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Intensity – great energy, strength, concentration, vehemence, etc., as of activity, thought, or feeling. This is the definition that I explain to people when I talk about working at a high intensity. I want them to work with great energy, strength and concentration. They will move the weight in a smooth, momentum free motion with a high concentration on proper technique and emphasis of the muscle in the fully contracted position. We will work at a great energy level to ensure we are using all of their strength and at the same time improving their cardiovascular endurance and flexibility. Another portion of my definition is to concentrate on the muscle(s) we are working and learning how to recruit the muscle(s) to overload them and start the building of strength. Once they understand my definition of INTENSITY we can move on to reaching their goals in the safest, most efficient way possible.
After all I believe the goal of any strength-training program is to get GREAT results. INTENSITY is the key, not set or rep schemes. Work at the highest intensity level possible for every workout and the results will come faster then working longer at a lower intensity level. This does not mean that you do silly dangerous things while you train and call that intense. It means working in a safe manner at the highest intensity level possible for the number of reps in your “one” set. Yes one set! Working at the proper intensity level will not allow people to do more then one set of any given exercise. Even if you feel you could do another set, it is not necessary, because there are no levels or degrees of overload. Overloaded is overloaded and one set is all it takes to overload the muscles. Once they are overloaded stop and allow the body to recover. What most people do not think about are the bones, tendons and organs that have been overloaded and especially the first two mentioned, take longer to recover then muscle.
If you workouts are lacking results try working with more intensity. And remember the goal of strength training, in my opinion, is to prevent injuries both in and out of the weight room!
That’s the way I see it!
To read this series of Coach McKay’s blogs from the beginning, CLICK HERE!
Erik McKay BS, MA, CSCS, Kinetics Coach earned his B.S. and M.A. in physical education at Central Michigan University. While at CMU he worked with the Center for the Enhancement of Physical Education Programming and gained additional experience developing K-12 physical education curriculum with a focus on proficiency in the knowledge of proper form and execution of motor skills, and taught strength and conditioning courses as a graduate assistant. Erik went on to earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach designation from the National Strength and Condition Association, the premier certification in the fitness field. Coach McKay can be reached via email by clicking here.
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As a strength coach or personal trainer, we MUST value the REPETITION! A number of years ago I had the pleasure of seeing Strength and Conditioning expert, Coach Mark Asanovich at a strength clinic were he talked about the importance of the repetition as well. Below is what I had the pleasure of hearing from Coach Asanovich and have used with everyone that I train to help them understand what I am looking for when it comes to repetitions.
R- Repetition should be lifted “deliberately and under control.”
E- Eliminate fast, jerky, and throwing movements
P- Perform reps through the fullest range of motion comfortably allowed
E- Emphasize the negative phase of each rep
T- Time between repetitions and sets should be minimized
I- Increase tension by flexing in the fully contracted position
T- Take a breath in and out each and every repetition
I- If lifting on a machine set the seat appropriately
O- On barbell/ dumbbells use a closed grip
N- Never sacrifice lifting mechanics for more resistance
I do not believe people would argue that one builds muscle with time under tension. So why do more of us in the profession not value the repetition. I have been to numerous strength and conditioning clinics and have taken numerous trips to watch strength coaches and trainers work with their athletes / clients. Most of them, not all, but most do not value the repetition like they said they did. I have thought about this and wondered why some only pay lip service to the importance of proper repetitions; the only thing I could come up with is they are not really concerned with doing things RIGHT!
I was taught to value my repetitions and when I started training others I passed on the importance of proper repetitions. Although performing proper repetitions is easy, at the same time it is difficult because of the deep “burn” in the muscle when the tension builds up and muscle actually does the work. It truly takes discipline to VALUE the REPETITION for every REPETITION for every SET of every EXERCISE.
I personally feel I am doing those I train a disservice if I do not enforce the rules of proper repetitions and motivate them to become the best that they can be in everything they chose to do.
That’s the way I see it!
To read this series of Coach McKay’s blogs from the beginning, CLICK HERE!
Erik McKay BS, MA, CSCS, Kinetics Coach earned his B.S. and M.A. in physical education at Central Michigan University. While at CMU he worked with the Center for the Enhancement of Physical Education Programming and gained additional experience developing K-12 physical education curriculum with a focus on proficiency in the knowledge of proper form and execution of motor skills, and taught strength and conditioning courses as a graduate assistant. Erik went on to earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach designation from the National Strength and Condition Association, the premier certification in the fitness field. Coach McKay can be reached via email by clicking here.
Have something to share? YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! CLICK HERE.
I have read many articles by Jack Lalanne and in many of them he discussed exercises to work the muscles of the entire body. He even broke it down and showed exercises for the ears, eyes, eye lids, etc. Now, I am not going to take it that far, but I believe you must train the entire body. When I say this, it means that I train all of my athletes and clients’ head, neck, hands, grip, and feet musculature, body parts that are often forgotten.
We are all aware of the concussion issue that most strength coaches are trying to diminish with proper strength training protocols for the head and neck. I as well believe that it is very important for athletes to train the musculature of the head and neck to reduce the effects of concussions and sub-concussive forces, but I don’t stop there. I also train the head and neck of all my clients, from the young to the old; we all need to have strong head and neck muscles. I have a 70-year-old woman that I train twice a week for 30 minutes and she absolutely loves to train her head and neck. At first she was very hesitant, but she trusted that I was a professional and knew what I was talking about. She is very happy that she made the decision to allow me to train her head and neck. This is only possible because of the purchase of the Pendulum 4-way neck machine that I made early in 2011. After reading numerous articles and hearing numerous lectures on the importance of training the musculature of the head and neck, I decided that we all have the ability to suffer from concussions and I am doing my part to help lower the effects of concussions for my athletes and clients.
The next body part that I make sure to include in every training session for EVERYONE I train are the hands. Again, strength coaches understand the importance of training the grip for sports, especially combat type athletes, but everyone, not just athletes, use their grip everyday! Because every day of our lives we have to grip things I want to make it easier for my clients to continue to live their lives being able to do all the things they need to do. In many cases I can improve their lives because a stronger grip has improved the ability to do their daily tasks with less issues or trips back and forth to accomplish goals that require hand strength. One of the women that I train has noticed that with her increased hand strength it has been easier for her to carry her groceries into the house and it takes her fewer trips. Although it is only an extra minute or two that it saves her, it allows her to get through things faster and spend more time on more exciting activities! I tell everyone that talks to me about training, specifically the grip, “We are going to use our hands for the rest of our lives. You may want to make sure that they are trained properly so that they are ready when we need them!”
Last, but certainly not least, the parts of the body that I believe are very important to train are the feet. When Vibram five-finger shoes first came out years ago I jumped at the opportunity to purchase a pair not knowing if they were going to be around for a long period of time. I have personally noticed a change in how I walk, stand, and run. Because of those changes I have also noticed that my posture is better. I have no low back pain from being on my feet all day long anymore as well as no hip, knee, or ankle discomfort from standing and working on my feet all day long. I knew that I wasn’t the only one that was concerned about the musculature of the feet, but was pleasantly surprised when I was called up on stage at the Michigan State University strength clinic a several years ago by Coach Mike Gittleson after talking to him about my shoes and why I believe it was important to strengthen the feet. Remember when you put your foot into a pair of regular shoes, or heaven forbid a pair of high heels, you are doing them a disservice. Anything that offers support and thick soles is bad for the feet. Shoes that offer support are like putting your feet in casts! The shoe gives the support instead of the muscles working to support the foot. The thick soles do not allow you to have the kinesthetic awareness while standing, walking, jogging, running, etc. to do those activities with proper form. Most all of my clients at one time or another either train in their bare feet or have purchased a minimalist style of shoe to train in and I have heard rave reviews from every single one of them. A couple of my clients had really weak ankles and would sprain them getting up off the couch. After training in their bare feet or minimalist shoe, they have noticed a major difference in the amount of ankle pain and have not sprained their ankles in months now!
That’s the way I see it!
To read this series of Coach McKay’s blogs from the beginning, CLICK HERE!
Erik McKay BS, MA, CSCS, Kinetics Coach earned his B.S. and M.A. in physical education at Central Michigan University. While at CMU he worked with the Center for the Enhancement of Physical Education Programming and gained additional experience developing K-12 physical education curriculum with a focus on proficiency in the knowledge of proper form and execution of motor skills, and taught strength and conditioning courses as a graduate assistant. Erik went on to earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach designation from the National Strength and Condition Association, the premier certification in the fitness field. Coach McKay can be reached via email by clicking here.
Have something to share? YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! CLICK HERE.
The way I see it you must stick to the basics… work safely, work hard, work intensely, work consistently, work progressively, work efficiently, work smart, and work effectively. There is no supplement to hard work. Nothing seen in infomercials is worth your time and money. None of these buzzword-inspiring, moneymaking schemes are worth your time and money. If you train consistently, in a safe and intense manner, working the muscles in the direction of the muscle fibers that is all that is needed. There is no reason to train specifically just the “core”- start with big and work small. Meaning start with the neck, then move to the legs and work to the upper body, midsection, arms, and grip.
Functional training is another gimmicky, buzzword type of training. Anything that is done that improves the function of the body is considered “functional.” Any type of training that requires the body to do multiple movements at one time hinders the ability to focus on getting stronger. The more movements, activities, or tasks done at the same time, increases the chance of injury or making mistakes. That fact right there would remove more that half of the exercises that many personal trainers, fitness instructors, and strength coaches utilize. I have seen many videos utilizing stability balls and BOSU balls while strength training whether standing, sitting, kneeling, or laying on these silly implements… the problem again comes down to the inability to focus on getting stronger because of the instability. Instability does not help in strength training; it hinders. Stability comes from the ability of the muscles to work with and against each other to keep a particular joint or body part in the desired body position or plane. The stronger the muscles are the better the stability will be once the person learns how to recruit the right muscles.
Another argument for using some of these gimmicks and fads is to improve balance. Balance and stability is the same thing, they are synonyms. In order to improve balance one needs to improve overall strength in the muscles of the body and then practice the exact skill in which balance and stability are needed. Which brings me to another gimmick… sport specific strength training. Sport specific strength training does not exist; sport specific training however does exist, it is otherwise known as practice! Do not worry about trying to do movements that will “transfer” over into sports. Start training to prevent injuries and get stronger. When that happens performance will improve as well. Once the individual has gotten stronger they go out and practice the exact movements that their activity requires and learn how to use the newfound strength.
Stick to the basics.
Strength training is not complicated, what makes it complicated is all of the different organizations with different philosophies starting their own “scientific” journals that members and non-members will read and none of them can come to a consensus. Each of these “scientific” journals will then publish “research” and that research amazingly finds results that will prove the philosophies of the given organization. Others may not see it this way, but that is how I see it!
P.S. Keep in mind the more you try and do; the less you do well!
To read this series of Coach McKay’s blogs from the beginning, CLICK HERE!
Erik McKay BS, MA, CSCS, Kinetics Coach earned his B.S. and M.A. in physical education at Central Michigan University. While at CMU he worked with the Center for the Enhancement of Physical Education Programming and gained additional experience developing K-12 physical education curriculum with a focus on proficiency in the knowledge of proper form and execution of motor skills, and taught strength and conditioning courses as a graduate assistant. Erik went on to earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach designation from the National Strength and Condition Association, the premier certification in the fitness field. Coach McKay can be reached via email by clicking here.
Have something to share? YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! CLICK HERE.
As a strength and conditioning coach, we have the responsibility to ensure that our athletes, and non-athletes, are safe. This is true not only while they are training with me, but also when they move on to train by themselves. It is our responsibility to teach the athlete or client the major muscles that are being worked. This knowledge will allow for better communication when issues of injury, pain, or weakness occur. It is important to not only think about trainees at the present time, but take time to ensure that what we are doing isn’t going to have negative consequences five, ten or twenty years down the road. Not enough personal trainers and strength coaches think about their clients or patients later in life. It is our job to provide those training with us the best workout in the shortest amount of time so that they can get on with other important things in their lives. For athletes, training efficiently allows you to have more time to practice a specific skill.
So, this is how I see it:
1 – Don’t waste your time using gimmicks or fads when training. STICK TO THE BASICS.
2 – Train the entire body; don’t skip the grip, head, neck, and feet. They are critical parts of the ENTIRE BODY!
3 – Value the REPETITION. The importance of a quality repetition is crucial when training to develop strength and speed.
4 – Pay attention to exercise INTENSITY. Simply put, the harder you train on each set the shorter the entire workout needs to be. Raise the intensity on EACH set during your workout to get stronger and faster.
Erik McKay BS, MA, CSCS, Kinetics Coach earned his B.S. and M.A. in physical education at Central Michigan University. While at CMU he worked with the Center for the Enhancement of Physical Education Programming and gained additional experience developing K-12 physical education curriculum with a focus on proficiency in the knowledge of proper form and execution of motor skills, and taught strength and conditioning courses as a graduate assistant. Erik went on to earn the Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach designation from the National Strength and Condition Association, the premier certification in the fitness field. Coach McKay can be reached via email by clicking here.