Final answer:
To improve muscular endurance, a weight training program should start with aerobic exercises and light anaerobic exercises with high repetitions, gradually increasing intensity over time. Tracking progress can be done by monitoring the ability to perform more repetitions with higher weights. Including flexibility exercises is also important for preventing injuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Developing a Weight Training Program for Muscular Endurance
To create a weight training program that focuses on improving muscular endurance for your friend, you should include exercises that allow muscles to contract over an extended period without fatigue. The program should primarily consist of aerobic exercises like cycling, walking, and running, as these activities help in building endurance and also enhance cardiovascular health. Additionally, integrating anaerobic exercises, particularly those that involve lighter weights and higher repetitions, can contribute to this goal.
As your friend progresses through the program, the intensity of these exercises should gradually increase. To track changes in muscular endurance, your friend can monitor the ability to perform a higher number of repetitions over time without substantial fatigue. This can be achieved by regularly increasing the loads and repetitions as the muscles adapt. Regular recording of the maximum weights lifted each week, as done by a personal trainer in the example, can also provide insights into progress and the effectiveness of the training program.
It is essential to note that muscular hypertrophy, associated with an increase in muscle size due to resistance exercise, differs from the changes occurring in muscles due to endurance training. Endurance training generally does not result in a significant increase in muscle size but does improve the oxidative capacity of the muscles and enhances supportive connective tissue, thereby aiding in endurance performances. Additionally, stretching and flexibility exercises should be included to improve the range of motion and prevent injuries.
Over time, sustained resistance exercise without increasing the weight load will not lead to muscle growth, indicating that to continuously develop muscular endurance, regular adjustments and increments in the exercise intensity are necessary. Tracking the actual loads and comparing them with expected loads, as in the example of the personal trainer's 90-day program, provides a method to measure improvement.