Question

1. (2pts) What is the difference between absolute and relative muscular endurance? Use an example to explain the difference.

2. (1pt) What is the goal of the McGill torso test?

Answer 1

Absolute endurance: It is how much work you can do in a specific task with a specific load before fatiguing or in other words, endurance measured by the maximum number of repetitions (muscle contractions) one can perform against a given resistance; for example, the number of times you can bench press 50 pounds.

Relative endurance: It is how much work you can do in a specific task with a load relative to your maximum loading capacity for that task before fatiguing or in other words, endurance measured by the maximum number of repetitions one can perform against a resistance that is a given percentage of one's 1RM(Repetition maximum); for example, the number of times you can lift 50 percent of your 1RM.

For example;

Person A has a max bench press of 500 pounds and does 30 reps with 225.

Person B has a max bench of 350 pounds and does 28 reps with 225.

In this example, Person A has better absolute endurance (30 beats 28), but Person B has better relative endurance (a similar number of reps with 64% of his max versus 45% of Person A’s max).

McGill torso test: It is a set of three endurance tests. It's goal is to test the endurance of torso stabilizer muscles.

The three tests are aimed at different muscles:

Trunk Flexor Endurance Test:

The flexor endurance test is the first in the battery of three tests that assesses the muscular endurance of the deep core muscles (i.e., transverse abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae).

Trunk Lateral Endurance Test:

The trunk lateral endurance test also called the side-bridge test, assesses muscular endurance of the lateral core muscles (i.e., transverse abdominis, obliques, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae).

Trunk Extensor Endurance Test:

The trunk extensor endurance test is generally used to assess muscular endurance of the torso extensor muscles (i.e., erector spinae, longissimus, iliocostalis, and multifidi).