6 Key Factors for Increasing Intensity
To reach the pinnacle of any endeavour, you have to submit to the fact that certain areas of your persona will need to change. A positive change is always the desired outcome and finding certain triggers that elicit the response you want, will be crucial for your success. Intensity is one of those triggers that can propel you into a different realm of thought and action. In the training world, intensity is king and will always be your only limiting factor. If you can control this component and turn it on with a metaphorical “flip of the switch”, then you are always going to be in control of what happens next. How you get to this point will be completely dependent and unique to you and your thought process. That said, there are certain factors for increasing your intensity within that thought process that you can always rely on and the six you’ll read about in this article are some you already know about and perhaps, some you still have yet to explore.
Intensity Factor #1: Intrinsic Motivation
Your internal drive is what gets you up and out of bed every morning and what pushes you to do all the things you must do on a regular basis plus everything you are still striving towards. Many wonder, when seeing someone who is intrinsically motivated, where it all comes from. Well, the answer to that question will be different from person to person as there are many different circumstances in life that have added up to fuel that flame. You may be motivated by money, by fame, by your responsibilities to your family or by the thought that you still have a bunch of people to prove wrong. Whatever the case may be, it’s there and will always be and it will prove to be your number one asset.
Intensity Factor #2: Extrinsic Motivation
Sometimes your internal motivation to strive for excellence gets depleted which is very common for those who operate on a different level of success and expectation. It’s hard to stay driven a hundred percent of the time which is why we look elsewhere for more. What we see occurring around us can certainly add to our desire to be better. The extrinsic motivating factors that we continuously observe all around us have the ability to fire things up even when it’s unexpected. For example, you get to the gym and you’re not really feeling it that day. Then, you walk in, hear the iron banging around, people adding plate after plate on to the bar, you see someone cranking out reps as if their life depended on it and then the next thing you know, your mindset changes, you flip that switch and it’s on!
Intensity Factor #3: Your Ego
How you see yourself amongst others doing the same as you, matters a lot. If you can get yourself to the point where you feel as though you are the alpha of the group, and there’s no one better than you, no one working harder than you and no one willing to go to the lengths that you are willing to go to win, then the intensity in everything that you do that comes along with this thought process, is unheralded. You will find that the better you feel about yourself, the better you perform. Couple this approach with the consistent use of ALPHA and TESTDEX, and you might have to find a bigger gym to fit your ego and that’s not a bad thing when you’re trying to be number one.
Intensity Factor #4: Competition
One of the best factors for contributing to your intensity levels in the gym is when you are in competition with someone else. Whether that competition comes by way of trying to beat your training partner on the daily or your competition is still waiting for you weeks away when you put your best against that of others on the stage, it is most certainly a driving force behind everything you do. Some of the best mental tricks you can use on yourself is to stack yourself up against everyone in your gym. Think that someone there has no faith in what you’re about to do and then just go ahead and prove them wrong. Always try to one up the person next to you. Do your best to create distance between you and everyone else there training in your gym. If you have a competitive spirit, then use it to your advantage every single day.
Intensity Factor #5: Focus
How focused you are on achieving your goals plays an integral role in building intensity. If you have laser like precision when it comes to identifying what it is you are trying to accomplish, then everything you do will be at the highest of levels possible. You will find that with focus comes and unrelenting need to utilize every single minute you have during the day to get closer to your goals. You should also notice that the things that don’t really matter get pushed aside very easily so that all of your attention and energy can be placed on only the things you need to do in order to ensure success. If you never lose sight of what it is you’re working towards, then automatically you will begin to operate on a new level of intensity within everything you do.
Intensity Factor #6: The Stimulus
By definition, a stimulus is “a thing that rouses activity or energy in someone or something; a spur or incentive”. As mentioned previously, that incentive for you to push yourself to limits you’ve never been to before and beyond, will be totally dependent upon what you are seeking for yourself. In instances where you’re not feeling that spur to get you going, you can always rely heavily upon the strongest high stim/high nootropic pre-workout ever in our very own KAMIKAZE. If you need an intensity kick in the right direction to get your head and body right for what you’re about to do in the gym, then this is the product for you.
There are so many other factors out there that significantly contribute to building up intensity levels that you all could probably write your own article that details what gets you pumped and fired up for the gym and life. It really doesn’t matter what works, just that it does. Find your source for intensity anywhere you can and by whatever means necessary. It truly will be the only thing that holds you back or conversely, what sets you apart from the rest. Consider the factors mentioned in this article, draw upon what you already know about yourself in this regard and make sure that every workout moving forward is your best workout to date.
Author: Dana Bushell
Dana Bushell, a graduate of St. Francis Xavier University (BAHK, B.Ed) is an Educator, Writer, Strength and Conditioning Coach, Nutrition Advisor, Contest Prep/Lifestyle Coach and former competitive bodybuilder, who has been involved in the Fitness Industry for over 25 years. He has worked and written for major fitness publications and many popular bodybuilding sites, is a Gym Star Team member and works hard at teaching and promoting a fitness-based lifestyle in his career as a Physical Education Specialist.