Intensity; in-ten-si-ty;noun. 1. Often used ambiguously within resistance training. 2. Is it time to drop the term altogether?

Differentiation between perceived effort and discomfort during resistance training in older adults:Reliability of trainee ratings of effort and discomfort,and reliability and validity of trainer ratings of trainee effort

“…This differentiation between perceptions of effort and discomfort has been highlighted recently as important 23,25 particularly within RT 19 . A number of studies 20,[26][27][28][29][30] have reported that participants exercised to MF with verbal encouragement to ensure adequate motivation and effort where RPE was measured.…”

“…Thus we can only assume that either; participants did not exercise to MF, or the participants were unclear as to how to report their perception of effort. Increasing ratings of effort, despite conditions being controlled by training to supposed MF, were however given with lower load for lower body exercise 29 , as set volume's increased 30 , with increased volume-load 28 , and with increased work rate 26,27 supporting that participants may have expressed their feelings of increasing discomfort 19,25 . Some studies have attempted to differentiate between effort and discomfort during RT and have found that, though participants appear able to report different values for each, there is a similar pattern for both responses.…”

“…Since it is perception of effort that we are trying measure when we use RPE it is evident that as fatigue increases so the RPE values reported increase. With this understanding it would perhaps be most appropriate to anchor the intensity of perceived effort as being maximal at the point of MF 19 , this being partly due to the consideration of perceived effort being relative to the ability to meet the demands of an exercise or activity. In support, Allman & Rice 20 reported that, after anchoring RPE to the sensation of effort during a maximal voluntary contraction (MVC), participants performing repeated isometric contractions at 60%MVC to the point of MF consistently reported maximal RPE values upon reaching this point.…”

The role of volume-load in strength and absolute endurance adaptations in adolescent’s performing high- or low-load resistance training

“…Participants were also instructed to perform all sets until concentric momentary failure in order to control effort between groups (Steele, 2014). If necessary, loads were adjusted (±5-10%) at each set to maintain the desired number of repetitions from set to set and session to session if participants either exceeded or could not meet the desired repetition range.…”

Scientific Rigour: a Heavy or Light Load to Carry?

“…Multiple publications have discussed definition and misuse of this term, clarifying why intensity is not scientifically accurate when referring to load [2,3]. Whilst tradition suggests intensity is often accepted to mean load, we might consider the sage words of Leo Tolstoy-''Wrong does not cease to be wrong because the majority share in it'' [4].…”