I recieved a really great question about the last article Intensity = Results:
Q:
Intensity also can lead to injury. The question is, where is the fine line between the two, and how does a trainer determine where it is for any client? Merry Christmas.
By SR
A:
That's a great question!
For sure intensity can lead to injury.
But so can any form of progressive overload (like lifting more weight this week than you did last week). And without some form of progressive overload (doing more than you did before), you are spinning your wheels.
That being said:
If form breaks, you're going to get injured.
If you are compensating (using the wrong muscles to get the work done) you're going to get hurt.
Neither of those scenarios need to occur when you are increasing intensity.
A workout at 90% of your ability can be more intense (more work done in the same time) than the same workout a month earlier.
Increasing intensity (more work) does not mean all out balls to the wall, puking, bad form, compensating and hurting yourself.
At least not for my clients.
More is just more.
For example –
Last workout I did 8
This workout I can do 12 and get hurt.
Or this workout I can do 10 with good form and be healthy happy and fit.
Then in this example, 10 is more intense than 8, but it's not so intense (12) that I get hurt.
By Josh Hillis
Author of How To Lose The Stubborn Seven Pounds
Josh is one of the five fat loss experts in The Ultimate Fat Loss Answers
Josh is a fat loss expert, a kettlebell instructor and personal trainer in Denver, Colorado. Josh helps women and men lose stubborn fat.
Josh is a National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer (NASM-CPT) and Performance Enhancement Specialist (NASM-PES), and currently studying the Corective Exercise Specialist (NASM-CES) course.
For information about kettlebell classes in Denver, click here:
www.denver-kettlebell-bootcamp.com
© Joshua Hillis 2007
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