High Intensity Strength Training Tips

Understanding what High Intensity training is all about- Before you engage it strength training workouts it only makes sense to really understand what this type of training is all about. The term high intensity exercsie is something that most people do not really understand. They think if it as a vague way of saying "exercising with lots of effort" when it actually refers to a specific method of fitness training.To develop stronger muscles, to build muscle mass and help decrease your body fat level, you should exercise your muscles in this high intensity fashion. This is a very efficient way to train as it does not require a lot of time. The term "maximum benefit in minimum time" is a term used to escribe high intensity training. Long and drawn out workouts are NOT high intensity workouts. When performing proper strength training exercise you want to keep in mind that the workouts should be relatively short in duration but the effort level should be high. If you perform long workouts the intensity will be relatively low. High intensity workouts are of high effort and short time span. This is true for the simple fact that a high level of effort can only be sustained for a short period of time. To exercise longer the intensity MUST be lowered.
The specific mathematical formula for Exercsie Intensity is that Intensity = Work divided by Time. If you think about this you will see that if the time becomes greater the intensity will be lower. If a lot of work is performed in a short period of time then the intensity is high. A simple example of this can be shown with the common exercise push-ups. Suppose you do 50 push-ups in about 2 minutes and on the 50th rep to have reached complete fatigue or muscle failure. You cannot do another push-up. This would be a rather intense effort. On the other hand it you did just 15 push-ups, rested briefly, did 15 more and continued until you had completed four sets of 15 reps for a total of 60 push-ups, taking about a total of 6 minutes to complete. Here the intensity is much lower. The amount of work is higher (by 10 total push-ups, 50 vs. 60) but the time was three times as long (2 minutes to 6 minutes) and therefore the intensity was lower. Doing more sets and slightly more total reps did not use as many muscle fibers and did not stimulate the muscles too get much stronger. The all out effort of doing the 50 push-ups all at once would have been a much better workout.
The bottom line with high intensity strength training is the quality of exercise is more important then quantity of exercse. Combining quality exercise with the correct amount of exercise and proper recovery will yield outstanding results.

Use Proper Exercise Form - Another way in which many people fail get the most from their strength training involves the actual form or technique of how they do each rep of their exercises. In virtually all weight training exercises such as using barbells, dumbbells, weight machines or body weight exercises (such as dips or chin-ups) it is extremely important to NOT allow momentum to help more the weight. This simply means move slowly and smoothly to eliminate the use of momentum. This is a fact determined by the laws of physics. The faster you move against resistance the more there is momentum that helps move the weight. On the other hand the slower you move, the more tension has to be generated by the muscles, which means more muscle fibers will be used and there is a greater potential for strength gains. Most people tend to move too quickly which is easier but you really should be trying to make your muscles work harder not easier.
It is actually human nature to use BAD form. Your body wants to make the physical task of moving the weight as easy as possible. For the best training results you want to do the opposite. You want to make the exercise more difficult. By moving at the correct speed you will make the exercsie harder and more effective. Hard (high intensity) exercise is what it is all about when it comes to getting stronger and building muscle.

So at what speed should you move? One common recommendation for muscle and strength exercises is to use two seconds to lift, a brief pause and then four seconds to lower so that each rep is about six seconds in length. The 2 second, 4 second method is considered a standard way to train however most folks perform their reps musch faster then this. This is an excellent way to train but some advanced training protocols require even slower movements. By paying strict attention to the speed of movement you will dramically improve you results because you are making the exercise harder to perform. Always emphasize lowering the weight slowly as this eccentric muscle contraction phase is very important for stimulating muscle gain. The weight should never be dropped or lowered quickly as this means you are missing the opportunity to tense the muscle fully against the weight. This lower portion, often called the negative or eccentric contraction is very effective at building strength.
The Super Slow Training system, developed by Ken Hutchiins in the 1980s, suggests taking ten seconds to lift the weight, a brief pause, then take ten seconds to lower the weight back down. Having a training partner to time you will really make you work hard. With Super Slow trianing the number of reps should be in the range of 4 to 8 reps as opposed to the usual 8 to 12. The amount of weight also has to be lowered. This is a very effective and safe way to weight train.
One of the real keys to training with intensity is your mental attitude. It is going to be difficult and you need to accept that fact before your workouts ever begin. If are about to begin an exercise, lets say a set of dips, and you say to your self "I am going to do ten reps" then the chances are that you will do ten reps and no more. You have pre-determinded when you will finish. A much better approach is to say "I am going to do as many reps as I possible can1" or use the idea that once the exercise is very difficult you will do three more reps. This is now you train to "failure" which is what really stimulates your muscle to get stronger.

Your muscles respond to the stress that is applied to them. This is an important concept to understand if you want to get the most from your strength training workouts. To fully stimulate a muscle group to get stronger you should exercise them until they are fully fatigued. This means to completely work the muscle on each exercise, you should be continue to the point of momentary muscle failure. This is the point where you can no longer perform another proper repetition. Do NOT sacrifice good form to do more reps but do continue the exercise until do a "failed" rep. This is a very hard part of training and requires much discipline. Your thinking should not be 'I am going to do ten reps with this weight" but rather "I am going to perform as many good reps as I possibly can." Thinking this way will help you work harder. Also remember that with high intensity exercise you do not need to do lots of sets or long workouts but you do need to work hard on all the exercise that you perform. Training to muscle failure is hard work but it does allow you to get 'maximum benefit in minimum time."

Allow for recovery - If you are training with a high intensity effort and using good form in each exercise then you still need to allow your body to recover fully between workouts. The real benefit from muscle strengthening exercise comes from allowing your muscle to rebuild, recover and grow stronger before your next workout. To maximize your recovery and avoid overtaining be certain not do too many sets or exercises and space your workouts apart adequately. Proper nutrition, proper sleep and rest and adequete time is needed to allow your body to get full benefit from your training.
The American College of Sport Medicine, a highly respected authority in the field of exercise science, has the following recommendations: Perform eight to ten strength training exercises, doing eight to twelve repetitions of each exercise and perform this workout twice a week. These are excellent guidelines which will allow you to exercise with high intensity effort and recover for your next muscle building strength workout.