So, in part 1 of my previous article on intensity, I went through my tendency to push the load and effort too much with my workouts. Even though giving my best effort every workout was and is a valuable quality, it ended up negatively affecting future training sessions because my recoverability was stressed beyond a reasonable point of return, especially on the big lifts. I wanted to always do better and this created a state of fatigue that was not going to go away without significant time off or a reduction in load/effort. I talk about a few things that can be done in order to keep aggressive tendencies in check. These consisted of listing the exact reps and weight that needed to be done, using RPE and RIR scales to control effort, and incorporating isolation exercises to expend aggressive energies.
Further, I want to discuss the concept of intensity with regard to programming. Of course, this can’t be discussed without mentioning another important variable such as volume, but I want to wade into this area to give you a better understanding of how intensity is utilized for attaining specific goals such as strength or hypertrophy.
Intensity, then, will definitely be different depending on the target of your desires. If your goal is to get a World Record deadlift like Thor Bjornnson, then you need to spend the majority of your time practicing the actual skill of deadlifting with heavier loads (> 85% of conservative 1RM) in the 1-6 rep range. Other accessory exercises can be done, but they need to be done in light of assisting the ultimate goal, which is to get a HUUUUGE deadlift. So, if your goal is powerlifting-related, then performing the competition lifts with heavy loading should account for the bulk of your volume (⅔ – ¾) with the remaining volume coming from lighter loading on assistance movements. Also, keep in mind (especially for you over-aggressive ones) to pay attention to your RPE/RIR in order to keep your body fresh during these high-intensity workouts!
Hypertrophy is a goal that requires a different application of intensity than strength. If you want to be Mr. Olympia like Ronnie Coleman, then you need to work on building copious amounts of muscle. Instead of spending the greatest amount of time lifting heavier loads, you will need to stimulate your muscles with moderate intensity (and volume). The focus should be on lifting weights that are 70-85% of your 1 RM for 6-12 reps at 5+ RPE. This is not to say that lower-rep / higher-intensity (1-6 reps at >85% 1RM) and higher-rep, lower-intensity (12-20 reps <70% 1RM) ranges can’t be implemented into your hypertrophy training program. There is certainly a time and place for those methodologies when stagnation happens. However, the 6-12 rep range is the most efficient in terms of accumulating enough volume for muscle growth as long as the effort is there. If you do the recommended 10-20 sets of a muscle group per week but don’t put in the intensity of effort to challenge yourself, then you can not expect to see the results you were hoping for. Overall, it is vital that you show up every workout ready to put in a robust effort and attempt to increase the weight or reps (progressive overload) in order to maximize your work of eliciting muscle hypertrophy.
Thanks again for reading! I hope this was educational in regard to how intensity needs to be adjusted according to your goals. If your goal is strength, intensity needs to be cranked up but not overdone. If your goal is hypertrophy, moderate intensity needs to be invoked in order to get the Gain Train rolling in the right direction. Please let me know if you have any questions or comments. Take care and as always…SETTLE DOWN, SLACKERS!!!
Sources:
Beardsley, Chris. “Why is progressive overload essential for hypertrophy?” Medium.com February 5, 2019. https://medium.com/@SandCResearch/why-is-progressive-overload-essential-for-hypertrophy-68757329a82d#:~:text=The%20principle%20of%20progressive%20overload%20is%20essential%20for%20achieving%20meaningful,set%20that%20leads%20to%20hypertrophy.&text=Eventually%2C%20the%20stimulating%20effect%20will,any%20muscle%20growth%20to%20occur.
Helm, Eric, et al. The Muscle & Strength Pyramid Training. Middletown. Muscle and Strength Pyramids, LLC. 2019.