The Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Composition

The Impact of Exercise Intensity on Body Composition

Written By Michael Campanella

It’s February (blah). The holidays are over (double blah). All of the social excuses to eat poorly and drink every night are gone (I guess that’s good). We’re in the thick of winter. You’re at the gym, midway through what’s supposed to be a challenging exercise, casually discussing weekend plans as if you’re at a brunch. It’s about time that we take proactive measures against the February funk, people! And what’s the best way to do that? Why, ratcheting up the intensity, of course!

Why Intensity Matters for Body Composition

The real measure of an effective workout isn’t the amount of weight you’re lifting, or the complexity of movement. Instead, it’s about how hard you push yourself—how deeply you’re engaging your muscles and challenging your body. Intensity is the key to unlocking significant changes not just in your fitness levels but also your body composition. (And let’s face it, at our ages [what age is that, Mike?] that’s what we are most concerned about, amiright?)

Intensity: The Key to Lean Body Mass

Seeing people coasting through their workouts is a sign that they’re missing out on achieving optimal changes in their body composition. If you can maintain a relaxed conversation during a set, the intensity likely isn’t high enough to catalyze significant fat loss or muscle gain. If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you—especially when it comes to dropping body fat and adding slabs of meat to your body.

Scientific Insights: Intensity for Muscle Gain and Fat Loss

Research proves that high-intensity exercise is critical for improving body composition. For instance, a study from the Journal of Physiology indicated that high-intensity training enhanced the metabolic adaptations that are crucial for fat loss and lean muscle gain. Additionally, findings from the American College of Sports Medicine show that exercises performed near muscle failure—indicative of high intensity—greatly enhanced the potential for improving lean body mass, when compared to other methods of weight training (also know as, “how did that weight feel?” – “fine…”)

Maximizing Muscle Growth and Shredding Fat

Training Near Failure: One of the most effective ways to stimulate muscle growth and enhance fat loss is by training close to muscle failure. And this can be done with submaximal weights! This approach ensures that your muscles are sufficiently stressed to trigger growth and metabolic acceleration, crucial to achieving a leaner physique. According to the Journal of Applied Physiology, pushing muscles close to their limit significantly increases muscle size and overall strength, pivotal for enhancing body composition. You’ll know you’re doing it right if the next time your coach asks you “how did that weight feel” you breahtlessly mutter “f*&c y*#” under your breath.

HIIT for Fat Loss: High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is not just about improving cardiovascular health; it’s a potent tool for fat reduction, too. HIIT sessions, characterized by short bursts of intense activity followed by rest, have been shown to boost metabolism and increase fat oxidation efficiently. This method is particularly effective for those looking to reduce fat while preserving muscle—a key concern in body composition improvement. And make no mistake about it, the key to high-intensity interval training is…duh duh duh…the high-intensity part. Just because you are doing intervals, doesn’t mean you will reap the benefits of HIIT. If you don’t need the rest during the intervals, you’re not training hard enough!

Implementing Effective Intensity for Body Composition

Mindful Lifting: Focus on the quality of each rep. Ensure that you’re engaging your muscles with forceful contractions, controlled tempos, legitimate isometric pauses, and flawless technique. At least one set during your training session should have you exerting your muscles to near failure, especially in the last few reps of your set. This level of intensity is essential for breaking down muscle fibers and stimulating metabolic adaptations that contribute to a leaner body composition.

In conclusion, while the choice of exercises and the amount of weight used are definitely important, the intensity with which you perform your workouts is the absolute key to making meaningful changes to your body composition. And I don’t mean to write this to make anyone feel bad about their efforts. But, as you must imagine, your coaches want to make sure that their amazing clients are reaping the rewards of their efforts. And increasing the intensity of your workouts is one of the best ways to smash some plateaus this year. So, as we head into February (arguably the crappiest month of the year), let’s challenge ourselves to not just go through the motions but to make every workout meaningful and truly push the limits of our physical capabilities. 

Sincerely,

Michael Campanella

Owner/PEX

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