Strength vs. Endurance: Which is better?
We have all heard of and used the words strength and endurance when it pertains to exercise. But do we know exactly what constitutes strength training and what constitutes endurance training?
DEFINITION
By definition, strength is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to produce a maximum force to overcome a set resistance within a single exertion. By doing this, your body becomes more equipped to efficiently manage increased resistance therefore increasing your strength. The overall goal of strength training is to, you guessed it, build strength. This is initially done buy improving neuromuscular connection and improving the efficiency of muscle activation for a single task. Do it long enough, with appropriate parameters, and over a long enough period of time, your muscles will eventually start to grow, also know as muscular hypertrophy. At that time you will start seeing physical changes in your muscle size and tone.
Endurance, on the other hand, is defined as the ability of a group of muscles to generate a sub-maximal force over a sustained amount of time or through repeated movements. It is designed to improve the body’s ability to perform a physical activity for an extended period of time with the goal to improve cardiovascular function and muscular endurance. Another benefit of endurance training whether via muscular training or aerobic training is lactate clearing.
LACTATE
Lactate is a byproduct of glucose metabolism during high-intensity exercise and can accumulate in the muscles, leading to fatigue. Endurance training can improve the body's ability to clear lactate by increasing the efficiency of the lactate removal system. This includes increasing the activity of lactate dehydrogenase, which is the enzyme responsible for converting lactate into energy, and improving blood flow to the muscles, which helps transport lactate away from the working muscles. Additionally, endurance training can increase the endurance capacity of muscle fibers, allowing the muscles to work harder for longer periods of time before fatigue sets in. These adaptations to endurance training can result in improved lactate clearance, which can enhance performance and delay the onset of fatigue during high-intensity exercise.
WHICH ONE IS BEST
The answer to the question is with another question: What activity are you looking to get better at?
Our body adapts to whatever stimulus we train. Therefore, if our goal is to run an ultramarathon, then working on endurance training will better suit our task. If we are working to become Olympic Lifters, then strength training is a better use of time.
Overall, it’s always good to incorporate a percentage of endurance training into your strength training program OR a portion of strength training in your endurance program. This helps decrease injury risk, improves cardiovascular and muscular capacity, and ensures your body is more efficient in the lactate removal system.
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