What does muscular endurance refer to?

Muscular endurance specifically refers to the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions over a period of time without fatiguing. This means that when assessing muscular endurance, focus is placed on how long a muscle can work under a consistent load or perform repeated movements before becoming fatigued.

In the context of physical fitness, training for muscular endurance typically involves lighter weights and higher repetitions. This contrasts distinctly with maximum strength or power, which emphasizes greater loads being lifted but for fewer repetitions. Endurance is critical in many activities that require sustained effort, such as soccer, swimming, or long-distance running.

The other options, while relating to general muscle performance, do not accurately define muscular endurance. For instance, the ability to produce force with high weights pertains to strength, not endurance. Maximum strength focuses on the highest force a muscle can exert in a single effort, which is separate from endurance capabilities. Flexibility refers to the range of motion in joints or muscle groups and is not related to endurance at all.