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Elements of Training: Intensity

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Training IntensityOne element of training that is frequently misunderstood is intensity. To me this is a multifaceted element and every single person who wants to improve their physique should understand it to the fullest extent possible.

Intensity can be about rest time, taking sets to failure and a multitude of other things. I have a secret principle that also causes an increase in intensity. Before I discuss my secret I'd like to approach the other means for increasing intensity.

Rest Time and Intensity

If you want a more intense workout, play with your rest periods. Lower the rest period between sets and you will see an immediate increase in the intensity of your workout. Increase the rest period and the intensity decreases. It is a simple variable to play with and the results are amazing.

Failure and Intensity

The most obvious means of increasing intensity is to take sets to complete failure. You push your body beyond what it would normally handle and watch the intensity climb.

Complexes and Intensity

Another means of increasing intensity is all about how you perform the exercises. Instead of a superset or a giant set, do a complex where you have similar exercises grouped together along with a cardio type exercise. An example would be a deadlift into a squat into a kettlebell swing into a prowler push. This will work your muscles hard and increase your conditioning at the very same time. It is an intense method of working out.

My Secret Principle

I am a strong believer that every body part has a level of repetitions that works best for it. I also believe this number varies by the person. This is known as the repetition inroad principle. In short, your quads might be worked their hardest in the 8 to 10 repetition range while mine might respond best in the 6 to 8 repetition range. I have discussed this in previous articles and am in the middle of creating a video that will be available in the members area once launched.

All of these are ways to increase the intensity of your workouts. Give any or all of them a try.

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Eating for Fat Loss and Muscle Gain

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Eating for Fat Loss and Muscle GainWhat role does food play in the fat loss and muscle gain area? I used to wonder about this a lot and now I have come to some serious conclusions about the topic. Eating for fat loss and muscle gain is a topic that most bodybuilders will tell you is extremely important.

In the past I used to think a good calorie was a good calorie. If I was busy I saw nothing wrong with replacing a meal with a protein shake. I didn't truly grasp the thermal effect of whole foods. To me, having a protein shake was not a bad thing. I have truly changed my opinion on the topic after some experience with eating nothing but clean whole foods.

After I switched over to the plan involving 99% whole food I saw a major shift in my body composition. I now eat chicken or beef 5 to 6 times a day along with vegetables and sweet potatoes and brown rice. Since going on this type of plan I have lost 25 pounds and 12% body fat. The results have been nothing short of amazing. This is what is involved in eating for fat loss and muscle gain.

This leads me to conclude that not all good calories are created equally. While a 200 calorie protein shake might seem to be a safe bet, the fact is that 200 calories of beef has a much better fat burning potential. The food I eat is now at work in my body helping my body burn fat. That right there is the key–whole foods have a thermic effect and that is something that helps you burn more body fat. This is why you want to eat whole clean foods–to leverage the thermic effect of your food.

If you are like I was and you depend a lot on protein shakes and you have found that you are not doing as well as you'd like with fat loss, switch over to using more clean whole foods. You are definitely going to see greater results. I have lost 34 pounds of fat in the past 8 weeks with just this one small change. Once you do this you will be eating for fat loss and muscle gain.

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A Lack of Knowledge

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One big reason people claim they can't succeed with bodybuilding is a lack of knowledge. The claim is that in order to take their efforts to the next level they need to learn more first. They have it in their mind that a champion has a ton of knowledge that they don't have. Most of the time this just isn't true.

Champions suffer from the same lack of knowledge everyone else does. Most of them have gotten to where they are by just getting busy and getting the job done. The difference is that most champions are driven by their results and not the process it took to get them there. They simply work hard to get the results. They focus on the fundamentals that account for 90% of their success.

Is it a lack of knowledge that causes people to skip workouts? I would submit to you that it is not. Skipping workouts means you are not focused on the fundamentals. It is obvious that for your training to work you must actually do it. I know this sounds so obvious, but alot of people miss this simple point.

Is it a lack of knowledge that causes people to eat incorrectly? Again, I would submit to you that it is not. The eating choices we make are going to affect our success or failure. We shoot our efforts in the foot when we have too many cheat meals or just fail to eat on a regular basis. Again, this may sound obvious, but to many people this is the missing ingredient in their programs.

The fact is that too many people use the excuse–a lack of knowledge–to avoid focusing on the results. They tend to blame a lack of understanding about the process when they don't get the results they want. The process winds up crippling them as they are frozen in fear. They don't want to make mistakes, so they just stop trying entirely.

If you use this excuse–a lack of knowledge–I challenge you to stop it today. Instead of being so focused on the process of getting to your goals be focused on the results instead. If you give it some serious thought, the results are what you are truly after, so why focus so much on the process?

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Personal Achievement Decisions

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My UpdatePersonal achievement has been on my mind lately. I believe it has to do with the audio seminar I'm listening to from Skip Lacour entitled “The Mindset of a Champion“. Each session is very long and it is difficult to carve out the time, but I am managing to progress through the program. It really got me thinking about things.

I have been progressing nicely, but I don't always feel the sense of urgency that I should feel. If I lose 1% body fat per week I accept it and if I lose more I am just extremely happy. However, the audio seminar has me realizing that to maximize personal achievement I need to approach everything differently. Skip has taught me that a champion makes decisions without worrying about the end result. What does that mean?

Skip gives the following example. A guy likes training and is busily working out and decides “I should enter a local show when I have more muscle.” After some time he gets to where he wants to be and enters the local show. He comes in third. He thinks “I know I could win that show, I need to train harder.” He sets out to train harder and the next year he wins that local show. He then thinks “I want to enter a national show.” He works hard and enters a national show. He comes in 5th. He thinks “I know if I train harder I could win that show next year.” This goes on and on. The ultimate end is that the guy winds up on a magazine cover. Skip points out that a champion would have just said “I am going to wind up on a magazine cover one day.” The champion just goes for it.

My own personal achievement needs demand that I change my approach. If I want to be thought of as a champion I have to act like a champion. Thus, I have set a goal. I am going to compete in the April 14, 2012 NPC Amateur Grand Prix – Los Angeles. I have set the goal and will now go about accomplishing it. I have set a goal like this before, but like with much of my training goals, this time I know it will be achieved.

Now you, my readers, can help me out by giving me encouragement and support that I know will come. This is a huge step for me. I have never been as serious as I am at this very moment.  It is time to do some work. Personal achievement is a short time away for me!

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Cardio Medley Workout

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Cardio Medley WorkoutIn today's fitness world, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) is a very popular cardio methodology. I recently performed a cardio medley workout that utilized HIIT principles and mutliple machines.

HIIT Explained

HIIT is an exercise strategy that involves short training sessions that involve intervals that are done at a certain ratio. The original protocol called for a 2:1 ratio for recovery and work periods. As an example, a HIIT workout would involve 30 seconds of hard sprinting and 1 minute of walking (recovery).

HIIT generally involves a warm up period followed by 6 to 10 intervals followed by a recovery period. The work intervals should be done at or near maximum intensity. The recovery period should be roughly 50% of the work interval.

Why HIIT Works

There have been numerous studies on this HIIT protocol. One particular study by Gibala concluded that 2.5 hours of HIIT was equivalent to 10.5 hours of endurance training. A study by King shows that HIIT increases resting metabolic rate (RMR) and may improve maximal oxygen consumption (VO2 Max) more effectively than doing only traditional, long aerobic workouts. This all means that HIIT should burn fat even after the workout is complete. Yes, long steady state cardio will burn more total calories, but HIIT will burn more fat in the long run.

Cardio Medley Workout

As mentioned previously, I recently did a cardio medley workout. My purpose was to find a HIIT workout that could be done on the step mill. The workout itself was great. It involved a warm up, a cool down and 3 levels of intensity (moderate, somewhat hard, and hard). The workout lasted 46 minutes in length. Here is the workout itself:

Time Machine Intensity Exertion
5 minutes Treadmill Warm up 4-5
2 minutes Treadmill Hard 8-9
4 minutes Step Mill Somewhat Hard 7-8
6 minutes Elliptical Moderate 5-6
2 minutes Step Mill Somewhat Hard 7-8
4 minutes Elliptical Somewhat Hard 7-8
6 minutes Treadmill Moderate 5-6
2 minutes Elliptical Hard 8-9
4 minutes Treadmill Somewhat Hard 7-8
6 minutes Step Mill Moderate 5-6
5 minutes Any Machine Cool down 3-4
*Perceived Exertion is a 1-10 scale

This was a great 46 minute workout that I would recommend you try. It gives you variety (different machines) as well as varied intensity throughout. Pay attention to the perceived exertion level because it is where you are going to make or break your workout.

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