Are You Exercising *Hard* Enough?!

Let’s be real—exercise is hard. And some days, you just don’t feel like doing it! Strength training can feel even tougher, since adding resistance forces your body to work harder (and in totally different ways than cardio). Here’s a question to think about:  When you exercise, are you truly pushing hard enough to see change? Do those last few reps feel challenging? Do you need a moment to recover after lifting heavier weight?  Are you truly challenging yourself and feeling uncomfortable at times? Or… are you breezing through easy peasy, never needing to rest, skipping reps and using the same weights without ever increasing the load? Here’s the truth: Exercise will always benefit your body, but when it comes to real progress—looking better, feeling stronger, living healthier—intensity matters. And it’s not just about physical strength. The hardest part is often just showing up! When you arrive at Results Fitness or any gym, your mindset sets the tone:

• Show up with a bad attitude → coast through the motions. Show up with a positive, “let’s go” attitude → push yourself to new levels!

Exercise is meant to challenge you—and that challenge is what creates change. Every bit of discomfort is a step toward a stronger, healthier version of yourself! So if you’ve been wondering, “Am I really working hard enough?”, keep reading! This blog provides some simple ways (and even fun visuals!) to help you find out. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Why  Intensity Matters  When strength training, your workout intensity is the key to seeing lasting progress! Whether you’re trying to build strength, lose weight, or improve endurance, pushing your body beyond its comfort zone is essential- here’s why:

• Muscle Strength + Endurance: Working at a higher intensity challenges your muscles to adapt, leading to increased strength and stamina – woohoo!  You’ll be able to power through not only your workouts but also everyday activities like carrying groceries, playing with the kiddos/grandkids and climbing stairs.

• Increased Metabolism + Fat Loss: Intense workouts elevate your metabolism, causing your body to burn more calories both during AND after exercise.  This helps fuel fat loss, especially when combined with proper nutrition.

•  Better Cardiovascular Health: Pushing your limits strengthens your heart and improves circulation, reducing your risk of heart disease-yay!  It also boosts heart efficiency over time, improving your cardiovascular health.

The key takeaway:  challenge yourself consistently (safely!) for the best results. Your intensity levels directly influence your progress, regardless of your age or fitness level. At Results Fitness, we do the ‘heavy lifting’ for you by eliminating the guess work!  All exercise programs are designed to increase your muscle strength and endurance, decrease body fat and improve overall health.  As your coaches, we work by side to help you push limits and hit the appropriate intensity level safely so that you make acutal progress and see results! ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ How to Know You’re Working Hard Enough Ok sooooo now back to my initial question: are you working *hard* enough? Introducing The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale – an effective tool for measuring your effort during workouts!             RPE is  a 1-10 scale that helps you gauge how hard you’re working so you know if/when it’s time to turn up the heat!  Here’s a quick breakdown:

• • RPE 1-3: Easy effort, mostly recovery (e.g., walking or  yoga).
  • RPE 4-6: Moderate effort, but not challenging enough for maximum results.
  • RPE 7-9: High effort, challenging but sustainable—this is where you should aim for big results!
  • RPE 10: Maximum effort—this is often too intense and can increase risk of injury.

To get the best results, my recommendation is to aim for an RPE of 7-9 during your workouts. If you’re working between 4-6, you’re on the right track but need a little more intensity, and an RPE of 10 is typically too uncomfortable, unsustainable for most people and can lead to injury. Coaching Tip: During your next workout, rate yourself on the RPE scale and see where you stand. If you’re unsure, need help figuring this out or want feedback, let your RF Coaches know! _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Choosing Challenging Weights  Once you’ve nailed your workout intensity, consistently working between a 7-9 on the RPE scale, the next step is selecting the right weights! Why is choosing challenging weights so important?  ‘Cause your muscles need to be challenged to grow! Lifting heavy weights (‘heavy’ being relative to your individual fitness level) challenges your muscles, forces adaptation, builds strength, and helps you get better overall results—whether it’s building more muscle mass, improving your endurance, or enhancing functional strength for everyday life! That’s right! Strength training doesn’t just make you stronger in the gym—it makes everyday tasks easier and pain free, too! Think about getting out of bed, carrying groceries, picking up your kids or grandkids, playing pickleball, shoveling snow, loading up that Costco cart! You need to be physically strong and able to live your daily life.  The goal is to challenge your muscles at an intensity that’s right for you! Whether you’re using dumbbells, kettlebells, or resistance bands, you always want to use weights that push you while maintaining proper form. How do you know if your weights are challening enough?    Here’s another scale to help you understand your current baseline and how to progress to the next level:            

• Choose weights that challenge you without compromising form.
• Aim for an effort level of 8-9 out of 10—you should feel fatigue by the end of your set but still be able to maintain good form.
• If you can easily complete all sets and reps with no struggle, it’s time to increase your weight(s)!

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Exercising is hard, but it’s also one of the best and most important things you can do to live the best possible life now and forever! To get the results you want, you need to challenge yourself with the right intensity and weights. It’s not about perfection—it’s about progress. Focus on your form, embrace the discomfort, and remember that every challenging workout is a step closer to a healthier, stronger version of YOU! Ready to take it to the next level? Start using the RPE scale and adjust your weights to push your limits. You’ve got everything you need to make progress—you just have to show up and put in the work.