Confused about the role of intensity

Training Q&A [Moderated]
1

Hey all.

So after watching the programming podcasts, i’m confused about the role of intensity on hypertrophy.

In Part 3 of the podcast, our favorite doctors talk about volume and intensity. One of the principles they put foward is that an increase in weight on the bar (intensity) does not induce a greater hypertrophic effect when volume is matched.

For example: Benching 200 for 3x5 week 1 and benching 205 for 3x5 week 2. Those 2 induce the same hypertrophic response.

My questiopns:

  1. Does that mean that intensity never has to increase? Obviously the volume will drive hypertrophy, which will make you stronger and eventually able to increase the weight on the bar. But could you not just add reps, or sets?

  2. When using a rep scheme for assistance exercises, such as 8-12, it is often advised to increase load one your able to hit the maximum amount of reps on all sets. So if you do 3 sets, and are able to get to 12 reps on each of them ==> increase load and work your way up again. However, doesn’t this decrease total volume quite a bit? Doing 3 x 12 with 100 lbs vs doing 3 x 8 with 110 seems like way less volume to me?

  3. Do you have to become stronger to gain muscle, or is getting stronger the byproduct of the muscle you gained?

I know i’m probably asking some basic questions, but hope someone could make this clear to me. Thanks

2

IEK,

Thanks for the post and I hope you are well.

  1. I don’t like speaking in absolutes, but from a hypertrophy perspective you’re really wanting to get motor unit recruitment over a larger range of motion for a good amount of volume. Multiple different intensities (from 30% 1RM to 90% 1RM) can be used to varying effect, provided the volume is there and the number of sets per rep are enough to generate motor unit recruitment.

  2. That is a strategy, yes. The heavier weight tends to produce more motor unit recruitment earlier in the set, which if you can do enough volume- produces similar levels of hypertrophy.

  3. No. Yes, if applied specifically.