In Pursuit of Intensity

One of the guidelines of doing effective exercise/weight resistance is doing it with intensity. Running a slow jog day after day teaches your body how not to burn too many calories. Using the same weights and never attempting to push heavier weight will not give you muscle. But what does it mean to exercise with intensity?

Dennis Hardy gave a good definition. In one of his latest emails Hardy said, "If you are applying the proper intensity to your workouts, at some point during the workout, you should seriously doubt if you can complete it."

That's what I have thought about intensity meaning, I only wish I could have said it as well.

To do my HIITs with intensity means at least once I must push my speed to such a level that I do not think I could possibly complete the 30 second run. To do my resistance with intensity means that in at least one set I must be struggling to get the weight up, using every bit of my fortitude to finish.

That brings up the other aspect of intensity. It is attitude. Without the attitude to give the workout 100% or even 110%, intensity will not happen. Intensity begins in the mind, in the will, to go beyond limits.

A nice jog is enjoyable, no matter what some of the folks say about "mind numbing cardio". I find it anything but that. But is it effective for the building of a better body. Nope. Admittedly, it can actually undermine your struggle for a better body if done too much. You will simply train your body to conserve as many calories as possible when doing cardio. Your body will look for the path of most efficient caloric expenditure.

But pushing your routines to the level of intensity, to the place where you think you may jeopardize your ability to complete the exercise, will bring results you can see, results that make a real difference. Then you begin to experience "intensity".