Muscular strength and muscular endurance are two important components to athletics and everyday life. The big difference between strength and endurance is the length at which you perform work. By building muscular endurance, you will be able to do repetitive muscle actions for a long time frame with lighter loads. Muscular strength, however, will allow you to move heavy loads for short periods of time.
Power Lifting
Power lifting is often seen in the Olympics, and it is based on explosive movements with heavy loads. Low reps are performed with maximal weights, and the goal is to build muscular strength and power. The reps are in the three to six range and five to eight sets are performed. Clean and jerks, high pulls, push presses, jump shrugs and snatches are examples of exercises.
Compound Exercises
Compound exercises are also known as multijoint exercises. In similar fashion to Olympic lifts, these exercises work more than one muscle group at a time to build muscular strength. Reps range from eight to 12 and heavy loads are utilized. Bench presses, military presses, back rows, squats and dead lifts are common compound exercises. Three to five sets are generally performed.
Isometric Training
Isometric training builds static strength. An example where this would apply from a functional standpoint would be during a football game. If you play guard and you are blocking someone from crossing the line of scrimmage, you have to have static muscular strength. Exercises to build this involve holding fixed positions for 10 to 60 seconds. The body is used by itself or weights are held at fixed positions. All forms of exercises are used for isometric training. Take dumbbell chest presses, for example. Instead of moving the weights through a full range of motion, hold them halfway down for 10 to 20 seconds.
High Reps, Light Weights
A high rep, light weight workout builds muscular endurance. This is simply doing 15 to 25 reps of standard weight training exercises with light to moderately heavy weights. Three to five sets are performed, and 60- to 90-second rest breaks are taken.
Circuit Training
Circuit training is a form of weight training that increases muscular endurance. Both body weight and conventional exercises are mixed together. Either high reps are performed or sets are timed. The rep ranges are 20 to 25 and timed sets are generally 30 to 45 seconds. What separates this type of training from regular high rep, low weight training is the rest periods. In between each exercise, a 30- to 45-second rest is taken then the next exercise is performed. The goal is to shorten the rest breaks as you become more fit. These workouts include eight or more exercises that are performed in a series, and they are then repeated three or four more times. Push-ups, dips, chest presses, push presses, lunges, bicycle crunches and back extensions are exercise examples.
Plyometric Exercises
Plyometric training involves slow stretching of muscles followed by explosive movements. When used safely and effectively, plyometric training strengthens muscles, increases vertical jump and decreases impact forces on the joints, according to the American Council on Exercise. By doing these exercises, you will increase your muscular strength and endurance simultaneously. Squat jumps, tuck jumps, leaping lunges, plyometric push-ups, medicine ball slams and stair hops are examples of exercises. The reps with these exercises range from eight to 12 and three or four sets are performed.
Member Comments