How to Increase Endurance With Weights

Muscular strength and muscular endurance can both be improved with weight training, but they require different types of training. Heavier weights and lower repetitions are needed for strength and lighter weights and high repetitions for endurance. Use six to 12 repetitions per set for strength and 15 to 20 repetitions for endurance. Aerobic endurance is usually trained with aerobic activities, such as running, swimming, or biking, but can also be improved with certain kinds of weight training. To improve both muscular endurance and aerobic endurance, do circuits with dumbbells.

Things You'll Need

  • Dumbbells
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Instructions

    • 1

      Plan the exercises you will do for your circuit training. Use four to six exercises, alternating upper and lower body or push and pull. For example, you can do squats, shoulder presses, one-arm rows, lunges, and biceps curls.

    • 2

      Test yourself on the each lift in your routine to see what weight dumbbells allow you to do 15 repetitions with good form, but no more than 20 before you fatigue. If it is somewhere in between the available dumbbells, choose the lighter one. Go to the next heavier weight when you can easily do more than 20 repetitions. If you do not belong to a gym, a sporting goods store will let you try out dumbbells before you buy.

    • 3

      For your workout, first warm up with 10 minutes of brisk walking, jogging, or riding a stationary bike or other cardiovascular equipment.

    • 4

      Do 15 repetitions of your first exercise at moderate speed. Rest about 15 seconds and go to your second exercise. Continue until you have done all exercises once. This is one circuit. Walk around slowly for 2 or 3 minutes until your breathing returns to normal. Do another circuit. When this becomes too easy, add repetitions or another circuit. When you can do 20 to 25 repetitions, increase the weight.

    • 5

      Do your routine three times a week, but not two days in a row. After six to eight weeks, you can change your routine. Make minor changes if you are continuing to progress, or major changes if you feel you have gotten all you can from this routine.