Definition of intensity in PPST

[Peter Bex]

Hi Rip,

I apologise if this has been asked before, but a quick search of the forums didn't turn up anything. I also haven't been able to find a page with errata for PPST.

Anyway, here goes: I'm currently re-reading PPST 3rd ed. with a bit more attention (as in, actually studying it), and have a question about the definition of intensity. On page 29 it says:

Intensity is the average weight lifted in a workout or group of workouts relative to the trainee's 1RM ("one-rep max," or the maximum weight that the trainee can lift for a single repetition):

volume / repetitions = average weight used

average weight used / 1RM x 100 = % intensity

But the definition of volume says:

Volume is the total amount of reps performed in a workout or group of workouts, usually excluding warm-up reps.

When volume is the total number of reps, that first equation in the definition of intensity would always result in 1 as that would mean it's essentially volume / volume. I assume what's meant there is:

tonnage / repetitions = average weight used

That would still leave me with the question whether we should use work set tonnage or total tonnage (including warm-up sets) for the definition of intensity. Including the warm up sets would just drag down the average weight used, so my (again) assumption is that it would be work set tonnage.

[Peter Bex]

Of course, 5 minutes after posting I realised the answer is in the example given below. It's indeed total tonnage / repetitions = average weight used. Still, might be worth publishing an erratum for.

[Barry Charles]

Of course, 5 minutes after posting I realised the answer is in the example given below. It's indeed total tonnage / repetitions = average weight used. Still, might be worth publishing an erratum for.

Dare I try:

Reps are a dimensionless number.

Intensity is the mass lifted. Keep it in kg, not lbs to be rigorous. Ten kg is a higher intensity than one kg.

Tonnage is the TOTAL mass lifted in a defined period (training session, week, month etc).

Sets and volume are specified by the training and trainer but are indeterminate and must be explicit, as in do 3 sets of ten reps vs 10 sets of three. The tonnage is the same, the intensity is the same, the volume is the same, but the training effect is very different.

Perceived exertion is gibberish.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Dont' overthink.

Volume is total number of sets and reps independent of load.

Intensity is weight on the bar. If I squat 3x5x135 today then the intensity is 135 lbs.

Tonnage is volume x intensity.

Intensity can be expressed as a percentage of 1RM in some circumstances. If you're trying to illustrate what the Texas Method is for someone it doesn't really do any good to say "Squat 5x5 on Monday, 2x5 on Wednesday, and 1x5 on Friday."

In those circumstances when we're referencing a hypothetical trainee or trying to illustrate an example then we will refer to load as a % of 1RM. We might then say "Monday Squat 5x5@75-80%, Wednesday Squat 2x5@70%, and Friday Squat 1x5@80-85%."

[Peter Bex]

In those circumstances when we're referencing a hypothetical trainee or trying to illustrate an example then we will refer to load as a % of 1RM. We might then say "Monday Squat 5x5@75-80%, Wednesday Squat 2x5@70%, and Friday Squat 1x5@80-85%."

Thanks for clarifying, Andy! I guess you'd be doing this by gut rather than precisely calculating the weights as a percentage of the 1RM (which you probably wouldn't even know in most cases for intermediates).

Especially if you take the definition literally, calculations would be rather tricky if the intensity is expressed over the total tonnage, which includes warmup sets.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Thanks for clarifying, Andy! I guess you'd be doing this by gut rather than precisely calculating the weights as a percentage of the 1RM (which you probably wouldn't even know in most cases for intermediates).

This is pointless complexity. We are interested in one number: 5 more pounds on the work sets.