Intensity! What does it mean to train with intensity? How do you know if you are training with the right intensity? How do you use intensity techniques to get the results you want?
Training with intensity means that you are pushing yourself to the limit. The best way to get the results you want is to challenge yourself. You have to do more than just walk around the gym on your phone to get the full benefit of your workout. Set your phone down, focus on your training and get the most out of your time in the gym.
You are training with the proper intensity when you are at failure or near failure at the end of your working sets. If the set calls for 10 reps, but you could have gotten 15, you need to increase the weight you are using.
There are lots of different ways to increase the intensity of your workouts. You can increase the speed of your repetitions or decrease the amount of resting time between sets. You can increase the weight you are lifting. Increase the number of sets of a given exercise. Incorporating forced reps, drop-sets, rest-pause, supersets or giant sets into your workouts are all great ways to increase intensity. The possibilities are endless! The point is that you need to train with intensity to maximize your results. Try adding some of these techniques to spice up your workouts!
Forced Reps:
By utilizing a spotter, you can squeeze out a few extra reps at the end of your set.
Drop-set:
When approaching failure on a given set of an exercise, you strip off some of the weight and continue doing as many reps as you can.
Rest-Pause:
When you get to the point of failure of a particular set, set the weight down, breathe deep for 15 seconds continue doing reps until failure and repeat 1 more time.
Superset:
Perform 2 exercises back to back without reset in between, rest for a period of time; repeat for the desired number of sets. Commonly 2 opposing muscle groups are worked in this way, but that is not a requirement.
Tri-Set or Giant set:
Perform more than 2 exercises back to back and then rest for a period of time.
You probably wouldn’t use all of these techniques in a given workout, but adding in a couple will definitely add some spice to your training and help maximize your results!