For years, gym-goers and athletes have heard the same message: you can build either strength or stamina, but not both at the same time. A new review from The Lundquist Institute Investigators Carrie Ferguson, PhD and Harry Rossiter, PhD, challenges that belief.
The review, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, offers a fresh perspective on the interaction between power and endurance training. Findings suggest that these two qualities do not have to compete. In many cases, they support one another.
Rethinking the Old “Interference Effect”
Traditional training theory warns that endurance exercise can interfere with strength or power gains. This concept, known as the “interference effect,” has influenced how athletes train for decades. But according to Ferguson and Rossiter, that thinking is too simplistic.
Their analysis shows that for most people, especially those who are not elite athletes, combining resistance and endurance training does not hinder results. In fact, both forms of exercise can be combined to improve overall health.
A New Way to Measure Power and Endurance
One highlight of the review is the introduction of a new testing method called the musculo-cardio-pulmonary exercise test (mCPET). This approach measures both muscle power and aerobic endurance simultaneously. The results show that these systems work together more closely than previously understood.
What It Means for Everyday Fitness
If you are trying to build strength and stamina, this review offers good news. With balanced training and proper recovery, you can make progress in both areas without one limiting the other.
The research may also have important implications for aging and rehabilitation. Since declines in power and endurance often occur together, combined exercise programs may help older adults maintain their mobility and independence longer. As the authors explain, “We’ve long taught that power and endurance are at odds, but the evidence doesn’t support that for most of us. These systems can complement each other.”
So, the next time you train, remember that power and endurance may be more like teammates than rivals.
Read the full study:
Power and Endurance: Polar Opposites or Willing Partners?
Published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise (November 2025)