Muscular strength and muscular endurance have similarities, but they are very different, and you need to know which one you want to focus on at the gym to be doing the proper exercises. Today we will be discussing muscular strength vs. endurance, if one is better than the other, and the exercises that go along with them.

What is muscular strength?

While there are varied definitions and opinions on muscular strength, however, I believe it is fairly straightforward: muscle strength is the amount of strength your muscle can exert against a form of resistance. This can be done in a short period of time, and it is all about how much force you can lift or move even once.

It is about building up the strength to do something, but not over a long period of time. For example, muscular strength is shown if you are bench-pressing an extremely heavy bar (let’s say 200 lbs.) for only one rep (of five to eight times), just to show how strong you are at that moment.

What is muscular endurance?

Muscular endurance, on the other hand, is basically the exact opposite, but simple to understand as well: it is the ability to use your muscles over an extended period of time. This can be shown through marathon runners or having the ability to do 150 squats in an extremely short amount of time.

You can tell someone at the gym is building up their muscular endurance if they are doing a lot of reps with lighter weights. This builds up the length of time they can use certain muscles. Endurance is all about time and the longer you can endure the “pain” of doing something.

What is so important about muscular strength?

For a lot of people, when they think about building muscular strength and doing strength training, they think of body builders. However, muscular strength is important for everyone, both male and female. It has been proven to improve and strengthen the bones of your body, and can also improve your mobility for your later years.

Strength training can also decrease any pain in your body, and improve overall muscle function, battling against future risks of arthritis or osteoporosis. The more muscle that is in your body, the less fat will be there, and if you are focusing on strength training, it actually causes your body to burn the maximum number of calories, making you lose weight faster.

Muscular strength is very important for any human body, and you don’t have to worry about looking like a body builder by simply doing exercises twice or three times a week.

What is so important about muscular endurance?

Muscular endurance decreases the risk of injury during any sporting activity, or anytime you are at the gym. It increases the amount of time you can exercise overall and can also make your everyday life easier, such as going on walks with your dog and walking up and down stairs.

Endurance training really works on the heart, and if you do it regularly, it can play a role in preventing heart conditions. It also can play a role in preventing certain cancers such as breast cancer, and can strengthen your mental health as well.

Endorphins are constantly released in the body during endurance training, improving your mood every day. This is why many people do endurance training in the morning to boost their entire day.