Exercise: Strength and Endurance Training

Strength and Endurance Training: Muscular Fitness is actually a combination of both strength and endurance. Strength is the greatest force a muscle can exert in one effort; for example, the ability to lift an object one time. Endurance is the muscle's ability to make repeated efforts.

Strength gains come from resistance: how much weight you lift. Endurance is achieved through repetition: how many times you lift a weight in succession. Both are important to develop.

Even if you don't intend to be an athlete or bodybuilder, you should still care about muscular fitness because it:

• Impacts everyday activities
• Affects your sports performance when it's just a hobby
• Is a major factor in shaping your physique and reducing body fat.

Strength and endurance training in summary

• Purpose: Helps build muscle, strength and endurance, and bone density; has many other health benefits; increases lean body mass, which supports fat loss and makes you look firmer.
• Types of activity:
  

1. Weight training with free weights and some machines
2. Circuit training
3. Consider: Pilates, which covers some strength, core, and flexibility training

• Frequency: 3 to 5 times per week
• Duration: Approximately 30 to 45 minutes
• Intensity: Depends on the number of sets and repetitions, weight load, and the rest period between sets

Weight training is one of the best ways to improve your Strength and Endurance

Benefits of weight training:

• Increases metabolic rate
• Increases bone density
• Increases lean body mass
• Injury prevention
• Improves balance, flexibility, mobility and stamina
• Decreases risk of coronary disease
• Aids in rehabilitation and recovery
• Enhances performance in sports or exercise
• Slows the aging process
• Makes you feel and look better

Prior to starting any exercise program make sure you are fit enough and consult a physician and a certified fitness trainer!

Here a few weight training programs you may consider:

Beginner: Full Body Routine

Intermediate: 2-way Split Routine
A: Chest, shoulders and arms--plus core
B: Legs and back--plus core

Advanced: 3-way Split Routine
A: Chest, shoulders and triceps
B: Legs
C: Back and biceps
Core can be done every other workout.

Check out a great Dumbbell Workout and how to get Six-Pack Abs and a Small Waistline

MY DIVA DIET is based on the Five Factors Affecting Body Fat and Health
The Five Factors

• Factor #1: Liquid Consumption
• Factor #2: Quantity and Distribution of Calories
• Factor #3: Quality and Purity of Calories
• Factor #4: Restrictive and Unbalanced Dieting
• Factor #5: Exercise

This is Blog #2 SIX BLOGS to cover the Diva 6 Components to an Effective Exercise Program: "Strength & Endurance Training"

• Cardiovascular conditioning
• Strength and endurance training
• Flexibility training
• Core and balance training
• Corrective exercises
• Functional training

Click here to see Blog #1 Cardiovascular Conditioning