Muscle power and endurance are terms used while describing or setting up a workout routine. They sound interchangeable, but they’re different attributes of muscular health. Understanding these differences is an essential component of a healthy exercise routine. Not everyone needs the same workout, though. Some people naturally have better muscle power, and others have more endurance. Does genetics have something to do with it? Or is it just a matter of lifestyle and environment? Let’s find out!
Understanding Muscle Power And Endurance
What Is Muscle Power?
According to the American Council on Exercise (ACE), muscle power is the ability to move weight quickly.
It can also be defined as the ability to exert maximum force in minimal time.
Muscle power requires fast-twitch muscles that contract quicker but tire sooner.
These muscles are used for sprinting, jumping, weight lifting, track and field, boxing, and football.
What Is Endurance?
Muscle endurance is the ability to repeatedly perform one movement over a period of time.
According to the ACE, here are a few benefits of including muscle endurance training in your workout routine:
- It helps maintain good posture
- It helps carry out everyday activities such as lifting or moving heavy items to a different place.
- It improves athletic performance in endurance-based sports like running or swimming.
Consistency and stamina are two key characteristics of muscle endurance.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers contract slowly but can work for a long time without tiring.
These fibers enable endurance activities like marathon running and repetitive, rhythmic exercises like weighted squats.
Key Differences Between Muscle Power And Endurance
| Muscle Power | Endurance | |
| Force vs. duration | It is the application of large forces in short duration | It is the application of low to moderate force sustained over a period of time |
| Muscle fiber type | Fast-twitch fibers (Type II) are predominant in power activities | Slow-twitch fibers (Type 1) are dominant in endurance activities |
| Energy system utilized | Since the movement required is quick, muscle power uses anaerobic energy systems like ATP-PC and the glycolysis pathway | Endurance requires sustained movements over a period of time; the muscles require oxygen and depend on aerobic energy systems |
| Genetics and muscle fiber composition | The 577RR variant of the ACE gene is associated with a high proportion of fast-twitch fibers and is seen more commonly in athletes who rely on muscle power. | The 577XX variant of the ACE gene is more common among high-performing endurance athletes. |
Training For Muscle Power vs. Endurance
Athletic performance and training can be designed according to the individual’s muscle composition.
Let’s look at some aspects of training for muscle power and endurance.
Best Exercises For Power Development
Working out is one of the most effective ways to boost muscle power.
A few helpful exercises include:
- Plyometrics: Running, throwing, pushups, jumping, kicking, etc. Every time you jump, your muscles stretch, powering up the next jump. This rhythmic cycle of stretching and contraction keeps your muscles healthy.
- Olympic lifts: Olympic lifts involve clean, rapid movements that engage fast-twitch muscle fibers. This exercise improves your muscles’ ability to produce force quickly, boosting muscle power.
- Sprinting and agility drills: These drills involve explosive, high-intensity movements and train your fast-twitch muscle fibers. Over time, this improves the communication and coordination between your nervous system and your muscles during powerful, time-sensitive movements.
Training Guidelines
To ensure your muscle power training is safe and effective, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- When doing high-intensity exercises, keep the rep count low
- When doing low-intensity exercises, keep the rep count high
- Ensure under 2 minutes of interval between sets, as specified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association
These practices help keep both types of muscle fibers healthy, promoting overall muscle fitness while minimizing the risk of pain or injury.
Best Exercises For Endurance Development
- Cardiovascular activities
Cardio is an effective way to improve muscular endurance and build your stamina.
It helps build the body’s lactic acid system, allowing it to sustain muscular contraction for longer.
A few examples of cardio activities that can help build muscular endurance include:
- Walking
- Running
- Cycling
- Rope jumping
- Swimming
- Dancing
- High-repetition body weight exercises
Muscular exercises that use body weight and target specific body muscles are another way to improve endurance.
A few examples of exercises that use body weight include:
- Planks
- Push-ups
- Lunges and walking lunges
- Squats
Balancing Muscle Power And Endurance
Though the muscular ability of individuals varies, balancing muscle power and endurance offers a well-rounded fitness journey.
It allows one to easily perform everyday activities, reduces the risk of injury, and optimizes athletic performance.
Which Is More Important?
Muscle strength and endurance are both muscle abilities, and neither is better than the other.
However, depending on your fitness goals, one may be better suited for you than the other.
While muscle strength requires short, intense bursts of energy, endurance is recommended for activities needing sustained effort, such as distance running or swimming.
For overall fitness, a balance of both is recommended.
Training For Both Muscle Power And Endurance
To boost muscle power and endurance, you must train for them together.
- Combine power and endurance training by alternating between high-intensity and low-rep exercises and low-intensity, high-rep endurance exercises.
- Focus on power in one training session and endurance in the next.
- Workouts like kettlebell swings and battle ropes challenge power and endurance, helping boost both.
- Consistency and adequate recovery are key to improving power and endurance.
It’s best to achieve a balance between muscle power and endurance in your everyday life.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is The Difference Between Power Lifting And Endurance Lifting?
Powerlifting involves lifting a large weight once with an emphasis on speed and power.
Endurance lifting involves lifting lighter weights multiple times with an emphasis on rhythm and stamina.
Both these types of weight lifting are aimed at developing different muscular fibers and abilities.
How To Test For Muscular Power?
Two tests are used for muscular power– the broad jump test and the vertical jump test.
Broad jump test
This test is used to measure the muscular power of the legs.
Stand with your feet slightly apart, jump as far ahead as possible, land steadily on both feet, and measure the distance between where you started and where you landed.
The average of three attempts is a good indicator of your muscular power.
Vertical jump test
This is a common test used to measure the muscular power of an individual’s lower body, especially their ability to jump vertically.
Stand facing a wall or some vertical measuring device with your feet shoulder-width apart and hands on your hips. Jump straight up as high as possible, landing at the same spot you jumped from.
The average of three attempts is a good indicator of your lower body’s muscle power and performance in volleyball, basketball, and track and field.
Do Bodybuilders Have More Endurance Than Powerlifters?
Powerlifters target maximum strength and power at the expense of endurance.
On the other hand, bodybuilders train to gain muscle size and may have moderate endurance due to higher-rep training.
So, bodybuilders may have slightly better endurance while lifting weights due to their training style.
Powerlifters show better raw strength.
Are There Supplements That Help With Power Or Endurance Training?
In addition to fitness training and diet, you can opt for supplements that may help with power and endurance build-up. These include:
- Creatine: Boosts explosive energy and strength
- Caffeine: Increases focus and energy.
- Branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs): Reduce muscle breakdown and support recovery.
Beetroot juice and iron-rich foods in your diet can also help with muscle power and endurance training.
Always consult a healthcare professional before starting a supplement regimen.
Summary: Muscle Power vs Endurance
- Muscle power is the ability to move weight quickly and requires fast-twitch muscles that contract quickly but tire rapidly.
- Muscle endurance is the ability to perform repeated actions over a period of time, such as running a marathon or doing weighted squats.
- A few powerful exercises that help build muscle power include plyometrics, Olympic lifts, and sprinting.
- Cardiovascular activities and high repetition of body weight exercises help improve muscle endurance.
- The 577RR variant of the ACE gene is associated with more fast-twitch fibers and is more common in athletes who rely on muscle power.
- The 577XX variant of the ACE gene is more common among high-performing endurance athletes.
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References
- https://us.humankinetics.com/blogs/excerpt/muscular-strength-power-and-endurance-training
- https://www.livestrong.com/article/115549-define-strength-power-muscular-endurance/
- https://www.chiswick-physio.co.uk/blog/difference-between-strength-power-and-endurance-training/
- https://www.lifefitness.com/en-us/customer-support/education-hub/blog/muscle-strength-vs-muscle-endurance
- https://www.medicinenet.com/which_is_better_muscle_strength_or_endurance/article.htm
- https://www.americansportandfitness.com/blogs/fitness-blog/power-training-vs-endurance-training-whats-the-difference
- https://journals.lww.com/acsm-healthfitness/fulltext/2016/09000/shareable_resource__muscular_strength_versus.3.aspx
