Muscle Blog Series: Part 5: Muscular Endurance:


Training needs to be specific to the requirements of your sport
You need to break down what the sport needs and train to the specific conditioning required
For example you wouldn't train muscular endurance for a sprinter!

So what is Muscular endurance?

This is split into two types:
Normal:
This is a single muscle's ability to perform sustained work
(Muscle fibre type: Type 1 slow twitch)
Strength endurance:
This is a muscle's ability to perform a maximum contraction time after time
(Muscle fibre type: Type 1 and 2a (not 2b as anaerobic))
What are the elements of the fibre types utilised in Muscular endurance?
Rich in Mitochondria to enable excellent aerobic respiration & they have a high lactate tolerance so that they can continue to work with higher lactate and resist fatigue.

How should I train?


If you are training for an event then start with high volume with low intensity and gradually progress with a reduction in volume but increasing intensity up till peaking and then tapering.
This gets you at your peak for a specific event
If you are training during a season like football then you need to train all aspects all the time, which increases risk of injury and over training
In this case to help you to prevent injury you should have rest periods every 12 weeks, which can be either lighter training or even rest.

How many repetitions do I need to do for Muscular endurance?

Normal muscular endurance: Low resistance and high reps:  15-25
Strength endurance: Higher resistance and high reps:  15-25

What rests do I need?


You need 30 secs or less for normal and 60 secs for strength endurance

How often do I train?

Training frequency can be high but only if you rotate by training the other fitness elements or different body parts. (e.g. Muscular endurance a.m. flexibility p.m. or legs one session and upper body the next etc. )
Recovery: 1- 2 days between same sessions dependent on intensity and volume can be needed.

What exercises are best for muscular endurance?

For the answer to this question you need to evaluate the sport that you do to be able to work out how to train.
Here are some examples:
Basketball:
Involves:
Anaerobic maximum bursts with small active aerobic rest periods for the lower body
So need to do more strength endurance than normal due to the higher intensity
So an example exercise could be the following:
Lunges with high resistance for 15 reps then no rest to body weight lunges for 15 reps, 60 sec recovery and repeat 5 sets

You can also train your body in the specific motions the sport involves. For example:

Throwing:
Throwing action with resistance through either theraband  or a cable pulley.
Swimming:
Reverse flys for butterfly with resistance with theraband or weights:
Running:
High knee running action with resistance from theraband.

Can I over train?


Yes, so you need to look at getting the correct volume and intensities at the correct times for the point in your schedule 

What can I do to reduce this risk?

Work out a schedule based on whether you need to train for events that are widely spaced or high frequency fixtures. If widely spaced then you can build up to the events so that you peak for the event but if you have high frequency fixtures then every 12 weeks you need to ease off or rest.

What do the elite athletes do?

Many Premiership footballers finish their game, have an ice bath, have a massage, have acupuncture then eat.
Also…
Sleep is vital to adequate recovery!
It takes 3 days to recover 100% from 90 minute game!!

So what are the consequences of over training?

Not enough recovery lowers the immune system, lowers performance and increases injury risk.

If you need any further information or would like to book an appointment then call Hawkes Physiotherapy on 01782 771861 or 07866195914
Keep posted for the next article in the muscle blog series over the coming weeks.


WWW.HAWKESPHYSIOTHERAPY.CO.UK

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