Volume vs. intensity in strength training.
Volume is a key factor for muscle growth (hypertrophy), as well as for muscle endurance. This is one of the best ways to progress and see results in achieving the goal of increasing muscle. While doing a lot of repetitions with less weight is good for endurance, adding volume to your workouts has nothing to do with it. It's just a method of adding extra sets and reps to your current workout to increase volume and progress. Add more sets or repetitions of different exercises to see further muscle growth.
For muscle endurance, you can use a lighter weight with more reps to exhaust the muscles. You can also use this technique to increase your cardiovascular endurance. For example, in the case of a deadlift, a larger volume causes your heart and lungs to work harder. As you adapt to changes in volume, your cardiovascular system and endurance improve.
Increasing the intensity of training can increase calorie burning and increase strength performance. For example, if you rest less between sets, your heart rate will remain elevated throughout your workout, resulting in more calorie burning. If you increase the intensity by dramatically lifting weights, you increase your strength.
In addition, weight gain will strengthen your cardiovascular system. Think about lifting something very heavy over and over again. This requires a lot of effort, and the effort increases the heart rate. It's like walking uphill on flat ground. Walking on hills is more demanding, even if it's the same distance; hence, your heart rate will increase much more. The same is true when lifting weights: the heart rate will increase, which will increase the endurance of the cardiovascular system.
Measuring volume and intensity
Volume can be measured by the hours and minutes you train at the highest level (for example, on a treadmill), or the number of sets and reps you do in a workout. If you are doing a hybrid workout, such as including cycles or intervals, the volume can include both the duration and the number of repetitions.
In contrast, intensity is measured either by the weight you lift or the pace at which you perform an exercise (such as running). The intensity can also be measured on the Borg scale from 6 to 20.
Measuring the level of physical fitness
Although muscle mass is relatively easy to measure, your actual fitness level depends on a variety of factors, such as how well your heart and lungs respond to intense physical activity. Typically, the intensity of a workout is described as a percentage of your maximum heart rate (MPH). This is the maximum number of heartbeats you experience during one minute of intense effort.
To improve your cardiovascular system, you should aim for 65-75% of your heart rate. At this level, you improve your aerobic fitness (your body's ability to use oxygen as" fuel " for training).
You can estimate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. However, if you have a heart condition or are older and have not exercised for a long time, consult with your doctor to determine a safe maximum heart rate for you.
For a more accurate assessment, you can take a stress test on the treadmill under the supervision of a doctor or sports physiologist. The same test can also determine your VO2max (the maximum amount of oxygen your body can use during intense exercise). An increase in VO2max contributes to an increase in lung volume and endurance.
Ultimately, your fitness level will depend on your heart's response to the intensity and volume of your workout. Whatever your initial MCHS is, you can improve your overall fitness by increasing the duration and intensity of the session.
If you are in great shape, you can train up to 80-90% of your MCHS. This will put you in an anaerobic state, in which your body will use the glycogen stored in your muscles, rather than oxygen, to fuel exercise.
Being in an anaerobic state not only improves your heart and lungs, but also stimulates muscle growth better than aerobic exercise alone. It is this combination of volume (measured by duration) and intensity (measured by pace) that can help you achieve muscle growth and cardiovascular health at the same time.
