What is Muscular Endurance?

Muscular endurance is the ability of muscles to sustain repeated efforts over time. What do we mean by “repeated efforts?”

If you are bodybuilding, it means three sets of twenty on the hack squat, light weight babbbbbby. If you’re a boxer, it means the muscles in your arms and legs every time you throw a punch. If you're a gymnast, it means doing all those kick flips. 

Of course, the number one way to improve your muscular endurance is through training. We cannot deny that. But as we are a supplement company we are going to show you how you can improve your muscular endurance through supplementation. 

Key Takeaways

• Muscular endurance is the ability of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against resistance over time (bodybuilding, endurance training, etc)

• Improving muscular endurance enhances overall physical performance, daily task efficiency, and offers health benefits (most important being cardiovascular health and reduced fatigue)

• Muscular endurance can be improved with supplements

What Is Muscular Endurance?

Muscular endurance literally means the ability of a muscle or a group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against resistance for an extended period. Imagine lifting weights repetitively or running long distances without feeling like your muscles are about to give out. This is muscular endurance in action. 

If you’re into UFC, you remember the great Khabib Nurmogamedov could wrestle someone for multiple rounds without getting tired. Though he definitely had cardiovascular endurance, most people forget to mention that his muscles never seemed to give out either.  

At its core, muscular endurance is about how well your muscles perform over time. It’s not just about the initial burst of strength but maintaining that effort repeatedly. This ability is crucial for endurance sports like marathon running or cycling, where athletes must exert themselves over prolonged periods.

Some people barely have enough energy to get through thirty minutes of a workout but over time they can build up their endurance. 

Benefits of Improving Muscular Endurance

The benefits of improving muscular endurance extend far beyond athletic performance. For example, after a couple months in the gym you’ll wake up and notice that things like climbing the stairs, lifting heavy stuff and keeping good posture becomes easier. Maybe you’ll find that you can actually keep up with your two year old (unlikely). For the layman, life becomes a better, less fatigued existence.  

But for serious athletes and lifters, the performance benefits are what matters. With better muscular endurance, fatigue sets in slower and you’ll be able to perform longer. Doesn’t matter if you are a runner, a cyclist, a wrestler or a bodybuilder - the longer you can perform at a high level the more gains you make. 

Of course, none of that should make us forget the true health benefits. Regular muscular endurance training can 

• improve cardiovascular health
• reduce blood pressure
• enhance overall well-being

None of this should be life changing information. We all intrinsically know what it means to be active. 

How Muscular Endurance Differs from Muscle Strength

The difference between muscular endurance and muscular strength is that muscular endurance refers to how well a skeletal muscle can execute repeated contractions over a prolonged period while muscular strength is defined as the capacity to exert a maximum force over a brief duration.

This is best displayed by the extremes: bodybuilding versus marathon runners. 

Bodybuilding and strength training typically involves fewer repetitions with heavier weights, focusing on building muscle mass and muscle hypertrophy. 

Muscular endurance training comprises higher repetitions with lighter weights, aiming to sustain performance over time.

There is a lot more nuance to the topic and both extremes can benefit from some of the other’s training. For example, bodybuilders for sure need to incorporate more cardio and cyclists can benefit from training legs. Hybrid athletes will be great at both. 

Key Factors Affecting Muscular Endurance

There are a number of different things that affect muscular endurance:

• The type of muscle fibers: the classic debate of slow-twitch vs fast twitch muscle fibers; slow typically support enhanced muscular endurance through efficient oxygen utilization
• Cardiovascular fitness: improved heart and lung function enhances oxygen delivery to muscles, significantly benefiting endurance performance; bodybuilders almost unanimously notice improved works with more cardio as an efficient CV system reduces fatigue across the board
• Metabolic efficiency: enhanced metabolic pathways can delay fatigue and improve performance during exercises
• Good posture or good form: as always, having good technique improves efficiency of your muscles as they will work better when used correctly

Get Your Nutrition Right

Proper nutrition is critical. Proteins, carbs, and healthy fats are a must have for anyone interested in optimizing their health. Taken to the extreme, working out on an extended fast is noticeably harder than if you had some carbs that morning. It’s obvious. 

Hydration

Hydration is equally important. Maintaining proper hydration levels aids in muscle function and prevents oxidative stress, which can negatively impact athletic performance. Drinking enough fluids before, during, and after workouts ensures that your muscles function optimally and recover efficiently.

We’ve done a number of different articles on hydration so we don’t want to bore you here. But be sure to check out why morning hydration is important and how Morning Would dismantles Prime and Early Bird. 

Best Supplements for Muscular Endurance

Now that we got exercise and diet out of the way, let’s talk about supplementation. Dietary supplements can play a crucial role in improving muscular endurance by enhancing performance and reducing fatigue. Some of our favorites are:

• Creatine
• Essential amino acids
• Hydration supplements
• Morning Would (heh)

Creatine

One of the most effective supplements is creatine. It’s also one of the most studied supplements out there. 

Taking 5 grams per day of creatine can significantly impact your muscular endurance by increasing muscle creatine content, which helps sustain high-intensity exercise.

EAAs

Essential amino acids (EAAs) are also critical for muscular endurance. These are the aminos your body can't produce on its own. Amino acids like 

• Histidine
• Lysine 
• Threonine
• Tryptophan 
• Methionine
• Phenylalanine

Each one plays its own unique role in muscular endurance as well as many other health benefits. It's important you get your EAAs, especially if you train. 

Hydration Supplements

Nobody can deny the impact electrolytes can have on workouts. Your muscles are 75% water so staying hydrated is critical for performance. Electrolytes improve hydration so it’s a no brainer.  Which electrolytes are most important?

• Sodium
• Magnesium
• Potassium

Morning Would 

This wouldn’t be a proper blog post without a plug. It just so happens that Morning Would has creatine, EAAs and a hydration formula. We designed it for both daily use and for workout days so you really can’t go wrong with it, especially if you like lifting. 

Summary

Anyone can improve their muscular endurance through proper training, nutrition, supplementation, and rest. If you take and 80/20 approach with 80 being training, diet and rest, you will be well on your way towards improving your muscular endurance.

But if you want that last 20 percent, if you want that edge, we suggest you click here to learn more about Morning Would.