Final answer:
True. The intensity of a workout is true to refer to how much the muscles are overloaded, which is crucial for muscle growth in strength training. Progressive overload is necessary for muscle adaptation and size increase, but proper recovery time and workout load management are essential to prevent injuries.
Step-by-step explanation:
The intensity of a workout does indeed refer to the extent to which the muscles are overloaded. In the context of strength training, for a workout to be effective, there needs to be a progressive overload on the muscles. This is typically achieved by increasing the weight or resistance against which the muscles work. Simply lifting the same weight repeatedly without increasing this load does not lead to an increase in muscle size. The muscles must be challenged with increasingly heavier weights to facilitate growth and adaptation. This adaptation process, driven by the body's response to the micro-damage caused to muscle fibers during intense workouts, leads to an increase in muscle mass as structural proteins are synthesized to repair and strengthen the affected areas.
However, it is crucial to increase the intensity of workouts carefully to avoid the risk of overuse injuries. If the workout load is too heavy or if there isn't enough recovery time between sessions, it can lead to injury to muscles, tendons, or bones. An optimally designed resistance training program takes into account the need for progressive overload while also allowing adequate recovery time to prevent injuries and ensure long-term muscle growth and strength gains.
Therefore, it is true that the intensity of a workout refers to the extent to which the muscles are overloaded.