How To Use Intensity-Based Training For More Gains & Less Pains
As a Doctor of Physical Therapy & strength coach, I help people get out of pain, get strong, and maximize their results in the gym, so they can be capable and confident for life.
Let’s be honest, most people don’t really know what they should be doing in the gym — they want to build lean muscle mass, look ‘toned,’ get strong, and feel mobile, but don’t know how to get from point A to point B, especially when it comes to reps, sets, and intensity.
‘Should I just do 3 sets of 10? What does it mean to train to failure & do I need to do it? Is it better to do MORE or less reps? How hard should I be pushing myself?’
If this is you too, that’s okay! I am here to share my knowledge and help you make GAINS with less pains!
What’s even more frustrating is that most online programs I see prescribe way too much volume (lots of reps and sets) and not the right amount of intensity, leading to workouts that take eternity to complete with little to no actual results.
DEFINING STRENGTH & HYPERTROPHY
The terms strength and hypertrophy have various usage within different training circles. To make sure we’re all on the same page let’s take a minute to define these two aspects of resistance training!
STRENGTH is the ability to overcome a large opposing force, resulting in movement of a heavy-ass object. In the weight room, this is seen as lifting high-load at a low-speed. Strength levels are relative to the person, so focus on being a stronger version of YOU, not comparing your strength to others.
Your individual strength may be unique to you, but we’re all limited by the same two factors – neuromuscular coordination (how well the brain communicates with muscles to produce force) and muscle cross-sectional area (the thickness of a muscle). In the initial stages of strength training, neural adaptations play a significant role in strength gains, which enhance the coordination and efficiency of muscle contractions, allowing you to generate more force. If we want to be strong, we need to move heavy-weight. well!
HYPERTROPHY is the actual growth of our muscles. When we lift weights near failure, our muscles increase in size through growth of muscle cells. This process is known as muscle protein synthesis. That ‘toned’ look most women want? Well, my friend, that is actually muscle growth, and being lean enough to be able to see that muscle!
Differences in age and sex affect growth rates, but research shows that just about anyone can build a significant amount of muscle with resistance training! Similar to the way strength is measured, hypertrophy progress should be compared to individual starting points and growth over time.
It's important to note that the specific mechanisms and contributions of muscle hypertrophy and strength gains will vary depending on factors such as training intensity, volume, frequency, genetics, caloric intake, and individual responses.
This is why you need to follow a SMART program, like my group training membership, Supple Strength, to ensure you are training at an intensity that is high enough to elicit change AND reduce risk of injury.
INTENSITY-BASED TRAINING
Intensity is QUEEN when it comes to making progress with performance and body composition. Training intensity refers to the level of effort or difficulty of a workout. It is a crucial factor in determining the effectiveness and results of a training session. Intensity can be measured and manipulated in various ways, such as using a percentage of one's one-repetition maximum (1RM), a rate of perceived exertion (RPE) scale, or reps in reserve (RIR) concept. The appropriate training intensity will depend on factors such as your goals, fitness level, and the specific phase or purpose of the training program.
Failure is the point in an exercise when your muscles are so fatigued that you can’t perform any more reps. Sometimes failure occurs before you finish the prescribed reps. If a workout calls for a set of 6, but you can only perform 5, you’ve gone to failure! There are two types of failure:
TECHNICAL FAILURE: doing as many reps as you can until you can't do another with decent technique. Ever seen someones squat look great for the first 4 reps, then start to look a little different by rep 5 and even more different at rep 6? They probably hit technical failure around rep 5.
ABSOLUTE FAILURE: doing as many reps as you can until you physically can't move the weight. If the same person as above kept going to rep 8 with decreasing quality technique until they physically couldn’t do anymore squats, they hit absolute failure around rep 8.
If you’ve never used intensity-based training before, it’s super important you know what near-failure FEELS like. I always tell my 1:1 clients to set up for a heel elevated goblet squat or single arm supported row, and perform that exercise until they cannot perform anymore reps. Then, we can adjust training from there with this calculator.
It’s also good to note that big compound movements (squat, bench, deadlift, etc) should be performed at a slightly lower intensity than your single-joint isolation exercises (bicep curls, knee extensions, etc) since the compounds are way more fatiguing to the body and nervous system.
REPS IN RESERVE VS. RATE OF PERCIEVED EXERTION
RATE OF PERCEIVED EXERTION (RPE) is your own rating of how hard an exercise feels from 0-10. For most hypertrophy and strength training, RPE should be somewhere between 6 and 10. The higher the number of RPE, the closer you are to reaching failure.
REPS IN RESERVE (RIR) is another way to measure intensity, but instead of rating your perceived exertion, you rate how many more reps you think you could have done for any given set. Basically, RIR is the inverse of the RPE scale with how many reps you have left in the tank! The lower the number of RIR, the closer you are to reaching failure.
WHAT THE SCIENCE SAYS
According to Vieira et al. 2021, training to failure (RIR 0 or RPE 10) and not training to failure (RIR 2/3 or RPE 7/8) have comparable improvements in both maximal strength and muscle power output in both athletes and non-athletes.
A small advantage in not training to failure can be observed in strength increase, particularly when training lower-body muscles.
Training to failure promotes greater muscle size gain, but these gains are related to greater volume rather than fatigue accumulated across sets of an exercise. When volume is kept the same between groups, muscle hypertrophy is comparable.
Not training to failure offers the same muscle power, strength, and growth benefits as training to failure, however not training to failure allows for faster recovery and can help reduce overuse injuries and overtraining.
So why wouldn’t you want to leave a couple reps in the tank?!
HOW TO USE REPS IN RESERVE
If you’ve never used intensity-based training before, it’s super important you know what near-failure FEELS like. I always tell my 1:1 clients to set up for a heel elevated goblet squat or single arm supported row, and perform that exercise until they cannot perform anymore reps. Then, we can adjust training from there with this calculator.
You can use this method for every new exercise you come across so that you know that your load should be to hit the recommended reps and intensity!
LOOKING FOR MORE GUIDANCE?
This is the SAME intensity scale I've been using to hit new PRs and help my body auto-regulate based on the how I am feeling. It’s also the same scale we use with our 1-on-1 and group membership clients!
Your recovery methods, nutrition habits, sleep quality and quantity, stress management, and intelligent programming ALL play a role in how your body responds to strength gains, muscle growth, and injury recovery. If any of of these areas are lacking, you' are guaranteed to not be performing at your best, even if
You also HAVE to be following a consistent training program, where you repeat the same movements in a progressive manner for 6 to 8 weeks, to really reap the benefits of intensity-based training. Program hopping every 4 weeks and exercises that combine multiple movements just won’t cut it.
This is why all of our 1:1 client's receive an in-depth lifestyle assessment, custom programming tailored to their personal needs, and ongoing support & education from us!
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Ready to get rid of frustrating pain, overcome injuries, and get back to doing what you love? Want to work with a Physical Therapist who keeps you active and understands your goals? APPLY HERE to schedule a free consult with our team!
SUPPLE STRENGTH ONLINE GROUP TRAINING
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