Endurance is a term most commonly associated with long-distance running or cycling in which the athlete must perform intensely for hours on end. Although it may not seem necessary, sprinters and weight lifters also require endurance. But rather than the cardio endurance that long-distance runners possess, these athletes need muscular endurance. Each type of endurance contributes a unique aspect to athletic performance.
Definitions
Cardio endurance is your body's ability to perform large muscle, dynamic, moderate- to high-intensity exercise for prolonged periods of time.
Muscular endurance is the ability of a single muscle or muscle group to sustain high-intensity, repetitive or static exercise.
Energy Systems
Both forms of endurance produce some kind of movement over a period of time. However, the energy to produce this movement comes from different sources. Cardio endurance is powered by the aerobic energy system. This system uses oxygen to break down fat, carbohydrates and proteins and uses them to create large amounts of sustained energy. This is in contrast to the anaerobic energy that powers muscular endurance. During anaerobic energy production, no oxygen is required. Rather, glycogen that has been stored directly in the muscle is used for instantaneous, but limited, energy.
Time Frame
Cardio endurance is necessary for prolonged activities such as running a 10k or cross-country skiing. Basically, any activity exceeding a couple of minutes is going to require cardio endurance.
Muscular endurance is required in any activity that takes less than one or two minutes or that is performed in short bouts. Some examples would be a gymnastic vault or a power lift.
Training
Cardio endurance deals with the efficiency of the heart and oxygen delivery system. The primary goal in cardio training is to make your body as proficient as possible at delivering oxygenated blood to and removing waste from the working muscles. To develop the cardiovascular and respiratory systems, you must not only use them but stress them.
Muscular endurance is optimized by many repetitions and low resistance. Once again, you must use and stress the muscle(s) that you are training. Muscles also have the ability to increase efficiency. With training, the muscle's glycogen stores can increase, resulting in prolonged energy output.
Health Benefits
Each type of endurance can provide several health benefits.
Cardio endurance may provide:
Improvement in cardiovascular and respiratory function
Reduction in coronary artery disease risk factors
Decreased morbidity and mortality
Muscular endurance may improve or maintain:
Bone mass
Glucose tolerance
Musculotendinous integrity
Ability to carry out activities of daily living
Fat-free mass and resting metabolic rate
Considerations
The type of endurance you choose to pursue depends on your goals. Keep in mind, however, that often a non-endurance sport includes an endurance component and vice versa. Take football for example. Most would assume that an offensive lineman's job of short bursts of blocking would require only muscular endurance. However, these burst-like movements must be repeated frequently throughout the game. If that lineman doesn't possess adequate cardio endurance, he will tire before half time and will not have the energy to adequately protect his quarterback.
References
- "Physiology of Sport and Exercise, Third Edition"; Jack H. Wilmore, David L. Costill; 2004
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Seventh Edition; Lawrence Armstrong, PhD, FACSM, Gary J. Balady, MD, Michael J. Berry, PhD, FACSM, Shala E. Davis, PhD, FACSM, Brenda M. Davy, PhD, RD, LC, Kevin P. Davy, PhD, FACSM, et al; 2006
- "ACSM's Resources for the Personal Trainer"; Second Edition; Nicki Anderson, Shirley Archer, M.A., J.D., Dan Benardot, PhD, DHC, RD, FACSM, Christopher Berger, M.S., Barbara Bushman, PhD, FACSM, Nikki Carosone, M.S., et al; 2007
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