What term describes the ability of muscles to contract repeatedly against resistance?

The ability of muscles to contract repeatedly against resistance is called muscular endurance. It describes how well a muscle or muscle group can continue producing force over repeated contractions or sustain a contraction for an extended period.

Muscular endurance is different from muscular strength, which refers to the greatest force a muscle can produce in a single effort. It is also distinct from muscular power, which combines force with speed, and muscular hypertrophy, which means an increase in muscle size. For example, performing many bodyweight squats or holding a plank challenges endurance more directly than testing a one-repetition maximum.

Training for endurance usually involves lighter resistance, more repetitions, or longer work intervals. Activities such as distance running, rowing, cycling, circuit training, and repeated resistance exercises can all develop related forms of endurance. A person may have high maximal strength without being able to repeat an exercise many times, so the qualities are related but not interchangeable.