What Is Muscular Endurance?
Muscular endurance is the muscle’s ability to complete a movement repetitively in a certain period of time, states the University of New Mexico. The greater muscle endurance a person has, the longer he can work without fatigue or failure.
Muscular endurance is seen in activities requiring repetitive movements, such as high-repetition weightlifting, running and rowing, explains ExRx.net. In addition, activities such as mountain climbing and tug-of-war, where the muscle contraction is held for a period of time, also demonstrate endurance.
Muscular endurance requires some level of muscular strength, which is the maximum amount of force a muscle can exert. However, endurance levels are measured at a lower amount of force over a period of time.
Muscles with high endurance tend to have more slow-twitch muscle fibers than fast-twitch muscle fibers, according to IDEA Health and Fitness Association. Slow-twitch muscle fibers are designed for aerobic activities and extended effort, while the fast-twitch muscle fibers provide speed and power during anaerobic activities.
Activities that increase muscular endurance, such as walking, running and swimming, also help to increase cardiorespiratory endurance. Cardiorespiratory endurance is the ability of the heart and lungs to deliver blood and oxygen to the body during extended periods of activity.
