4 Steps to increase Muscular Endurance…

Most workout programs are geared towards gaining size and strength, but often times the importance of muscular endurance workouts is overlooked.

Muscular endurance is important, as it will allow you to maintain strength for longer periods of time.

And with a properly designed program, not only can you gain loads of muscular endurance, but you will also attain strength endurance, which NASM describes as ‘repeatedly produce high levels of force (strength), over prolonged periods of time.’

So how exactly can you attain muscular and strength endurance? Let me explain…

Step One: Build a strong base

Before you start focusing fully on muscular endurance, you first must focus on getting stronger. The reason for this is you want to be able to lift a good amount of weight when working on muscular and strength endurance.

When I first started working out, if I were asked to do 15-20 reps of dumbbell presses, I could maybe lift 15-20 pounds (which is very light for a guy my size).

However, after focusing on building strength first, I was soon able to perform 15-20 reps with 50-60 pounds on the dumbbell press. See the difference?

If I hadn’t focused on building strength first, I don’t know if I would have ever worked up to where I got.

So step one is to gain some strength first by working with big compound movements (squats, deadlifts, bench press, overhead press, bent over rows, dumbbell presses, pull-downs, etc.) and completing 4-8 repetitions for 3-5 sets.

Step Two: Add in bodyweight exercises to start building up endurance

At the end of all the workouts I do, I finish with some bodyweight exercises that are higher in repetitions.

For example, I will finish a workout with 3 rounds of push-up variations doing 40-50 reps each round. Over time the numbers will continue to increase, as you get stronger and have more endurance. (first starting out, lower the numbers to around 20-25 reps)

Adding in bodyweight exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, squat variations (bodyweight squats, squat jumps, leap ups, squat holds, etc.), and dips will help build more endurance and strength.

Step Three: Drop Sets

Once you feel you have built a good base by gaining strength from the compound lifts and endurance from the bodyweight exercises, it is time to move to some more advanced workouts…

When done properly, drop sets are a great way to build both muscular endurance and strength. Back in the day, some friends and I created what we feel is the best strength and endurance combo out there, known as 10-7-3-1.

This is usually performed on the bench press, but can be used for squats, deadlifts, bent over rows, and overhead press with great success.

For the 10-7-3-1 workout, this is what you will do:

Choose a weight that you can usually perform 12-14 reps with. Once you have your weight, complete as follows:

-10 repetitions
-10 second rest
-7 repetitions
-7 second rest
-3 repetitions
-3 second rest
-1 repetition
Rest 60-90 seconds and repeat 2-3 times!

As you can see, you will perform a total of 21 repetitions with a weight that you can normally only do 12-14 times. This workout is one that I live by when it comes to building muscular endurance and strength.

Step Four: Continue to challenge yourself and switch things up

You have built your base and have attained some muscular endurance, but are still craving more. What should you do next?

There are a few ways that you can continue to push yourself so you keep gaining more and more muscular endurance and strength. Here are three ways that will help:

1. Focus on timed rounds…

Instead of focusing on sets and reps, work in rounds of 1-2 minutes. For example, instead of performing 15 reps on squats, you would perform 1 full minute of squats (safely of course!).

The reason, according to strength coach Steve Cotter, is that when we set a repetition number we are shooting for, our minds will start thinking we are tired the closer we get to that number.

So if you were going for 15 reps, the closer you get the more tired you would think you are. Training in timed rounds, however, the number of repetitions is “open-ended.”

For times rounds, you can do any number of exercises including squats, dumbbell presses, pulls, kettlebell swings, etc. After each round, rest one minute.

Example workout:

Dumbbell Flat Chest Press: 1 minute
Rest 1 Minute
Barbell Row: 1 minute
Rest 1 Minute
Push-Ups: 1 minute
Rest 1 Minute
Pull-Ups: 1 minute
Repeat 3 times!

2. Moderate Reps, High Sets…

Using a moderate weight, you will perform 10 repetitions for 8-10 sets on your big compound movements (such as squats, deadlifts, presses, pulls, etc.). This means you will do 80-100 repetitions for each exercise in your workout.

For isolated movements (curls, tricep pull-downs, back flies, etc.) perform 15-20 reps for 3 sets.

Your goal for this workout is to complete all 8-10 sets with the same weight. So choosing the right weight for each exercise is important.

Most recommend choosing a weight that you could do 20 repetitions with on your first set. This would translate into about 60% of you 1 rep maximum. (1RM= 200 pounds, means choosing 120 pounds for your workout)

Not only is this method proven to build strength, but you will also gain tons of muscular endurance as well.

Example Workout:

1A. Dumbbell Press: 10 sets X 10 reps
2A. Lat Pull-Downs: 10 sets X 10 reps
1B. DB Flies: 3 sets X 15 reps
2B. Seated Back Fly: 3 sets X 15 reps

3. Circuit Training:

Good ol’ circuit training is another great way to build up your muscular endurance. Circuit training simply consists of moving from one exercise to the next with little rest.

All you will do when creating a circuit workout is choose 3-8 exercises and move from one to the next with little or no rest in between. The only time you rest is after full rounds.

Circuits can be performs with repetitions or timed rounds and can be upper, lower, or full body workouts.

Example Workout:

Goblet Squats: 10 reps
Dumbbell Flat Press: 10 reps
Bulgarian Split Squat: 10 each leg
Incline DB Press: 10 reps
Squat Jumps: 20 reps
Push-Ups: 20 reps
Rest 60 seconds and repeat 3 times!

Muscular endurance is very important in anyone’s workout routine. With the steps above, you will be able to attain tons of muscular and strength endurance in a very short period of time.

I hope you found this helpful. Have a great one!

-Dennis

For more workouts that build muscular endurance and a killer body, click here!