Muscular Endurance is the ability of a muscle to exert sub-maximal force repeatedly over time. Muscular endurance is very important for people playing sports and who have to sustain an activity for long periods of time. Muscular endurance is determined by how well your slow twitch muscle fibers are developed. Here are a few techniques to determine a person's muscular endurance.
YMCA Bench Press Test
Adjust the barbell with the appropriate amount of weight. For men, the amount of weight for this test is 80 pounds; for women, it is 35 pounds. Set a metronome at 60 beats per minute -- basically one tick per second. Lie down on the bench with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, about shoulder-width apart. Press the bar upward until your arms are fully extended, and then carefully lower the bar to your chest. Raise and lower the bar to the beat of the metronome, one beat your arms go up, the next beat the bar goes back to your chest. Breathe deeply and fully throughout the entire test. Have someone counting your repetitions, or count them off in your head. Stop the test when you can no longer lift and lower the bar to the beat of the metronome. Note the number of repetitions you did in the test.
Adjust the barbell with the appropriate amount of weight. For men, the amount of weight for this test is 80 pounds; for women, it is 35 pounds. Set a metronome at 60 beats per minute -- basically one tick per second. Lie down on the bench with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar with an overhand grip, about shoulder-width apart. Press the bar upward until your arms are fully extended, and then carefully lower the bar to your chest. Raise and lower the bar to the beat of the metronome, one beat your arms go up, the next beat the bar goes back to your chest. Breathe deeply and fully throughout the entire test. Have someone counting your repetitions, or count them off in your head. Stop the test when you can no longer lift and lower the bar to the beat of the metronome. Note the number of repetitions you did in the test.
YMCA Curl Up Test
The subject lies on a cushioned, flat, clean surface with knees flexed, usually at 90 degrees. Some techniques may specify how far the feet are from the buttocks, such as about 12 inches. A partner may assist by anchoring the feet to the ground. The position of the hands and arms can affect the difficulty of the test. They are generally not placed behind the head as this encourages the subject to stress the neck and pull the head forward. The hand may be placed by the side of the head, or the arms crossed over the chest, reaching out in front. Some protocols use curl up strips or other marks on the ground to slide the hands along and indicate how much to curl up. Set metronome at 40 beats per minute. The subject raises the trunk in a smooth motion, keeping the arms in position, curling up the desired amount. The trunk is lowered back to the floor so that the shoulder blades or upper back touch the floor. The test is terminated if the cadence is broken.
Push Up Test
The goal is to do as many push ups as you can in one minute. Men will assume a traditional push-up position and females can use the modified push-up position (on knees). When the push ups start, so does the clock! Press yourself up with arms fully extended and lower yourself back until your chest is three inches from the floor (but do not touch your body to the floor). Repeat as many times as you can in one minute. You may rest only in the “up” position if necessary. Count the maximal number of push-ups performed in good form without rest. Stop the test when the client cannot maintain good form on two consecutive reps, or strains forcibly and cannot continue.