Whether you’re new to the fitness world or far into your journey, it’s important to incorporate exercises for muscular endurance at all stages of fitness. As we aim to build strength and muscle, it’s crucial to include muscular endurance exercises to build a resilient and enduring physique that helps improve your overall fitness. Improving your muscular endurance will allow your muscles to grow, enabling your body to last longer and perform better in future workouts.

For those taking their first steps into their fitness journey, starting with a slow and maintainable approach is key. This will help you gradually build muscle strength and endurance without causing injury. In this guide, we will explore types of muscular endurance exercises and beginner-friendly exercises that will help you kick-start your fitness journey.

Exercises for Muscular Endurance 

By including particular exercises in your workout routine, it will effectively improve your muscular endurance. Incorporating resistance training using lighter weights and performing higher repetitions, will help improve stamina. An effective way to promote muscle endurance is through bodyweight exercises like lunges, burpees, plank and squats, as these exercises all engage numerous muscle groups. Carrying out circuit training is very effective in improving muscle endurance due to the continual performance of different exercises with minimal rest. Performing variations of a particular exercise is beneficial for muscle endurance, for example, plank variations will focus on building core strength and endurance. 

Finding the right training plan for you can take a bit of time, but it’s important to focus on what is most effective for you and not diving into a routine that you have seen someone else do. This is because everyone’s abilities vary and you can significantly increase your risk of injury by attempting a workout plan designed by someone who is further along in their fitness journey.

Examples of Exercises for Muscular Endurance 

Improving muscular endurance is a process that involves performing exercises that will engage your muscles over an extended period of time. To build this, lower resistance and higher repetitions are carried out to develop your muscle's ability to endure continual effort. Here are some exercises that will help improve muscular endurance:

Plank

• Begin in the push-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart, then lower down to rest on your forearms, with your elbows positioned under your shoulders.

• Ensure your body is in a straight line from your heels up to your head.

• Hold this position between 30-60 seconds and rest.

Push-ups

• Start off in the plank position with your hands positioned under your shoulders and your body straight from your head through to your heels.

• Begin to bend your elbows to lower your body down, keeping your arms close to your body.

• When your body almost touches the ground, push your body back up to the starting position.

Lunges

• Stand straight with your feet parallel to each other, shoulder-width apart.

• Step one foot forward and bend your knees until they both reach a 90-degree angle. Make sure to keep your body upright throughout the movement.

• Lift your body back up to the starting position through your foot in front of you.

Squats

• Begin with your feet placed shoulder-width apart.

• Start to bend your knees and push your hips back to lower your body down. Make sure to keep your chest up and back straight throughout.

• Lower your body until your thighs are parallel to the floor. You can go lower than this if able to.

• Lift your body back up, returning to the starting position and repeat.

Burpees

• Begin in a squat position with your feet shoulder-width apart.

• Place your hands down on the floor in front of you and kick your feet back so you end up in a plank position.

• Perform one push-up, then jump your feet back to their starting position.

• Stand up straight then jump once with your arms above your head, and return to the starting position.

It’s important to start with a manageable number of repetitions before slowly increasing repetitions as your endurance improves. Focusing on proper form is essential for preventing injury, therefore, ensuring this is a priority is key for development. 

Cool Down Exercises for Muscular Endurance 

Cooling down after any form of exercise is crucial for muscle recovery and injury prevention. By incorporating cooldown exercises into your workout routine, you’ll reduce muscle stiffness, aid recovery, increase flexibility and improve overall muscle health. Here are some effective cooldown exercises:

Static stretching

• Perform static stretches that focus on major muscle groups, including your quads, hamstrings, calves, biceps, triceps and shoulders. Hold each stretch between 15-30 seconds.

Figure four stretch

• Lie down with your legs bent and your feet flat on the ground. Bring one ankle over the opposite knee and clasp your hands together around your hamstring. Gently pull your leg towards your chest to feel the stretch.

Butterfly stretch

• Sit with your legs extended out and bring both heels towards your groin with the soles of your feet together. Hold both feet with your hands and place your elbows on your knees, gently applying pressure to stretch the inner thigh muscles.

Knee to chest stretch

• Lie flat on your back with your legs out in front of you and bring one knee up to your chest. Hug the knee at your chest gently to feel the stretch but not cause pain.

Child’s pose

• Begin by kneeling on the floor, sit back onto your heels and reach your hands forward along the floor. This provides a stretch in your back and shoulders.

Light cardio

• Slowly decrease your exercise intensity with a light jog or walk for a short period to gradually bring your heart rate down.

Cool-downs are just as important as warm-ups. They are effective in promoting muscle recovery and prevent your muscles from feeling stiff the next day or being sore the following training session you do. Leaving out this part of your training routine will slow down progress by not letting your muscles actively cool down and they are being left to seize up which increases the risk of injury the next time you go to train. It’s also important to perform cool-down exercises comfortably without overstretching or causing damage. If the stretch is painful, ease the stretch until it feels comfortable.

Beginner Exercises for Muscular Endurance 

Muscular endurance is beneficial for beginners so you can establish a baseline for your fitness and track your muscle development each week or month. You can identify how your muscles respond to the different exercises to identify which exercises are the most effective in progressing your muscle endurance.

However, it’s important not to rush into it and start with repetitions and weights that are too heavy for your muscles to cope with. Make sure to gradually increase repetitions and begin to add weights when your body is ready and start to see your muscular endurance improve. Some of the best exercises for muscular endurance include squats, burpees, lunges, push-ups and plank, which can be performed by people of all levels of fitness. They are simple yet effective exercises, making them perfect for beginners.

Top Tip: squats and lunges can also be performed while holding light weights to make it more difficult as you progress.

Always consult with a medical or fitness professional when starting a new fitness routine. It’s important to ensure any new exercises are safe to be carried out for your own fitness levels. Making sure there is no risk or harm being brought to your health.

Begin your Fitness Journey with Village Gym 

Here at Village Gym, we love to help people kick-start their fitness journey. With state-of-the-art equipment and facilities across the nation, there is a gym waiting for you wherever you are. Our gyms are equipped with top-quality equipment including resistance and strength training equipment, and cardio machines and we have a range of group classes for people of all levels of fitness. 

Our gyms also have a selection of luxury amenities for you to indulge in, including a rejuvenating swimming pool, revitalising spa, sauna and steam room. Our gyms not only provide you with exercise, but they are also places for wellness and recuperation.

We have a range of membership options available to help you get started. Why not get started today and sign up to let Village Gym help you reach your goals? 

FAQs About Beginner Exercises for Muscular Endurance 

Why do I lack muscular endurance?

This could be due to the training you are carrying out. You may not be performing high-repetition exercises or continuous exercise, as this type of exercise will increase your muscle's ability to perform under continuous exercise without fatigue.

How long does it take to improve muscle endurance?

This can vary from person to person, but with the correct training, you can start to see improvements in muscle strength and endurance within a few weeks to months.

How often should I carry out muscular endurance training?

Depending on your fitness levels, 2-3 training sessions a week for muscular endurance will be sufficient to increase your muscle endurance.