What best describes muscular endurance?

Muscular endurance refers to the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to sustain repeated contraction against a resistance or to maintain a contraction for an extended period. This means that when an individual is able to perform a certain activity, such as lifting a lighter weight many times, or maintaining a moderate weight for a longer duration, they are demonstrating their muscular endurance.

This concept is particularly important in activities that require prolonged effort, such as distance running or cycling, where muscles need to exert force over an extended time without significant fatigue. Option B captures this aspect of endurance effectively, emphasizing the ability to sustain weight load over time, which is the essence of muscular endurance.

In contrast, while lifting maximum weight (as mentioned in the first option) relates more closely to muscular strength rather than endurance, lifting heavy weights for a single repetition emphasizes strength over endurance. Similarly, the ability to stretch muscles pertains more to flexibility rather than endurance. Therefore, the focus on sustaining a weight load differentiates muscular endurance from other physical fitness components.