There are two types of endurance, and the best results can be obtained from developing both. For the tennis player, for example, endurance means the ability to continue hitting the ball as fast and hard in the last set as the first. Though the force does not have to be sustained for a long period at any one time, the ability to continue applying a near-maximal force after many high-intensity repetitions is key. The marathon runner, on the other hand, never needs to apply the maximal force of the leg muscles, but must sustain a very prolonged exertion.
Aerobic Endurance
Aerobic activity is that which is fueled by the conversion of glucose into energy with oxygen. Aerobic endurance, then, refers to the body's ability to supply muscles with enough oxygen to sustain aerobic activity, and is based primarily on the condition of the circulatory and respiratory systems. Because the intensity of the exertion is low, the body is able to produce enough energy primarily through aerobic metabolism. As intensity of the exertion increases, the aerobic energy must be supplemented by anaerobic metabolism, or the conversion of glucose without oxygen. During aerobic activity, however, the amount of anaerobic metabolism is low enough that the body can remove the byproducts of anaerobic metabolism faster than they are created.
Anaerobic Endurance
The anaerobic threshold refers to the point at which the amount of anaerobic metabolism needed to sustain muscle exertion exceeds the body's ability to remove the byproducts of anaerobic metabolism. At this point, lactic acid and other metabolic wastes start to build up in the muscle and make the anaerobic process less efficient. Eventually, muscle failure occurs at the point at which anaerobic activity can no longer compensate between the gap in aerobic metabolism and exertion. Developing anaerobic endurance involves training the body in an anaerobic state to improve the efficiency of anaerobic metabolism and slow the buildup of lactic acid.
Low-intensity Repetitions
The technique for building muscle endurance when lifting weights is to perform many low-intensity repetitions. If you're lifting weights, this means doing sets of 12 to 15 repetitions. Aerobic endurance is developed by the low intensity, similar to the marathon runner. To develop both aerobic and anaerobic endurance, your sets should still take you to muscle failure, which means going beyond the body's capacity to supply oxygen to fuel the exertion to where you can no longer perform another repetition. By limiting the rest period between sets, you preserve the anaerobic state and gain anaerobic endurance as well. Although this training technique is not generally effective at building a significant amount of muscle mass or strength because you do not increase the level of maximal output, it is effective at training muscles to sustain exertion for a longer period of time.
High-intensity Intervals
Another technique that improves muscle endurance is interval training. This involves a series of short, high-intensity exertions, like sprints, alternated with short rest periods. Interval training primarily develops aerobic endurance because the short rest periods prevent the buildup of lactic acid. Although interval workouts vary, a general rule for endurance sports is that the rest periods should be no longer than the exertion periods.
References
- Rice University: Anaerobic Threshold
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Interval Training for Sport-specific Endurance
- AntiAging & Longevity Project: Combine Aerobics with Anaerobics for Optimum Physiological Benefit
- Sports Fitness Advisor: Muscular Endurance Training
- Nicros; Training Muscular Endurance; Eric J. Hörst; 2006
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