The Difference Between Getting Stronger And Building Endurance

Before lockdown hit, many of us were stuck in an exercise rut, doing what was comfortable and easy and fitted in with our hectic lives. Then coronavirus happened. We considered our health, our strength. We ran around the block for an escape from home’s four walls every day. And most of us lost loved ones along the way.

Having discovered a fondness (I can’t say passion or love) for running (basically it gave me time away from seeing my family’s faces for a few combined hours each week) I became reflective and decided a lifestyle change was needed. When lockdown was announced my diet swiftly shifted to a five-meals-a-day-washed-down-with-a-bottle-of-wine one. Not great long-term, not great at all. So I restricted alcohol to weekends and started pounding the pavements whenever I could, be it walking or running, just to be outside and doing some good for my body and mind.

Then I lost someone very close to me, and it all went downhill. The wallowing began and the drinking and snacking were urges I had no will to resist. But after a month or so I realised that the more I indulged, the worse I felt, and I decided to do something about it.

I signed up to a triathlon.

Are you a mid-life crisis personified? I hear you ask. Well, yeah, maybe, but I needed a kick up the arse. I knew I could run around the block, but I wanted to strengthen my whole body, strong enough to survive any infection that may come my way, and strong enough to live a long, long time for my children.

But training for a triathlon, or any challenge, isn’t just about practice, it’s about strength and endurance, and I’m only just learning the difference. So I spoke to David Wiener, Training Specialist at AI-based fitness and lifestyle coaching app Freeletics, to learn more about what our bodies need to be able to attempt endurance challenges.

David told me: “A lot of people tend to focus on muscle strength rather than muscle endurance, but combining both is more beneficial than sticking to one training style. In fact, that would be detrimental to your progress, as you need both muscular endurance and strength in your day-to-day life.”

But I need to know what, exactly, is the difference between the two? And what should I be focusing on specifically when training for a triathlon?

“It’s a common misconception that triathlon athletes will need to focus primarily on their stamina and endurance, but in reality, it’s not enough,” says David.

“Although it is important to build your endurance, strong muscles can also have huge benefits of allowing your body to sustain movements for long periods of time. For example, strong muscles can strengthen your bones by increasing bone density and decrease risk of injury.

“Muscle strength refers to the greatest amount of force that muscles produce during a single maximal effort,” says David. “Or, more simply put, the heaviest amount of weight you can lift or move. When people perform strength training, they tend to focus on performing ‘one rep max’, which means 1 rep then rest. The weight chosen, should be challenging and repetitions should be kept to less than 12 in order to achieve the best results. It is also important to ensue you get enough rest time (around 2-3mins) between each rep, especially when you’re lifting heavy weights.

“By comparison, strength/muscular endurance means focusing on lifting a lighter weight but for more reps and with shorter rest periods. This kind of training is more common and can even be done just by using your bodyweight. So, the longer you repeat the action at one time (i.e. more reps), the more endurance you will have.”

I tried a practice run – a super sprint triathlon at the beautiful Dorney Lake in Berkshire at the start of August, and while the sunny summer’s evening was perfect weather, it made me realise I have a long way to go if I want to complete double the distance at Blenheim Palace in September.

It’s a great atmosphere in the most beautiful surroundings – I’d recommend anyone keen to try a tri to sign up for the super sprint first as a taster to ease you into the idea. And if that one is sold out or not near to you, there are plenty more they host throughout the year.

But back to the training… When building up muscle endurance, you are working on improving your conditioning. Consistently lifting lighter weights for a longer period of time has been shown to help your heart get stronger and it pumps blood more efficiently, so a good PT or weights session is essential to maintain and develop overall strength. And because of this, there are a number of health benefits associated with muscle endurance training including preventing chronic diseases such as diabetes, blood pressure, reducing your risk of a heart attack, making your immune system stronger and help improve your mood. That’s what I’m after!

David adds: “Overall, to gain muscular strength or muscular endurance, you will be engaging the same muscles.

“However, different muscle fibres are recruited. Slow-twitch muscle fibres are responsible for building endurance, while fast-twitch fibres (type 2) are responsible for gaining strength and power. Building both strength and endurance is important in your daily life, as there are many activities that require both strength and endurance to complete.”

So to conclude, both strength and endurance are required to complete a challenge such as a triathlon, tough mudder, or any type of endurance course. Training will make you stronger, fitter, and offer extra benefits such as improved mental health, and lower risk of chronic disease.

I’m now a little over a month away from my challenge and having realised the good I’m doing (or bad I’m undoing!) I’m facing it head on.

I’d love to hear about your fitness journeys too, please do join the conversation on Facebook, or comment below.