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Don't
get me wrong because I was intense but the intensity then doesn't even
come close to matching today's high intensity training. You still think
you train with the utmost intensity? Well, let me ask you a few simple
questions. I would advise that you be honest with yourself because you
are your own worst critic. How many sets do you perform per training
session?
If you
are doing two or three hour marathons, then it is highly probable that
you are not
training at your highest intensity level. Have
you ever felt like crying after a set? If you answered yes, then you're
probably lying to yourself. Have you ever lost your sense of touch or
experienced a tingling session in your hands? Chances are, you probably
have not.
Very
few people that I know can withstand such self inflicted pain. Have you
ever pushed the threshold of pain so far that you have experienced
lightheadedness or vomited? Once again, chances are that you have not.
So as you can see, you ARE NOT training at your highest intensity level.
After all, being in the gym is about
results, isn't it?
Now
that we have agreed that your intensity can be improved upon, how does
one go about turning the intensity level up a notch? Well, intensity,
just like anything else in life, must be improved upon through practice.
Intensity goes beyond training hard in the physical sense. It also deals
with the
mental resilience. If you aren't mentally
prepared for the physical onslaught ahead, then you will be in for a
rude awakening.
Trust me on this one because
I have witnessed firsthand several individuals trying to train with an
intensity level uncommon to them. For their irrational efforts, they got
what they deserved: a nauseating feeling of discomfort and the inability
complete their workout. Your mentality also dictates your ability to
withstand levels of pain past your normal pain threshold.
I believe Arnold put it best
when he said, "the human body is not used to the 8th, 9th, or even 10th
rep." When you approach the end of your set, things stop working in your
favor and you have to dig even deeper. This is where your threshold for
pain is tested. You can either quit or tell yourself, "I'm going to keep
moving this weight no matter what!"
If you train in this manner,
you might as well throw out the whole notion of stopping at a particular
weight because it feels comfortable. I say to hell with that! If I'm
performing a working set, I will go beyond failure and push until my
muscles truly give out.
There have been countless
times where I have bottomed out on squats, dropped dumbbells on myself,
and felt as if I were about to pass out. But you know what? None of this
bothers me because I've trained myself mentally and physically to be
able to handle situations such as these. I know this sounds crazy and
that I may border along the line of insanity but it's the most efficient
way to make gains, especially if you're natural.
One helpful tip for
increasing intensity level is to concentrate before the set. I usually
visualize myself going through the entire set before I even perform the
set so I can have a sense of what I should feel like during the actual
working set. At other times, I just tell myself: do it not and think
about it later! Now that I've mentally prepared myself, I have to take
physical action.
 As
the weight starts moving, I concentrate on feeling and working the
targeted muscle(s). Personally, things start to get extremely difficult
around 4 or 5 reps and that's where my pain threshold is tested. I can
either quit and be mediocre or I can keep fighting with the heart of a
true champion. Needless to say, I will continue fighting with the
assistance of my training partner, of course, making sure I keep proper
form.
Another helpful tip is to
think of something which fires your rage. This is a little more
uncivilized from the mental aspect but as long as you use the negative
energy for something positive, then I think it is ok. I am naturally a
pacifist but there are certain things which really piss me off.
So before a working set, I
will fill my mind with these negative thoughts which in turn fills my
body with rage and adrenaline. Once again, I admit that I teeter on the
brink of insanity. If you've never tried this mental technique, then I
would suggest you give it a shot. Just don't go slamming 45 lb plates on
someone's head.
A more civilized mental
technique is to just enjoy the process of lifting. This method is
probably more suitable to the common individual. If you have a good
training partner and you can keep the training fun, your body and mind
will follow suit. I'm sure you've heard of individuals who are very
talented at something when not in front of an audience but can't perform
in the public eye. The pressure is too much for them and they crack.
This same principle holds
true for weight training. If you keep training fun, you should be able
to perform better. Just make sure you don't go overboard with the fun.
There is a fine line between positive fun and negative fun.
One
final technique I use is to pride myself in my training intensity. Most
anyone can train intensely once a month just by pure accident. Rather,
the question is: can everyone train with the heart of a lion all of the
time? It takes an extreme and intrinsically
motivated individual to train with an
intensity level which most people could not even dream of touching.
Next time you set foot in a
gym, look around at the individuals around you. How many of them are
training with the intensity I am discussing here. Maybe one or two at
most. Now look at their physiques. Chances are very good that their
physiques should speak highly of themselves.
You can bet that someone with
a physique worthy of such admiration has paid his/her dues. Now
shouldn't you pay your dues?
Thanks for reading
Phano
Paul Som
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