Train with Intensity
Do you train with intensity and how much do you push yourself when you exercise? How important is the intensity of a workout when it comes down to getting results?
The importance of intensity
I believe that it is often intensity (also described as a big concentration of power or force) that separates the people who make moderate changes to their fitness level over the years from the ones who make big improvements in a short time.
Intensity has a bigger effect on your training results than most people think. No matter if your goal is burning fat, building muscle, increasing your cardio levels, or all of the above.
When it comes down to muscle growth, training with maximum intensity forces your muscles to grow as they are simply left with no choice. They have to adapt which will result in growth. Intensity and overload is key for this muscle growth. Don’t expect results if you spend your time socialising or on the phone while you’re working out!
Don’t sacrifice technique
As you increase the intensity, make sure that you still execute the exercises with proper form. Make sure that your hard work stays efficient. Make sure that your training program and the intensity of it builds up progressively.
Drive through the pain of a workout but not at the cost of losing form and concentration. In other words, keep it safe.
Psychological vs Physiological
Intensity can almost be more of a psychological factor than a physiological one and is strongly related to motivation. How badly do you want to see and/or feel results? It is when your body screams “stop”, and you ignore the ache and keep going, that you force your body to get results.
When two people with similar fitness levels do the same workout with the same intensity, one person can perceive the intensity as moderate. The other person may perceive the intensity as very high. In other words, some people might think that they are working out at a high intensity but could in fact push themselves quite a bit harder and bump up the intensity.
Keep this in mind when you work out and don’t forget… intensity is key to success.