When it comes to building muscle and burning fat, intensity is key – you NEED to be the beast that all the athletic apparel brands suggest you be.
Intensity is a hot term in the fitness industry that gets thrown around a lot and is synonymous with high energy, ripping power, brute strength and nothing else. In actuality: intensity is a relative term that has a variable definition based on the athletic ability of the individual. An individual who is just starting out in their fitness journey will have an entirely different definition of “high intensity” than a well seasoned athlete.
Figuring It Out
To figure out what intensity level best suites you (ultimately figuring out how long you should rest between sets) this is what you do:
- Perform set 1 of an exercise
- Rest for 1 minute
- After resting for 1 minute, immediately begin set 2
- While performing set 2, judge if you’re maintaining good form, or if you feel too winded to finish the desired amount of reps in set 2
- Based on the decision you’ve made while performing set 2, either up or lower the amount of time resting between sets by +/- 30 seconds
- Perform this analysis during every set until you can firmly understand your body and determining your ideal intensity per set becomes second nature.
A good rule of thumb is to try and avoid resting more than 2 minutes.
Now that you’ve figured out your intensity, with respect to time resting between sets...check out our article on how to figure what weight to use.
