How to Build Strength That Lasts

Weight Training: Endurance

By: Randy Goodman, BA Kinesiology

In continuing on with my “weightlifting protocols explained” series, I’m going to cover endurance next. This type of training, like hypertrophy training, is implemented early on in the off-season of an athlete helping them establish an endurance base and high level of recoverability. I personally use this type of training more than any other type year round simply because I feel it is so applicable to my active lifestyle.

When we talk about weight training for endurance, what we’re really talking about is strength-endurance or muscular endurance. Strength-endurance refers to maintaining high force outputs (strength) over long periods of time (endurance) and increased subsequent recovery ability. You may have heard or seen people in the training community use the term METCON, which refers to metabolic conditioning. METCON can be used in reference to conditioning of aerobic (with oxygen) and anaerobic (glycolytic, or without oxygen) metabolic systems. Strength-Endurance weight training protocols are very much associated with anaerobic METCON. CrossFit® athletes are very well known for strength-endurance. Their sport calls for the need to be able to do heavy lifts for long periods of time, recover quickly and move onto the next station or event. Strength-endurance training sessions that last over 30 minutes will also yield aerobic benefits.

Crossfit athletes digging deep.

Strength-Endurance is what is going to let a distance runner keep a fast pace while climbing a hill, allow a college wrestler to throw or pin an opponent near the end of a grueling round, or allow a hockey player to effectively kill a penalty and permit the athlete to recover quickly in order to continue on with the race or match without being “gassed.”

The Strength Endurance Equation = Heavy Weights + Short Rest + High Training Volume

A refresher on what the weight training variables are:

Load- Amount of weight lifted in lbs or kgs

Load Volume- Total Amount of weight lifted in a training session

Rep- Lift weight one time up and down

Set- A given number of reps done at once without a break

Duration- Estimate of set duration in seconds

Speed per rep- Tempo of one lift. Time up, time at top, time down, time at bottom of lift

Rest- Between sets and between workouts

Let’s refer to the chart and break down the variables:

How much weight should be used?

When we look at this particular chart, it calls for 40-60% or your one rep-max (RM). These numbers vary depending on which literature you read or expert you talk to, but I’ll break it down for you. Basically, what 40-60% RM is telling you is you don’t want to lift a weight that is so heavy you can only move it for a few reps, which doesn’t correlate with endurance, or a weight that is so light that the strength part of the equation goes out the window. The amount of weight you choose to lift for strength-endurance is very much determined by the length of time or number of reps you want your set to last. For example, a hockey player wants their set to last around 40-60 seconds. If we are using a squat as a hockey player’s strength-endurance exercise, they would lift an amount of weight that has them “failing” within the 40-60 second range.

Henrik Lundqvist relies heavily on strength-endurance.

How many times should the weight be lifted?

The chart says 25-60 reps per set. Again, these numbers will vary according to what you read or who you talk to. If we look at strength-endurance on a spectrum where at one end is strength (closer to 15 reps) and the other end is endurance (closer to 60 reps), we can decide according to our desired goal which part of the spectrum we want to be on. Remember, once you are reaching rep ranges of 60 or more, you begin to lose the strength component of the equation. Personally, because I’m not an athlete that needs to train for any particular sport or movement, I train all over this rep range. Some days I’m closer to the strength part of the spectrum and others I’m at the endurance part of the spectrum. The idea behind this approach is that life can throw a variety of situations at you and it’s nice to stay ready for anything.

How many sets should be done per exercise?

The chart says 2-4 sets per exercise. The key with choosing the number of sets is that you want to keep the load volume (weight x reps) for the workout in check. Do more sets if you are lifting heavier and the sets are shorter, consisting of a low number of reps. Do less sets if you are lifting lighter and the sets are longer, consisting of a high number of reps. The load volume should be similar whether you have chosen a workout that is at the strength end of the spectrum or the endurance end of the spectrum.

How long should the rest be between sets?

In a word, short! This chart says 1-2 minutes. I would say often the rest period for muscular endurance weight training will be less than 30 seconds. The short rest period is purposeful. As I mentioned earlier, we are training the anaerobic energy system. We trying to increase our ability to maintain high levels of force for significant periods of time, recover quickly, and do it again, repeatedly. You won’t always be allotted the luxury of a two + minute rest period during your game or race. Bottom line; keep your rest periods short and get to the next set before you have fully recovered. Focus on large, deep belly breaths, activating your diaphragm, during and in between sets and keep moving around during recovery periods. The goal is to get your HR to drop as much as possible and get the muscles to stop burning during your short rest period.

How fast should I lift the weight?

To me, tempo in strength-endurance is not as important as when you are training for size, where you lift the weight slow, or power, where you lift the weight fast. In training for muscular endurance, it is common to use a tempo that matches the cadence of the sport or activity you are training for. For example, a skier may need use a lift tempo to match the cadence of navigating moguls, but also do static squats, where they hold the weight in a static position, to match the long turns of a Super G.

Long static holds during Super G turns.

Mix it up by ending a set with a static hold or varying the speed of the lifts from workout to workout. To get a deep, meaningful burn I’ll often do 45 seconds to a minute of a given lift at a steady or mixed tempo and, if it is safe, end the set with a static hold until I’m shaking profusely and ultimately failing. Obviously, you don’t do this if failure means your spine or sternum is going to be crushed.

How long is each workout and how many workouts per week?

The short answer on this one is that it will vary depending on how your muscular endurance program is designed. That’s not a very helpful answer, is it? So, I’ll give you some general guidelines to get you started. Load volume is your friend for building up muscular endurance. Train each muscle group at least twice a week. If you are going to isolate one muscle group per workout, your workout length will be shorter (20-30 minutes). If you are combining muscle groups into a single workout, the workout should be longer (45-90 minutes). I’m a big proponent of doing at least one isolation workout and one full body workout per week. It’s nice to focus in on, say, legs and get really deep into the fibers of a localized group of muscles, but our bodies need to be able to move efficiently as a complete unit so I do muscular endurance workouts that have multi-joint, functional, full-body movements as well. As you become more efficient moving like a human in the way that our ancestors evolved, you inherently use less energy which contributes to how long you are able to sustain high levels of force output.

Progression in Overload

As you move through your strength-endurance program, you want to begin to manipulate the training variables I’ve outlined above. For example, in week three of your program, you want to lift more weight or do more reps in the same amount of time as week one or complete the same amount of total reps in less time. Essentially, you want to increase the training load volume from week to week so you force your body to continue to adapt to the new stressors. There are many ways to progress your overload, just make sure you're making your workouts harder and pushing to beat what you did in weeks previous.

HIIT Weight Training for Strength-Endurance

HIIT it to Win it!

Anyone that knows me knows that my love affair with HIIT (high intensity interval training) echoes that of the love affair ‘Mercans have with the Kardashians. I’m a little obsessed. When I get down with the iron, I’m most likely on a timer. The timer is my god and I must obey it. No stopping until I hear the beep. Some days it’s TABATA- 20 seconds on, 10 seconds off, some days it’s two minutes on 30 seconds off. I’m past my days of being a big muscle donkey and I’m very strapped for time, so the majority of my training is now whole body functional movement, muscular endurance interval training. I feel this type of training is the most applicable to my everyday life. If I need to lift something that weighs 300 lbs, I’ll use a machine. On the other hand, I’d be able to carry an injured toddler off a mountain to safety like a champ if needed. There are several interval timer apps you can use to set up custom interval programs for yourself. An interval app and a couple sets of dumbbells- one light, one heavy- is the simplest, cheapest way to get started in muscular endurance training.

Summary

Remember the strength-endurance equation! Heavy weight + short rest + high training volume. You lift enough weight to preserve the strength component, but not so much you don’t dip into the endurance component. Take short rest periods so your body becomes efficient at recovering quickly from sustained high force output and keep your training volume high to inherit the endurance benefits of this style of weight training.

Keep in mind what you’re training for; what sport you play or activity you want to excel at. Strive for variety in the way you manipulate the weight training variables as well as the movements themselves. Use a combination of basic isolated movements and complex whole body human movements. Human movement efficiency is just as important for acquiring muscular endurance as training the energy systems.

The mental rewards are very real.

Embrace the burn, kids! Once it begins to burn, that’s when the real work begins. Dig on the pain because it lets you know you’re alive. Eventually, the endorphin high you get from grinding out a strength-endurance workout will have you addicted. Seriously, just like you can get addicted to sitting on your ass, eating chips and drinking beer, while watching others expend energy and move their bodies, you can get addicted to moving your own body. The anticipation leading up to the training session will make you giddy and amped up. The strength-endurance training session, itself, will teach you things about yourself that you won’t learn any other way. The back end of the session, when there is a puddle of sweat on the floor, will be more rewarding for your brain than anything you can stuff into your face! Trust me. If you have a physical event coming up, if you’re an athlete that is tired of gassing, or if you want to give up the meathead bodybuilder thing for a bit, give strength-endurance weight training a go.

See you under the iron!

RG

Health and Fitness Excuses I've Heard and Tips on How to Avoid Being the Person That Makes Them

"We’re going to make our body great again! We’re going to build muscle. We’re going to keep the bad stuff out and let the good stuff in and it’s going to be great. We’re going to be great. We’re going to make our body great again."

- Health and Fitness Donald Trump, probably

You want some real substance? Here I take four excuses that I have heard come out of people's mouths, call them lame, and give you some applicable tips on how to not be the person making the excuses. By now we all know that living a healthy life is more of a mental game than anything. I know what it's like to think you can overcome a mental struggle only to find yourself back a square one after thinking you've got it beat. Folks, sometimes we need to find the right approach and sometimes we need to reach out to others for help. I have found help for my struggles and I am here to help others conquer theirs.

"I didn't have time to make a smoothie so I just made some toast."...LAME! That excuse doesn't even make sense. It takes 3 minutes to make a smoothie and you are mostly in control of how long it takes. With toast you are at the mercy of your crappy toaster when it comes to how long it takes. If there is any difference in the time it takes to make toast vs a smoothie, it's negligible. What isn't negligible is the nutrient value of toast vs a well-rounded smoothie. Toast, muffins, and bagels are not breakfast. They are treats to enjoy on occasion or as part of a well rounded breakfast. They are addictive, inflammatory and shouldn't be consumed every morning if you don't want to be fat. If you feel hungry two hours after your smoothie, it could either be that you're addicted to wheat products- which, when digested yield morphine-like compounds that bind to your brain's opiate receptors- or your smoothie isn't well rounded enough. Your smoothie should have enough bulk, healthy fats and protein that it should satiate you for a few hours. An example of a good morning smoothie that tastes great and will hold you over looks like this: 1 generous hand full of kale, half cup pineapple, half cup mango, 1/2 scoop Vega vanilla protein powder, 1 scoop super greens powder, 2 tbsp chia seeds, 1 heaping tbsp coconut oil, ½ cup coconut water, ½ cup orange or apple juice.

This workout can be as hard or as easy as you want it to be.
It all depends on the effort you put in.

"I was going to work out but I was super busy and wasn't able to."...LAME! What, you couldn't find 7 free minutes to move your body? Seven minutes! That's it! I guarantee you were on your smartphone for at least an hour during the day. I am a father of two demanding toddlers, working a full time job, contributing to household chores, and running a side business and I can find time to work out for 7 minutes. Anybody can. Give your body 7 minutes to move, pump some blood around, heat up, and lube those rickety old joints. And don’t give me the “that’s not enough time to make any difference” line. I use this workout and it DOES make a difference. If you do three 7 minute workouts a week for a year your body is going to have to adapt to that hormetic stress. Three 7 minute workouts a week for a year works out to a little over 18 hours of vigorously moving your body. You are going to change physically, but more importantly you will change mentally. You will feel loose, energetic, and it will influence every decision you make, including what you decide to put in your face. Yes, you will choose foods that make you feel good about yourself if you exercise regularly.

“My back is killing me and my knees don’t like to bend anymore.”…LAME! Your back and knees are like that because you abuse the shit out of them by not moving them. Then, when your bros are watching you'll willingly grunt that barrel of oil into the back of your pickup by yourself so you look tough even though your body isn't even close to being ready to lift a heavy object. If you don’t use your body’s full ROM on a regular basis you are going to stiffen up. MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE. The way to fix your body is to move it. Not move less, not take pills…just MOVE! Right now I’m recovering from rotator cuff surgery (it was wrecked from all the stupid stuff I did in my twenties). I can barely move my arm. It hurts to move it. But guess what, the protocol that I have been prescribed to get full ROM and get rid of any pain is MOVEMENT. I have to move my arm every way that it's supposed to move in order to become pain free and fully functional again. I’ll tell you what the doc didn’t tell me to do, “don’t move it anymore and sit around eating cheesypoofs because you said it’s stiff and sore.” So move often, and move in a variety of ways under your own body weight as well as under load in a controlled environment. Use active (your muscles change related joint angles) and passive (keep muscles relaxed and use external source to change joint angles) techniques to move your body. Doing the 7 minute workout I mentioned above a few days a week goes a long way towards battling body pain and arthritis. I know this from experience.

Don't cripple yourself because you like treats.

"Well, I've been eating like shit and I haven't worked out in two weeks so I might as well just keep that going."...LAME! With this kind of thinking you are asking for a diseased retirement. When you take that kind of narrowed perspective and you allow two weeks to become so significant that it overshadows what should be a life-long practice, you're automatically set up for failure. Here's an analogy for you. Think of a sniper looking through a scope. He can only see one small portion of the big picture. When the sniper takes the shot at the target in his scope of vision he either knocks the target down or the target flees. Either way, if he just called it a day after one shot and didn't step back to regroup and focus on a new target he would be considered a terrible sniper. He wouldn't be very effective at contributing to the cause he's fighting for. That sniper's activities need to be guided by a wider perspective. He needs to take into account that the war he is fighting goes far beyond what is in his scope of vision. In the same way, you can't work out in January (knock down a scoped target) and quit in mid-February (target flees) and just hang’em up because the target no longer exists in your narrow scope of vision. You would never accomplish your ultimate goal of health, function and longevity. No, you step back and look at things from a broader perspective and refocus on the target you missed the first time or another target you want to knock down. In other words, your lifespan is the full war mission and map. You always revert back to the full map and mission objective where things are happening on a grander scale and then focus in on a target. That can be a short term goal like a race you want to run or a specific body composition you wish to achieve. Whether or not you succeed at knocking down that target, you revert back to the full map and continue focusing in on smaller missions that are going to help you achieve your ultimate goal of lifelong function and longevity.  You pick them off one at a time. At the end of each year you will have missed a handful of targets but you should have taken down a whole lot of them and developed a pile of successful strategies and tactics you take into the next year. If you eat crappy and don't work out for two weeks, you regroup and get the ball rolling again by consuming a few good smoothies and doing a few 7 minute workouts. You focus in on a small mission and use tactics that have proven to work for you. The bikini bod you want for vacation will always be there if your mission objective is lifelong health, function and longevity.

Stay healthy and functional so your senior years aren't a
 burden on you and your loved ones.

No more excuses for not striving towards health and function. If not for you, do it for your family and friends. Don’t end up crippled by your own actions. If you like eating snacks and drinking beer while watching other people move their bodies there are going to be consequences for doing that on a daily basis. Consequences will either come in the form of obesity and disease or a greater need for you to make sure you are getting exercise and eating nutrient dense foods when you aren't watching sports in order to mitigate the obesity and disease. Be aware of that and choose the latter. There are no free rides when it comes to gluttonous activities. If you like sports so much, then get out and play some. You shouldn’t be hobbling, obese and diseased by the time you are 50. I believe you should be able to enjoy quality time with your kids well into their adulthood and well into your senior years.  Just focus on what you have control over and practice things that contribute to function and longevity over the course of your entire life.