Suffer Better: Why Intensity is Important in a Workout

By Coach Keller

After a workout, it’s fairly easy to know if you gave it your best effort. Most of the time you’re out of breath, sweating, and feeling muscle fatigue. Some days are easier than others, depending on how well you’ve eaten, slept, and hydrated. And some workouts are harder than others, depending on how heavy, hard, and fast you go. The level of intensity is different for every single person, so it is up to you to learn how and when to push yourself.

Before exploring why intensity is important, it is helpful to identify your primary reasons for hitting the gym. Increasing strength, metabolic conditioning, weight loss, (in addition to disease prevention, better sleep, improved mental health, etc.) are just some of the many reasons we workout! Some days you are simply “there to move,” and this is great. But on the days you are feeling rested, fueled, and strong, it’s time to crank up the intensity.

Today we are going to talk about the basics of exercise intensity– what it is, why it is important, and how to measure it so that you can make the most of every workout!

What is Exercise Intensity?

Exercise intensity is the level of effort and exertion put forth during physical activity, and it determines the benefits you’ll receive from a specific workout. It is a crucial aspect of any workout and can vary based on factors such as the type of exercise, duration, and individual fitness level. Understanding exercise intensity is important in achieving your specific fitness goals as well as optimizing the benefits of a workout.

There are three basic zones of exercise intensity: Low, Moderate, and Vigorous. The general recommendation (from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) is 75 minutes of vigorous activity in a week or 150 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. It is also important to understand that anaerobic conditioning, characterized by short bursts of intense activity, is the key to building better lung and heart health. While aerobic exercises focus on endurance and sustained effort, anaerobic exercises challenge your body to work without a constant supply of oxygen. This not only improves your cardiovascular system but also enhances your body's ability to recover efficiently.

Why is Intensity Important?

High intensity and anaerobic workouts offer benefits in the following areas:

✔️ Improved Cardiovascular Health:
High-intensity intervals challenge the cardiovascular system by rapidly elevating the heart rate and stimulating the heart to pump blood more efficiently. This leads to improved heart health, increased cardiac output, and enhanced circulation. Over time, these adaptations can contribute to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

✔️ Enhanced Lung Capacity:
Anaerobic workouts challenge your respiratory system, leading to increased lung capacity and better oxygen uptake. High-intensity exercise often encourages deep and diaphragmatic breathing. Engaging the diaphragm and using the full capacity of the lungs allows for a larger volume of air exchange. Like any other muscle, the respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm and intercostal muscles, can be strengthened through regular training, leading to better breathing and increased lung capacity overall.

✔️ Increased Metabolism and Fat Loss:
Increasing intensity boosts your metabolism, leading to increased calorie burn both during and after the workout. This phenomenon, known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), results in continued calorie expenditure as the body works to restore oxygen levels and repair tissues. Consequently, anaerobic training can be effective for those looking to manage weight and promote fat loss.

✔️ Muscle Building and Tone:
Anaerobic training, particularly strength training, stimulates the growth and development of muscle tissue. As the muscles adapt to the demands and loads placed upon them during high-intensity exercises, individuals experience improvements in strength, power, and muscle tone. This not only contributes to a more toned and defined body, but it also enhances functional fitness and reduces the risk of age-related muscle loss. (We lose 1% of our muscle mass every year after age 30!) 

✔️ Increased Anaerobic and Lactate Threshold:
Regular anaerobic training can improve the body's ability to tolerate and buffer lactic acid, a byproduct of intense exercise. As a result, individuals can delay the onset of muscle fatigue and sustain higher levels of effort during short bursts of intense activity. This increased anaerobic threshold is crucial for athletes at every level, especially in activities that demand quick, powerful movements like running, skiing & snowboarding, biking, climbing, and more!

4 Ways to Measure Intensity

Here are 4 simple ways to measure intensity, and there are many others as well! Simply tuning into your body, breath, and fatigue is a great place to start.

1. Perceived Exertion:
   One subjective method is the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE), where individuals rate their own perceived effort on a scale from 1 to 10. A low RPE corresponds to light effort, while a high RPE indicates maximal effort. We often use this in our Metcons during EMOMs or other interval workouts while on the bike or rower, often asking for an 8. If you have difficulty gauging this, try to go as hard as you can for 10 seconds to see what your 10 feels like, then just back off slightly from that.
   

2. Heart Rate:
   Monitoring heart rate is a common objective measure of exercise intensity. The target heart rate zone is often calculated based on a percentage of an individual's maximum heart rate. This method is particularly useful for cardiovascular exercises or during our Metcons. Many people use a heart rate device or watch to get a live read of their heart rate during workouts. This can be an easy way to know if you can go harder –or need to back off a little!
   

3. Talk Test:
   The ability to carry on a conversation during exercise is a simple way to gauge intensity. If someone can comfortably talk while exercising, the intensity is likely light to moderate. If conversation becomes difficult, it suggests a higher intensity level. Can you hold a conversation throughout the Metcon? Then it’s time to crank it up! 
   

4. Speed and Resistance:
   In activities like running, biking, or strength training, the speed, resistance, or load can indicate intensity. Simply put, higher speeds or increased resistance (think a higher number on the resistance on the rowers or ergs, or a higher RPM on the Echo bike) typically indicate a higher level of intensity. Other ways to monitor this is when running 400s, try to either maintain the same speed each time, or ideally, get a bit faster each round! (Pro tip: don’t go as hard as you can on round 1!) 
   
   

What Does Intensity Mean to You? 

We’ve explored the importance of intensity and offered a few simple ways to measure it, so now what? Rather than “no pain, no gain,” (because not all pain is good for you!) consider using the phrase: “suffer better.” The amount of discomfort you are willing to tolerate (or should tolerate) is entirely up to you. But in general, getting out of your comfort zone is where the magic happens! The discomfort during high-intensity workouts signals your body to adapt, leading to increased stamina, improved heart and lung function, and greater overall fitness, not to mention the mental fortitude you’re building as well!

So next time you hop on the bike or rower, ask yourself if you could push it a little harder. Or on your next back squat, try to add just a little more weight to the last set. But also remember that intensity is not only about lifting heavier or moving faster, it is about embracing the discomfort. So, after properly resting, fueling, and hydrating, it’s time to lace up those shoes and suffer better in your next workout. Mega brain and body benefits are waiting for you on the other side!