INTENSITY
Week 5
RELATIONSHIPS ARE IMPORTANT 
• Hypertrophy programs are typically based off VOLUME
• Strength programs are typically based off INTENSITY
Volume
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Intensity
•
•
Amount of work done (sets x reps x load)
Total number of reps performed
Total number of sets performed
Total distance traveled (aerobic)
Training time (aerobic)
Load lifted relative to 1RM (%1RM)
Intensity relative to VO2max
Intensity relative to maximal speed
Intensity relative to maximal - RPE
• Assuming the same effort (RPE), volume and
intensity are inversely related
WHAT IS TRAINING INTENSITY?
Measured as the intensity of the load, or intensity of the effort
What is OBJECTIVE
intensity?
What is SUBJECTIVE
intensity?
How to calculate/prescribe intensity for resistance training:
1) % of 1RM
2) Rep Max (RM)
3) Rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and
reps in reserve (RIR)
EXAMPLES ON HOW TO USE %1RM
Percentage of ‘One Repetition Maximum’ (%1RM)
• 1RM = heaviest weight successfully lifted one time (1 rep)
• Meaning you would need to perform 1RM testing!
• Percentage (%) is then calculated from the value of the 1RM load (lbs or kgs)
• Percentage-based load is then identified
Examples:
1RM = 110 lbs
1RM = 225 lbs
1RM = 78 lbs
What is 80% of this What is 76% of this What is 90% of this
1RM?
1RM?
1RM?
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS TO A
PERCENTAGE-BASED PROGRAM???
EXAMPLES ON HOW TO USE RM
Repetition Maximum (RM):
• Indicates muscle has reached fatigue or failure
Example:
RM written as a range  3-5 RM
Or specific end point  8 RM
You need lifting experience 
Casey
RM is most accurately determined using lifting
experience (aka: what have you done in the past?)
and
Trial-and-error (aka: we don’t know, so pick up this
weight and let’s figure out how many reps you can do!)
Prescription
DB chest press 3 sets of 6-8 RM
I know I can use 35lbs for 18-20 RM
You have the choice to use:
A) 40 lbs DB’s
B) 45 lbs DB’s
C) 50 lbs DB’s
EXAMPLE
Client can perform a conventional deadlift of 250 lbs as their 1RM
60% = 150 lbs
80% = 200 lbs
250 lbs
for 1 RM
1
2
96% = 240 lbs
200 lbs
for 7 RM
3
4
5
6
7
150 lbs
for 18-20 RM
8
9
10
REPETITIONS
12
13
14
15
WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS TO AN
RM-BASED PROGRAM???
EXAMPLES ON HOW TO USE RPE AND RIR
• RPE – rate of perceived
exertion
• RIR – repetitions in reserve
• You are trying to estimate
how many more reps could
you have done before failure
• Experience is critical for
accurate use of this method!!!
Description
RPE
Could not do more reps or load
10
Could maybe do 1 more rep or slightly more load
9.5
Could do 1 more rep
9
Could do 1 more rep, maybe 2 before failure
8.5
Could do 2 more reps before failure
8
Could do 2 more reps, maybe 3 before failure
7.5
Could do 3 more reps before failure
7
Medium effort, could do 4-6 more reps before failure
5-6
Very light effort
1-4
INTENSITY OF RESISTANCE TRAINING
Exhaustion

Within 1 rep of failure (RPE = 9/10)
OR

Failure would be on next rep (RPE = 10/10)

Often expressed by saying you’re “at failure”
Failure

Inability to perform the concentric portion of another
repetition with perfect or near-perfect form (technical
failure)
OR

Actual concentric failure of lift/rep (muscular failure)
A ‘failed’ rep does not count towards how many reps you
completed…because…well, you failed
Don’t touch
the bar bro, I
got this!
Do I got
this?!?!
WHAT CONSIDERATIONS SHOULD BE
MADE BEFORE
TRAINING TO FAILURE???
USING RM AND RPE TOGETHER
Same example as before:
Casey
Prescription
DB chest press
3 sets of 6-8 RM
I know I can do 35lbs for 18-20 reps
You have the choice to use:
A) 40 lbs DB’s
B) 45 lbs DB’s
C) 50 lbs DB’s
You perform 3 trial sets to get a better sense for loading:
Set 1
40 lbs x 11
RPE = 10
Set 2
45 lbs x 7
RPE = 10
Set 3
50 lbs x 4
RPE = 9.5
Which weight should I use to program 6-8 reps w/ RPE @ 7?
UTILIZING FAILURE IN A PROGRAM
• Taking sets to failure increases:
• Muscle damage, soreness, and overall fatigue
• The time it takes you to recover (because; see the above point)
• Your risk of overtraining (again; see the first point)
• Your risk of injury (especially for certain
compound lifts)
So it begs the question…
Why would you want to use
failure in a program?
Hopefully you’ve been reading your textbook!
Lolz, I
know!
Check out that
idiot taking his
back squats to
failure.
“FAILURE NEEDS TO BE USED WITH A PURPOSE IF USED AT ALL.”
• Utilizing sets to failure in a smart way can allow
you to get valuable information
• For 1RM testing
• For AMRAP sets
• Can be used in conjunction with RPE/RIR to get more
accurate estimates
• Can be used as a functional overreaching strategy
WHEN USED IN MODERATION AND AT APPROPRIATE
TIMES DURING THE PROGRAM
• Yes, I’m yelling the last part of that statement so you hear it!
USING %1RM AND RPE TOGETHER
• Your client can perform a 1RM back squat of 245lbs
• Your prescription is:
• 3 sets of 6 reps at 80% (3x6x80%) @ 8-9 RPE
Set 1
196 lbs x 6
RPE = 6
Set 1
196 lbs x 6
RPE = 10
Scenario 1
Set 2
Objective AND subjective programmed together!
208 lbs x 6
RPE = 8
Set 3
208 lbs x 6
RPE = 8.5
Scenario 2
Set 2
184 lbs x 6
RPE = 8.5
Set 3
184 lbs x 6
RPE = 9
What’s happening
in these 2
scenarios?
%1RM METHOD VS. RM METHOD
%1RM Example:
1 RM = 315 lbs
Prescription: 3 x 5 @ 87% 1RM
87% x 315 lbs = 275 lbs
RM Example:
Prescription: 3 x 5RM @ RPE 9
In this example, 87% would have been
too much for the prescribed 3x5
• load was modified to achieve the set
prescription
• This provides a way to regulate intensity
and prevent clients from going to failure at
all time
Set
Load
Reps
RPE
recorded
1
2
275
275
3
275
5
10
You rate AFTER
the set how it felt.
What will happen for sets 2 and 3?
Set
Notice how RPE is
being used here…
Load
Reps
RPE
recorded
1
275
5
10
2
3
270
265
5
5
9
9
USING METHODS TOGETHER
• How do you decide:
• how many reps?
• what RPE?
Tables like this can help to provide a
starting point…b/c duh! They’re
guidelines!
• Ultimately, lifting experience (with yourself,
and with a client) is the best tool for
gauging intensity
TO SUMMARIZE
% 1RM Method
• assign % of 1RM for ‘x’ amount of reps
• ex: 6 reps with 85% of 1 RM
Repetition Max
(RM) Method
• trial and error to establish max load for target rep range
prescribed
• maximal effort for all sets OR effort can be prescribed
(i.e. use in conjunction with RPE)
Rate of Perceived
Exertion (RPE)
Method
• trial and error to establish the RPE for client within
prescribed rep range
W H I C H I S T H E M O S T P R AC T I C A L ? ? ? ? YO U M U S T W E I G H T H E P R O S A N D C O N S F O R
E AC H M E T H O D … A N D C O N S I D E R U S I N G D I F F E R E N T M E T H O D S TO G E T H E R !