Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to repeatedly exert force against resistance. Performing multiple repetitions of an exercise is a form of muscular endurance, as is running or swimming. If your muscles have to contract in a similar pattern more than one time you are using muscular endurance.
Muscular Endurance
Many factors contribute to muscular endurance, including strength, fiber type, training and diet. A larger, stronger muscle can perform the same task under load more times than a weaker muscle. If you can bench press 300 lb. you will be able to perform more repetitions with 100 lb. than if you could only bench 200 lb. A larger muscle also holds more glycogen, or the sugar that you use for energy, so will be able to sustain a series of contracts, or perform work, for a longer period.
Fiber Type
Several types of muscle fibers make up your muscles. Slow fibers do not generate as much force but are far more resistant to fatigue. Fast, fatigue-resistant fibers generate more force and can maintain this ability over time, but not as long as slow fibers. Fast fibers generate the most force but wear out the quickest. A muscle is composed of all types of fibers, but some muscles such as the soleus, one of the muscles in your calf, has a high percentage of slow fibers and is very resistant to fatigue. Some of the muscles responsible for focusing the eye have a very high percentage of fast fatiguing fibers. Fortunately, it takes less than a second to focus the pupil.
Diet
The fibers in your muscles that fatigue can fail because of a lack of energy. Glycogen, or sugar, is required for both peak and sustained muscular effort. A diet low in carbohydrates can sometimes make it difficult to sustain muscular endurance. So if you wish to have optimal muscular endurance, you need to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Additional carbohydrates following a workout can help you recover and promote muscular endurance as well. Creatine monohydrate, which your body produces naturally, can also help with short-term muscular endurance.
Training
Your training can promote muscular endurance, assuming you put in extra effort. Instead of just lengthening existing training sessions, perform another workout on your next day off, but train with only 60 percent of the volume and 60 percent of the intensity. This will not only help you recover by increasing blood flow to your muscles, but will help promote endurance by increasing your tolerance for training volume. Combined with a proper diet, you can increase your muscular endurance while training for anything.
References
- "Journal of Applied Physiology"; Early Postexercise Muscle Glycogen Recovery is Enhanced with a Carbohydrate-protein Supplement.; John L. Ivy et al., October 2002
- "Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry"; Effects of Creatine Supplementation on Performance and Training Adaptations; Richard B. Kreider; Feb. 2003
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