Leg Endurance Exercises

Building muscular endurance in the leg muscles can give you more energy and power not only in your workouts but your daily life as well. There is a difference in gaining endurance and simply building strength: "Muscular strength is a measure of how much you can lift one time in a maximal effort situation," says Emily Fagan, a certified strength and conditioning specialist at Flexibility First Fitness at the Citadel. "However, muscle endurance is a measure of how long a muscle can keep contracting while it lifts a submaximal amount of weight before it fatigues and can't lift any more."

  1. Squats

    • Classic squats have long been touted as the superior lower-body exercise, and for good reason: Researchers at Auburn University found that men who performed full squats for eight weeks strengthened their legs and tightened the ligaments around the knees. Squats can even benefit the rest of the body: "You get greater overall muscle and strength gains from the squat than from any other exercise," says Jeff Volek, an exercise researcher at the University of Connecticut.

    Reverse Lunges

    • Reverse lunges are good for building endurance in the legs, Fagan says. This move can be done with or without weights, in the gym or at home. Lunging backward to a 90-degree angle puts a lot less stress on the knees than forward lunges, and therefore reverse lunges are especially recommended for beginners. But advanced exercisers can also reap the benefits.

    Walking Lunges

    • Exercisers looking to improve muscular endurance should focus on dynamic, multi-muscle exercises like the walking lunge, advises Kyle Brown, a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Walking lunges improve joint mobility, flexibility and muscular strength while providing a cardiovascular workout. Endurance athletes like runners, cyclists and soccer players can especially benefit from walking lunges, because they improve hamstring strength and running speed.

    Stair Climbing

    • Stair climbing improves cardiovascular fitness as well as muscular endurance. It works most of the lower-body muscles, particularly the quadriceps, and requires a lot of energy. According to Wayne Westcott, Ph.D., fitness expert and author of Get Stronger, Feel Younger, climbing stairs is one of the most intense cardio workouts available. "You're lifting your center of mass vertically," he says. Since your body weight is not supported as with cycling or swimming, you use much more energy and therefore experience greater muscular benefits.

    Calf Raises

    • When you walk or run, your hamstrings and calves do the brunt of the work in propelling your body forward. That's why it is important to include calf-strengthening exercises in your routine to build leg endurance. Zika Palmer, a marathoner, recommends incorporating single-leg calf raises into your workout at least twice a week.