Today’s blog is all about exercise intensity—but don’t worry, not the scary, all-out, gasping-for-air kind Instead, I’m talking about the right amount of challenge for you, your body, health, and goals!
Before diving into this topic, take a moment to check in with yourself (honestly) by asking this question:
When lifting weights, are you challenging your body enough to create change?
…Do the last few reps feel difficult—but still doable?
…Do you need a short breather after lifting a heavier weight?
…Do you occasionally feel uncomfortable (in a good way), knowing you’re getting stronger?
Or, does your workout feel a little too comfortable: Same weights. Same effort. Skipping reps. Never quite needing to rest.
Let’s be real—exercise is hard! Strength training feels especially hard and different from cardio because you’re adding resistance and your body must adapt!
When lifting weights, it’s okay if it feels challenging, if you need to rest and if your version of “hard” and “heavy” looks different from someone else’s.
Lifting ‘heavy’ weights is relative to YOU and your fitness level. This isn’t about pushing to exhaustion, feeling destroyed after workouts or proving anything to anyone. It’s about understanding what the right level of challenge looks like for you—regardless if you’re an exercise enthusiast, new or easing back in.
Exercise intensity is super important because when it comes to making real progress—feeling stronger, moving better, building confidence, and protecting your health as you age—the right level of intensity matters.
And if you’re thinking, “
I’m not even sure what I’m supposed to feel,” you’re not alone. Many people—especially beginners—wonder if they’re doing enough or doing it right.
Those moments when things feel hard but achievable? That’s where change happens!
Every rep that asks a little more of you, every set that feels challenging, is a step toward a stronger, healthier version of yourself—inside and outside the gym!
So if you’ve ever wondered, “
Am I doing enough?” or “Am I doing this right?”—this blog is for you.
Keep reading for simple, beginner-friendly ways (plus helpful visuals!) to understand exercise intensity and feel confident that your workouts are working with you, not against you.
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Why Intensity Matters (and What That Really Means)
When it comes to strength training, intensity is what turns effort into results. Not the “all-out, crush yourself” kind—but the right level of challenge for you.
Whether your goal is to get stronger, lose body fat, improve endurance, or simply move and feel better as you age, your body needs a reason to adapt. That reason is progressive challenge—asking your muscles to do just a little more than they’re used to. Here’s why that matters:
Build Strength for Real Life: Training at the right intensity challenges your muscles to adapt and grow stronger over time. That strength shows up everywhere—carrying groceries, climbing stairs, getting up off the floor, traveling, and keeping up with kids or grandkids without feeling wiped out!
Support Fat Loss & Metabolism: Appropriately challenging workouts increase your metabolism, helping you burn more calories during and after exercise. When paired with good nutrition, this supports fat loss while preserving (or building) lean muscle—the kind of weight loss that actually helps you feel better!
Improve Heart & Overall Health: Strength training at the right intensity also benefits your heart and circulation. Over time, it improves cardiovascular efficiency, supports blood sugar control and reduces your risk of chronic disease—key factors for long-term health and independence!
The key taekway is this: progress happens when you challenge yourself consistently—and safely!
Intensity isn’t about how hard someone else is working; it’s about whether you are working hard enough to move forward.
That’s where Results Fitness comes in – we take the guesswork out of intensity!
Your workouts are designed to build strength and endurance, reduce body fat and improve overall health—without overdoing it or risking injury. As your coaches, we work with you to help you choose the right weights, the right reps and the right pace so that you’re challenged appropriately and making real progress.
You don’t have to push blindly or wonder if you’re doing enough. We make sure your workouts are working for you, so you can get stronger, feel better, and keep building a body that supports the life you want to live.
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How to Know You’re Working Hard Enough
Ok sooooo now back to my initial question:
When lifting weights, are you challenging your body enough to create change? Are you working at the right intensity too get real results?
Introducing The Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale – an effective tool for measuring your effort and intensity when working out!
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:
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- 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!
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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 y
our 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)!
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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.
