Intensity is, by far, the most important factor in getting a good workout. Are your workouts demanding enough? If you’re not sure (or think you are), take a look at this checklist:

1. You finish your workouts with little to no sweat.
2. Your workouts rarely leave you feeling drained or exhausted.
3. You could easily carry on a conversation with someone else during your workout.
4. You haven’t made significant progress in weight loss, strength or cardio endurance or speed in months.

If more than one of these things rings true with you, it’s time to re-evaluate your workouts.

Benefits of Intensity

One word: Progress. Why else would you work out? The only way you’ll make a significant change is to work hard. There’s a reason it’s called a WORKout. It’s not called an “easyout.”

Being out of shape sucks. Everything is a struggle, even walking up a flight of stairs. But by cranking up the intensity, you can catapult yourself into good enough shape that workouts become FUN. Lifting more weight is FUN. Running farther and faster is FUN. Looking great is FUN.

When you want to accomplish your goals in the shortest amount of time possible, you just have to try harder. Give it everything you’ve got. Make progress.

How to Increase Your Intensity

General Rules:

Don’t stop your workout to have a conversation with a friend or lifting partner. They’ll be there when you’re done, or you can see them later. You’re there to transform your body into a machine. Talk about the local sports team or weather can wait for another time.

Don’t think that just because your heart rate was elevated for a short amount of time that you need more rest than you’re used to. The gym doesn’t have a magic aura that makes you burn calories by simply being there. Keep your heart rate elevated, and keep the rest periods as short as possible.

Work is not about fun; it's about work! If it wasn't work, they'd call it 'Super wonderful crazy fun time,' or 'Skippedy-do!'

For cardio:

If you can carry on a conversation with someone, you’re not pushing yourself hard enough. I know that many times during a spin class, I’ll see people yapping to each other between songs or even during them. Those same people also weigh exactly the same as they did a year or three ago. They haven’t made progress and they don’t work very hard. Don’t be that person.

If you’re doing High Intensity Interval Training, don’t let your “recovery” periods last for so long that your heart rate comes down and you can carry on a conversation. That’s too much rest. Remember, you’re only working for a short amount of time, but that doesn’t mean you can take it too easy on those non-working intervals. Recovery is one thing, downright rest is another.

For lifting:

Work antagonistic muscle groups. While your chest is recovering from a set, work your back. While your triceps are recovering, work your biceps. Work whatever the opposite muscle is from what you just worked.

Keep your rest periods around 2 minutes per body part. That means from the time you finish a set of something like bench press, find other things to do until you reach that 2 minute mark. It might be rows, and then some swiss ball mountain climbers. Maybe you just do 2 minutes of plank in between. But don’t do nothing.

I know a lot of people are scared of doing something in between sets. They’re afraid it might make them weaker because they won’t be able to lift as much when they’re tired. But, isn’t that pretty much the point? It’s one thing to be strong when you’re well-rested and recovered, but it’s another to be able to maintain a strength level when you’re out of breath, your heart rate is elevated and you’re working hard. I know which kind of strength I’d rather have.

-Drew

8 Responses to “#3 Add Intensity to Your Workout”