Strength and endurance through an evolutionary lens

[KyleL]

Would it be reasonable to surmise that strength is a longer term adaptation than endurance because, as we know, force production is more useful than aerobic/anaerobic capacity in our relationship with our environment, and thus strength was specifically favored in human evolution?

It is interesting to think about, for example, the phenomenon of varying athletic capabilities between East and West Africans. Seems logical to think that the relationships that humans had with their environments in those two locations must have been significantly different (controlling for the high altitude and distance running culture of East Africa). I wonder if strength adaptations are lost more quickly among East Africans than West Africans; and if endurance adaptations are lost more quickly among West Africans than East Africans.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think the physiology of strength acquisition explains the differences in persistence between strength and endurance quite a bit better than cultural factors. Your premise would require that strength could be quickly acquired if the cultural circumstances made this desirable, and unless we completely misunderstand the process, this is not possible.