When we speak about endurance, we often only refer to our cardiovascular system. However, our muscles are also impacted by endurance! You’ve probably experienced the feeling when your muscles fatigue and you are unable to pump out as many reps as you would like. If this sounds like you, don’t lose hope! There are a few things you can do to help improve your muscular endurance so you can push through those reps and start seeing some serious gains. Let’s take a look into the best things you can do to improve your muscular endurance.
Lower Weight and Higher Reps
If you’re jumping straight into the deep end and lifting heavy, you’ll probably fatigue pretty quickly, plus, this could also result in injury.
Lifting heavy is a great goal to have, but it’s important to make sure you’re performing the exercises with the best technique and proper form.
When you’re lifting a lighter weight, but you’re performing more reps, you are actively using your muscles for a longer amount of time. Gradually increase the weight and you might be surprised at how quickly you’re able to build strength.
Building strength and cultivating muscle endurance is beneficial in your everyday life. You’ll need to have decent muscle endurance to carry those grocery bags in from your car, (because we all know you’re not doing 2 trips). Gradually increasing weight and performing more reps is a great way to start building up your muscle endurance!
Shorter Rest Periods
Endurance improves when you push yourself. If you’re never feeling challenged in the gym, you likely won’t see drastic results. A great way to help improve your muscle endurance is to push yourself by having a smaller rest period in between your sets.
By doing this, you’re giving your muscles a tighter recovery window and you’re getting straight back into feeling the burn.
If you find this difficult to begin with, try decrease your rest time each gym session. Start with a 1 minute break, then 45 seconds, then 30, 20, etc.
Slow Down!
When you’re pumping out reps, it’s easy to get caught up in reaching the magical number. ‘I just have to reach 12 reps and I can stop’. This can result in quick reps and incomplete movements.
Next time you’re training a specific muscle group, intentionally slow down the exercise.
Focus on completing the movement and really feeling the muscle work. When you do this, you’ll be putting the muscle under a little more stress, and you'll definitely be 'feeling the burn’.
Supplements to Enhance and Support Endurance
Accompanying a supplement with these techniques can have you improving your muscle endurance by leaps and bounds. There are a variety of science-backed ingredients that are known for assisting energy levels, improving endurance and helping you smash through a killer session at the gym. Here are a few amazing options that will help you on your muscle endurance journey.