Ways to Improve Muscular Endurance

Improved muscle endurance requires different types of exercises, depending on the specific muscles being worked and the type of muscle endurance desired. Although some of the specifics may vary, it is always a good idea to work out no more than three days a week. Make sure workouts are spaced 24 to 48 hours apart to give muscles adequate time to rest and recover between workouts.

  1. Power Endurance

    • Power endurance allows an athlete to repeat a particular motion without losing power through each repetition. This type of muscle endurance is important during activities such as swimming, playing tennis and sprinting because these activities require participants to repeat the same series of movements with little to no rest in between. When training for power endurance, use a moderate weight load. Each set should consist of 15 to 30 reps and each exercise should be done for two to four sets. Take a 5- to 7-minute break between sets to allow your body ample time to deal with the lactic acid released by the muscles during this type of exercise. Many athletes perform their power endurance exercises as a circuit so that they can allow the muscles adequate recovery time but keep the workout moving.

    Short-Term Endurance

    • Shot-term muscle endurance is required for sports such as soccer, where the muscles are exercised in bursts of 30 seconds to 2 minutes. Exercises to improve short-term muscle endurance train the body to overcome fatigue and function when high amounts of lactic acid are present. When training for short-term muscle endurance, use small amounts of weight. Four to eight sets of each exercise should be done, with each set lasting 30 to 60 seconds. Allow a 60- to 90-second rest interval between each set. If performing short-term muscle endurance exercises as a circuit, rest 2 to 3 minutes between each circuit.

    Long-Term Endurance

    • Any activity that requires a long period of fluid, continuous motion, such as running a marathon or rowing a boat, require long-term muscle endurance. Effort and movement that must be sustained for more than 2 minutes all fall under the category of long-term endurance. Light loads should be used over longer periods of time. The amount of time spent on each exercise will vary from one person to the next and will increase as muscle endurance increases. When training for long-term muscle endurance, perform four to six different exercises and repeat them all two to four times. Rest periods should generally not be any longer than required to change equipment settings and positions.