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Changes in Absolute and Relative Muscular Endurance After Resistance Training: A Review of the Literature With Considerations for Future Research

William B. Hammert,Yujiro Yamada,Ryo Kataoka,J. Song,Robert W. Spitz,Vickie Wong,Aldo Seffrin,J. Loenneke

Published 2025 in Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

ABSTRACT

Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. Abstract Hammert, WB, Yamada, Y, Kataoka, R, Song, JS, Spitz, RW, Wong, V, Seffrin, A, and Loenneke, JP. Changes in absolute and relative muscular endurance after resistance training: A review of the literature with considerations for future research. J Strength Cond Res 39(4): 474–491, 2025—Changes in local muscular endurance can be examined using absolute muscular endurance tests (e.g., performing as many repetitions as possible at pre- and postintervention against the same external load) and/or relative muscular endurance tests (e.g., using a load that scales to the individual's current level of maximal strength). This article discusses and elaborates on recommendations for assessing changes in local muscular endurance, with a focus on absolute and relative muscular endurance testing methods. We conducted a systematic search of the literature, which yielded 7,473 total articles. Of those, 51 studies met the inclusion criteria: 40 indicated use of either an absolute (n = 17) or relative muscular endurance (n = 20) test, 3 of which used both, and 11 did not clearly indicate whether an absolute or relative test was used. The literature examined suggests that absolute muscular endurance is much more likely to increase after resistance training compared with relative muscular endurance. Among the training protocols that had the most robust effects on relative muscular endurance were those that used lower loads and/or a higher number of repetitions per set, which might be a consequence of the protocols producing lower magnitudes of strength increases. Another notable observation was the lack of clarification as to how changes in local muscular endurance were studied. We urge future work to ensure that experimental designs are conducted and described with sufficient clarity (i.e., report whether an absolute or relative muscular endurance test was used, and control for/report the repetition cadence used during testing).

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