STEADFAST TRAINING GLOSSARY
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Define the demand before turning it up.
WHAT IS TRAINING INTENSITY?
Training intensity describes the level of demand in a workout, but the word needs context. In resistance training, it often means the load relative to your maximum for that exercise. In everyday coaching, it may mean perceived effort or how close a set comes to muscular failure.
These meanings are related but not interchangeable. A lighter weight lifted many times can feel very demanding. A heavier weight lifted for only a few repetitions may leave several repetitions in reserve.
WHY IT MATTERS
“Increase the intensity” is incomplete coaching unless you know what to change. More weight, less rest, and more effort are different adjustments.
- Load: How much resistance are you using?
- Relative load: How does that resistance compare with your capacity in this exercise?
- Effort: How demanding was the set, using the agreed RPE or RIR scale?
Keep these items separate in your training log so that a difficult day does not get mistaken for a heavier session.
LOAD AND EFFORT ARE DIFFERENT
| Description | What it tells you |
|---|---|
| 40 pounds | The external load, without information about the lifter. |
| 60% of 1RM | The load relative to a measured or estimated maximum for that exercise. |
| Two RIR | An estimate that two additional valid repetitions remained. |
A percentage does not specify an exact RIR. Repetitions performed and individual capacity still matter. Record the exercise, equipment, and technique standard as well.
WHAT DOES THE EVIDENCE SAY?
A 2015 trial by Schoenfeld and colleagues compared lighter sets of 25 to 35 repetitions with heavier sets of 8 to 12 repetitions in 18 trained young men. Both groups trained to failure for eight weeks. Muscle thickness increased in both groups without significant differences between them; squat strength improved more in the heavier group.
This illustrates why load, effort, and the outcome being measured should be distinguished. It does not mean every reader should train to failure, or that results from young trained men prescribe the right load after illness or surgery.
PRACTICAL LIMITS
Do not test a maximum simply to fill in a percentage. Use the loading method in your program and respect individual effort restrictions. A high effort rating is information, not a score you must beat.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Does heavier always mean harder?
Not necessarily. The number of repetitions and how far you continue into the set affect effort.
Is 70% of 1RM the same as RPE 7?
No. One describes relative load; the other is an effort rating that must be interpreted using a named scale.
Does sweating measure lifting intensity?
It does not tell you the load or repetitions remaining. Use the specific measures in your program.