Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2025
Versatility of Protocols for Resistance Training and Assessment Using Static and Dynamic Ladders in Animal Models
Published on: December 17, 2021
Cross-Education of Muscular Endurance: A Scoping Review
Jun Seob Song1, Yujiro Yamada1, Ryo Kataoka1
1Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, Kevser Ermin Applied Physiology Laboratory, The University of Mississippi, P.O. Box 1848, University, MS, 38677, USA.
Background:
It is well established that performing unilateral resistance training can increase muscle strength not only in the trained limb but also in the contralateral untrained limb, which is widely known as the cross-education of strength. However, less attention has been paid to the question of whether performing unilateral resistance training can induce cross-education of muscular endurance, despite its significant role in both athletic performance and activities of daily living.
Objectives:
The objectives of this scoping review were to provide an overview of the existing literature on cross-education of muscular endurance, as well as discuss its potential underlying mechanisms and offer considerations for future research.
Methods:
A scoping review was conducted on the effects of unilateral resistance training on changes in muscular endurance in the contralateral untrained limb. This scoping review was conducted in PubMed, SPORTDiscus, and Scopus.
Results:
A total of 2000 articles were screened and 21 articles met the inclusion criteria. Among the 21 included studies, eight studies examined the cross-education of endurance via absolute (n = 6) or relative (n = 2) muscular endurance test, while five studies did not clearly indicate whether they examined absolute or relative muscular endurance. The remaining eight studies examined different types of muscular endurance measurements (e.g., time to task failure, total work, and fatigue index).
Conclusion:
The current body of the literature does not provide sufficient evidence to draw clear conclusions on whether the cross-education of muscular endurance is present. The cross-education of muscular endurance (if it exists) may be potentially driven by neural adaptations (via bilateral access and/or cross-activation models that lead to cross-education of strength) and increased tolerance to exercise-induced discomfort. However, the limited number of available randomized controlled trials and the lack of understanding of underlying mechanisms provide a rationale for future research.
More Related Videos
12:59Improving Strength, Power, Muscle Aerobic Capacity, and Glucose Tolerance through Short-term Progressive Strength Training Among Elderly People
Published on: July 5, 2017
07:30Muscle Imbalances: Testing and Training Functional Eccentric Hamstring Strength in Athletic Populations
Published on: May 1, 2018
