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How heavy is heavy? How light is light? If I do a set of 10 or a set of
5 or a set of 2 how do I know how heavy to go on each set? Does it
matter? Is it important? If we assume the volume is important (sets
times reps) and if we assume the load is important (percentage of weight
used) then relative intensity is the key that allows us to relate the
loads of various sets and workouts to each other. If we assume that
strength training occurs at about 80 percent of max in strength type power
lifts (bench, squat, and deadlift), then how do I determine what 80% is at
various rep schemes?
The Relative Intensity Chart
Using the chart below makes it simple. Eighty percent at 1 rep is 80%
(actually on the chart it is 79%). Eighty percent at 2 reps is 76%.
Eighty percent at 4 reps is 70%. Eighty percent at 6 reps is 64%. Eighty
percent at 8 reps is 58%. Eighty percent at 10 reps is 52%. All you do
is find 80% (actually 79%) on the left hand side of the chart under
relative intensity and move across to the right on the same row. As you
come to 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 reps across the top the number on the row is
the load percentage that is the same relative intensity as 1 at 80%. This
becomes an invaluable training tool as you write workouts for the strength
lifts. The reps for the Olympic lifts are so low (1 – 3 reps) that
relative intensity is almost a non-factor. In using the chart we assume
that each rep equals 3 percent and each 3 percent equals 1 rep. If you
use 2.5% per rep or even 5% per rep you can devise your own chart to use
while writing workouts. I prefer to use 3% as it seems to allow for good
jumps in loads without getting too big a jump as in the 5% percent loads
and it still works rather well at the 10 rep range (unlike the 2.5%
loads). Here is the relative intensity chart. Remember, to start at one
side and/or the top and move your lines down and across until they
intersect. Where they intersect is the load that the athlete will actually
put on the bar.
|
Rel. |
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
Int. |
reps |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
1 |
100 |
97 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
|
97 |
2 |
97 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
|
94 |
3 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
|
91 |
4 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
|
88 |
5 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
|
85 |
6 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
|
82 |
7 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
|
79 |
8 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
|
76 |
9 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
49 |
|
73 |
10 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
49 |
46 |
How Do I Use It?
In order to use the chart all you
do is decide what rep ranges you are going to use for the particular
exercise and the relative load range in which you wish to train for the
cycle. For example if you are going to do 5 sets of 5 for 5 weeks and
wish to slowly advance the load you can do the following:
Warm – up - first set at 50% and then
work up by 6 – 9% per set until you reach the work sets.
Work sets #
Week 1 Week 2
Week 3 Week 4 Week
5
Reps
5x5 5x5
5x5 5x5 5x5
*Load %
67% 70%
73% 76%
79%
Rel. Int.%
79% 82%
85% 88% 91%
#Volume is
constant at 25 reps for each workout
*Load is the actual weight you load onto the bar
The chart below will show how
staying at 5’s but moving up the relative intensity chart was the stimulus
for the training effect.
|
Rel. |
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|
|
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Int. |
reps |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
100 |
1 |
100 |
97 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
|
97 |
2 |
97 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
|
94 |
3 |
94 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
|
91 |
4 |
91 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
|
88 |
5 |
88 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
|
85 |
6 |
85 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
|
82 |
7 |
82 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
|
79 |
8 |
79 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
|
76 |
9 |
76 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
49 |
|
73 |
10 |
73 |
70 |
67 |
64 |
61 |
58 |
55 |
52 |
49 |
46 |
Start at about 80 percent and work
your way toward 90 - 95 percent of relative intensity over the course of
the training cycle. This is fairly easy to understand when the reps stay
the same but what if the rep scheme is constantly changing? Here is an
example of the 10 – 8 – 6 – 4 – 2 scheme using the same relative
intensity for all the reps in each workout. The relative intensity will
go up from workout to workout in order to implement the overload effect.
Warm – up sets - first
set at 50% and then work up by 6 – 9% per set until you reach the work
sets.
Work sets
Week 1 Week 2 Week
3 Week 4
Reps 10 – 8
– 6 – 4 - 2 10 – 8 – 6 – 4 - 2 10 – 8 – 6 –
4 - 2 10 – 8 – 6 – 4 - 2
Load%
52-58–64–70-76 55-61-67-73-79
58-64-70-76-82 61-67-73-79-85
Rel. Int%.
79 82% 85%
88%
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