05/20/2020
INTENT
As a follow-up to our previous post on tempo, performing exercises with intent is a similarly-crucial concept. Most of us are likely familiar with this in a broad sense thanks to ideas like presence, engagement, focus, and so on. However, I think this can be easy to overlook with physical training because so much attention is paid to the outcome.
Achieving a milestone lift, accomplishing X goal, completing a miserable isometric hold, etc. become the finish line, with little regard paid to the moment-to-moment experience of the movement. Of course outcomes matter, but there is often more value in the process getting there. This granular focus can be the difference between noticing errors, adjusting, and making progress or just spinning your tires.
This isn't to say that all training must be 100% dialled in at all times. It can be nice to chat with a friend during a set or shut your brain off and just go through the motions, but that will always bring a trade-off with it. This is especially true now that most of us are training at home with suboptimal equipment; it’s much easier to go on mental cruise control with light weights whereas a near-max load demands a high level of intent.
This is obviously very closely related to effort, but the distinction is important: training with intent does not automatically mean training with max effort. This is the underpinning to the phrase, "treat light weights like they're heavy so you can treat heavy weights like they're light.”
This is reflected in martial arts training as well. Anyone with a combat sports background knows the feeling of heavy shots during sparring that don't have any injurious intent behind them (and vice versa).
Applying this is fairly simple - count out loud each agonizing second of an iso, pick a weight that you can COMPLETELY control both the concentric and eccentric, focus more on contracting the target musculature, try to out-squeeze a cramp, etc. Fully "go into" the sensations of hard work and you'll appreciate it that much more.
Train well. AGD.
