Muscular endurance refers to the ability of your muscles to perform physical activity repeatedly over time, and it’s important to have muscular endurance so that you can keep going through longer workouts or job shifts without tiring yourself out. While there are many different types of muscle endurance exercises, these are the 10 most common examples of muscular endurance exercises you can try at home or in the gym.
1) Pilates
Pilates is a great way to build muscular endurance and overall body strength. The exercises are low-impact, so they are great for people of all ages and fitness levels.
Here are some examples of Pilates exercises that you can do to increase your muscular endurance:
1. Single Leg Circles – This exercise strengthens the inner and outer thighs and glutes, as well as the abdominal muscles. Start on your back with your legs bent and feet flat on the floor. Lift one leg up to a 45 degree angle and begin to circle your leg from the hip joint. Make sure to keep your hips still and focus on isolating the muscle group in your legs and abs.
2. Side Kick Series – This exercise strengthens the gluteus medius, obliques, and spinal erectors. Start on all fours with your shoulders over your hands. Engage your core and keep your back straight as you kick one leg out to the side. Keep your hips parallel to the ground as you repeat the movement with the other leg.
3. Double Leg Stretch – This exercise works the abdominal muscles and helps increase flexibility. Begin by lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Reach your arms towards the ceiling and pull both knees towards your chest. Then extend one leg straight out and bring the opposite arm to meet it. Repeat this move on the other side.
4. Roll Up – This exercise strengthens the abdominals and helps improve balance. Lie on your back with your legs extended out in front of you and arms extended above your head. As you inhale, slowly curl up to sit up with your arms reaching towards your toes. Exhale as you curl back down, keeping your legs and core engaged throughout the movement.
5. Criss-Cross – This exercise targets the abdominals and obliques. Lie on your back with your feet flat on the floor and legs bent at a 90 degree angle. Place your fingertips behind your head and slowly lift your left shoulder off the mat as you twist towards the right knee. Repeat on the other side.
These five exercises are just some of the many ways you can use Pilates to increase your muscular endurance and overall strength. If you're looking for more of a challenge, try doing these exercises in succession without a break in between sets. With regular practice, you'll be surprised at how much progress you can make!
2) Yoga
Yoga is a great way to build muscular endurance and increase your overall fitness. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced yogi, you can benefit from adding these ten yoga poses into your regular routine.
3) Swimming
Swimming is an excellent form of muscular endurance exercise. It is a full-body workout that utilizes all the major muscle groups. It is also a great way to work on cardiovascular endurance as well. Swimming is a low-impact exercise that can be done by individuals of all ages, and it can help build strength, flexibility, and stamina.
When swimming for muscular endurance, it’s important to focus on specific drills.
Here are some examples of exercises you can do:
1. Freestyle – Focus on increasing your speed and distance while keeping your technique consistent.
2. Breaststroke – A great way to work on overall body coordination and increase your strength.
3. Backstroke – Helps strengthen your back muscles and increases flexibility.
4. Butterfly – Helps you work on upper body coordination and balance.
5. Sidestroke – This drill helps you develop strong core muscles and improve coordination.
6. Arms-only Freestyle – Focusing on arm movements only helps you increase your power output and develop greater upper body strength.
7. Kickboards – Using a kickboard allows you to concentrate on kicking without straining the arms and shoulders.
8. Pull Buoys – A great way to focus on upper body pulling strength and technique without using the legs.
9. Fins – Using fins adds resistance to your swims, increasing muscular endurance and improving technique.
10. Drag Suit – Wearing a drag suit adds resistance to each stroke, forcing you to work harder in order to move through the water with greater speed and power.
Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned swimmer, incorporating these drills into your routine will help you build strength, endurance, and overall fitness.
4) Cycling
Cycling is a great exercise for building muscular endurance. It utilizes all of the major muscle groups in your lower body, as well as providing a cardiovascular workout. Cycling is relatively low-impact and can be done indoors or outdoors, making it an ideal exercise for those with joint issues or who want to increase their overall fitness level.
When it comes to muscular endurance, cycling can be a great way to increase both power and endurance. For example, interval training on a stationary bike is a great way to increase muscular endurance. You can do sprints or tabata drills, which involve 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest. Or you can focus on endurance by riding for longer distances at a steady pace. Either way, cycling is a great way to increase muscular endurance.
Other examples of cycling-based exercises for building muscular endurance include hill climbs, mountain biking, time trials, and single-leg drills. Hill climbs are especially beneficial for strengthening the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Mountain biking offers more of an off-road experience while improving balance and coordination. Time trials are a great way to measure progress and push yourself harder each week. Single-leg drills improve coordination and can be used as a warm-up exercise or part of an interval routine.
No matter what type of exercise you choose, cycling can help you improve your muscular endurance and reach your fitness goals.
5) Elliptical
The elliptical is a great way to get a full-body workout that focuses on muscular endurance. It is low impact, so it’s ideal for people with joint issues or back pain, but it still provides an intense workout. Elliptical training is a great way to develop your muscular endurance and increase your overall fitness level. Here are 10 examples of exercises you can do with an elliptical machine to help improve your muscular endurance:
6) Rowing
Rowing is an excellent exercise for muscular endurance. It requires strength, endurance, and control to move the oar through the water. Rowing strengthens the core, arms, back, and legs. Muscular endurance can be improved with rowing as it is an aerobic exercise that increases heart rate and provides a full body workout.
Rowing involves pushing off with your feet and using the leg muscles to drive the stroke. The arms are then used to pull the handle and drive the oar through the water. During this process, the core muscles must be engaged to keep your back straight and maintain balance. The arms must also be used to control the stroke and apply pressure evenly throughout each stroke.
Rowing is an effective way to build muscular endurance as it works many muscle groups in one exercise. It is an excellent way to burn calories, strengthen the core, and improve cardiovascular health.
7) Push-Ups
Push-ups are one of the most classic exercises that require muscular endurance. This exercise is great for strengthening the chest, shoulders, and triceps, as well as engaging the core muscles. Push-ups can be modified to make them easier or harder, so they can be used by beginners or advanced fitness enthusiasts alike.
Here’s how to do a basic push-up:
Start in a high plank position, with your arms straight and your hands underneath your shoulders. Make sure your body is in a straight line from head to toe.
Bend your elbows and lower your chest towards the floor. Keep your core engaged and try not to let your hips sag. Make sure to keep your elbows close to your body as you lower down.
Once you’ve gone as low as you can, push yourself back up to the starting position.
Make sure you do as many reps as you can without compromising your form. Try to complete at least 8-10 reps for an effective muscular endurance workout!
8) Squats
Squats are a great way to build muscular endurance and overall strength. By doing squats regularly, you can improve your body's capacity to repeatedly perform dynamic movements. Squats involve using your legs and core to move your body up and down. This works multiple muscle groups, which builds endurance over time.
When performing squats, you should keep your back straight and your core tight, and make sure your feet are firmly planted on the ground. You can do bodyweight squats, or you can add extra weight with barbells or dumbbells. Squats can also be done in a variety of different variations such as goblet squats, sumo squats, and jump squats.
Including squats in your workout routine will help increase your muscular endurance and will also improve your overall strength. Try incorporating different variations of squats into your workouts to keep your body guessing and keep your muscles challenged.
9) Lunges
Lunges are a great way to build muscular endurance and strengthen your lower body. They target multiple muscle groups including your quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Lunges can be performed in a variety of ways, with each variation targeting different muscles. To perform a lunge, begin by standing tall with your feet hip-width apart. Take a big step forward with one foot and lower your body until both knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Make sure your front knee does not go past your toes and your back knee is hovering just above the ground.
