about 3 sets of 15-20 reps each with a short break between each set. We recommend you alternate between upper and lower body days of exercise to allow your muscles time to recover.
Here are a few exercises.
Upper Body
Knee Push Up
Start in a plank position with your hands below your shoulders and a straight line between your knees and your head (no bums in the air…or sagging bums).
Lower down until your arms are at 90 degrees (elbows out works the chest more, elbows in work the triceps more).
Push up.
If you can easily do about 20, then try them on your toes (again no bums in air or sagging bums).
Plank
Lie flat on your stomach.
Prop your upper body up on your elbows and forearms (forearms parallel and a 90 degree bend in your elbow).
Lift your hips off the ground so there is a straight line between your toes and head (again, no bums in the air or sagging bums).
Hold for as long as you can.
Take a short rest.
Do 3-5 sets.
Lower body
Body Weight Squats
Stand upright, with your feet about hip width apart and your toes pointed ahead.
Slowly lower your butt toward the ground by bending your knees. Keep your torso upright.
Go as low as you can without your knees going further forward than your toes (to protect your knees) and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
Push through your feet and come back up to standing position.
Do 3 sets of about 15-20.
Hold a weight against your chest if you want to increase the challenge.
Lunges
Stand upright with your feel about shoulder width apart.
Step forward with your left leg. Lower the rear leg toward the ground. Step far enough forward so that your knee doesn’t go past your toe (to protect your knees again).
The aim is for a ’90-90’. (Both knees are at 90 degrees).
Step your right foot and back and repeat with your left.
Do 3 sets of about 15-20.
Conclusion
Muscular endurance plays a big role in our everyday lives. It helps us to carry the shopping, lift our kids and climb the stairs. Try some of these exercises to help build your muscular endurance.
[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/fitness-exercise/muscular-endurance-exercises
[ii] https:/.www.shape.com/fitness/tips/difference-between-muscular-endurance-muscular-strength-definition
[iii] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/medicine-and-dentistry/endurance
[iv] https://verwellfit.com/push-up-test-for-upper-body-strength-and-endurance-3120272
[v] Ibid.
[vi] Ibid.
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[i] https://www.healthline.com/health/exercise-fitness/muscular-strength#benefits