Introduction
Muscle strength is the maximum load a muscle can withstand. Exercises to create conditions of isometric contraction and single-weight maximum allow one to determine the magnitude and nature of muscle strength (Cronkleton, 2019). After receiving the appropriate signal from the brain, the muscle fibers begin to work, which leads to their contraction. The more fibers are involved, the more force will be released. Those who train infrequently are not able to engage all the muscle fibers.
Discussion
Muscular endurance is the number of repetitions of an exercise a person can perform and the degree of fatigue a person shows while performing that number of repetitions. An example of muscular endurance is the maximum number of squat reps without stopping before getting tired and pausing. To develop muscular endurance, one should gradually increase the load, duration, and number of exercises. This amount can vary depending on physical abilities.
The development of muscular strength and endurance should be done almost simultaneously to ensure adaptation to the new weight and to create conditions for the muscles to work. Muscle strength exercises are better for those participating in sports such as powerlifting. These exercises are better performed in the gym at the beginning of the class. Muscular endurance development is suitable for those whose muscles stay in one position for a long time so that they can be performed outside the gym. They can be done at any time because they require a person to exercise continuously periodically to get results. Moreover, they depend on how often and effectively they are performed, so they can also be done at the beginning of a class, such as stretching.
PNF Exercises
Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) are exercises that aim to increase the flexibility and extensibility of muscles to increase their endurance. As part of a rehabilitation program, they allow muscles that have been dormant for a long time (e.g., after extensive trauma and bed rest) to regain regular activity, strength, and function (Lempke et al., 2018). Their use is critical for normal limbs and general muscle weakness to wane gradually. Such exercises may include:
- Passive stretching. This exercise involves stretching the muscle in position and holding it that way for a few seconds, then repeating. Care must be taken to perform the exercise and not allow too much stretching, but only about half of it. Such a ratio will ensure a sufficient load and avoid the negative consequences that follow muscle overstretching. In addition, the force of the contraction will be sufficient for the workout but will not cause pain. The advantage of this exercise is to ensure that the muscle is stretched and changes its length, thereby allowing the muscle to work again. As part of a rehabilitation program, the muscles can regain their former elasticity.
- An exercise to develop muscle strength. Such exercises may include squats, which combine both muscle contractions while flexing the knee joint and stretching it. In addition, own body weight will allow the muscles to engage and create new actin-myosin components in sufficient quantity. They, in turn, will facilitate the muscle’s ability to stretch, thus creating conditions for the muscle to return to its active state. Including the exercise in the rehabilitation program will facilitate the return of the muscle to its physiological state and build muscle mass to replenish lost function.
References
Cronkleton, E. (2019). What is muscular strength, and what are some exercises you can do? Healthline. Web.
Lempke, L., Wilkinson, R., Murray, C., & Stanek, J. (2018). The effectiveness of PNF versus static stretching on increasing hip-flexion range of motion. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 27(3), 289–294. Web.