Strength Endurance

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

This is really my focus right now. I am not looking for explosive strength, but I want strength that lasts.

My current workout has me doing low reps (5-6 reps) one day followed by high reps (8-12) the next workout. And I alternate back and forth.

I have gradually increased my workout load, but I am almost completely drained of energy when I stretch at the end.

Any suggestions for improving my ability to handle higher capacity workouts?

Thanks.

2

[quote]tweaker wrote:
Any suggestions for improving my ability to handle higher capacity workouts?

Thanks.[/quote]

Eat more. Sleep more. Hydrate more. Take beta-7.

3

Instead of staggering the low rep and high rep training by each day you should stagger it by week or something. Rock the high rep stuff for 5 sessions and then the low rep for 5 sessions. Or vary your reps ranges per exercise per day.

-chris

4

[quote]tweaker wrote:
Any suggestions for improving my ability to handle higher capacity workouts?

Thanks.[/quote]

Train your work capacity. It sounds to me like you’ve been making a big effort to increase your training load (pinnacle performance), but perhaps not as much the total volume or work capacity. So maybe instead of something like:

90 x 6
100 x 6
95 x 6

You might do 5 or 6 sets of 90.

Try alternating “intensification” (where you try to push up your best performance) cycles with “accumulation” (where you try to be able to repeat the same performance more often) cycles.

5

What about Bodyweight work for strength endurance? Think that would work? For example:

5X20 push ups
5x25 squats
5X5 Pull ups

After you complete all sets, you add one rep to the next workout.

6

By the answers so far, I’m not sure just what you are after. I know in Highland Games, I was able to do pretty well because as the bar was ever-increased I stayed strong and kept the ability to throw (I know, explosive lifting) all day.

I lasted and stayed strong fom 9am to 4pm.

The way I’d train for that again is doing many sets of doubles with 60 seconds between lifts. Each week I’d drop 5 seconds from the rest period until I was at 30sec. then add 10-15 lbs and start over.

You can do for example a squat x2 then press x2 alternating that way or just do straight sets up to 20x2 with a moderately heavy weight (obviously NOT a max double). Then DL x2 and chin x2 the next session etc.

7

I’m looking for sustained strength (bodyweight plus). And I want to be able to handle more exercises each time I go to the gym without giving up a lot of intensity.

8

If you want Strength Endurance for Strongman competitions, I have no advice

But if you want better lactic acid toleration then try picking a weight you can do 12 times and follow this for every lift.

Week 1: 12 reps/2 sets
Week 2: 15 reps/2 sets
Week 3: 18 reps/2 sets
Week 4: 20 reps/1 set

That might be quick but this sort of scheme will give you more endurance and keep your strength the same. It won’t work for every lift and isn’t to be performed rest-pause style but at a pace akin to the speed you want to be performing your strength-endurance motions at.