high intensity training

High Intensity Training: 3 Critical Factors

Problems with losing fat? Motivation lacking because you’re tired of the same boring routine? Well maybe it’s time to shake things up with some high intensity training. Don’t let the image for this article discourage you in any way either! It doesn’t matter whether you are male or female, beginner or advanced, the intensity of your training directly corresponds to the results you get.

I should note that if you are a complete beginner you may want to first get in the gym and train with resistance training for at least 3-4 weeks before you get into high intensity training. In the conditioning world we call this phase the preparatory phase as it will allow your muscles and joints to strengthen enough to handle your body weight which is a crucial part of intensity training.

With that said, don’t get overwhelmed with high intensity training either. If you’re doing this kind of training the right way your body will need at least one full day to completely recover from it, and most won’t even try it because they think that once a week isn’t enough to provide results. But the truth?

The truth is that even if you do high intensity training only once a week then it will catapult you to a new level and allow you snap out of the boring routine. Simple fact here is that you should never to high intensity training more than 3 times a week or you are really overtraining and not allowing your muscles to heal. Let’s look at 3 of the most critical factors when it comes to high intensity training.

High Intensity Training Critical Factor #1: Hydration

Probably the most important factor is hydration. You need to be drinking at least 2 full glasses of water an hour before you engage with high intensity training. Water is crucial here because you are going to be sweating up a storm with this training. By high intensity we mean that you are going full force and giving it everything you have. So if this involves running at maximum speed on a treadmill for you, you are going to notice some serious water loss through sweat.

Water will help drive nutrients to your muscles, it will help transport away the waste products of your muscles (including lactic acid build-up which causes cramping), it will help you push to the next level in ways that would never occur if you were dehydrated.

You may also want to consider one of the top pre-workout energy boosters such as USPLabs Jack3d, Gaspari Nutrition SuperPump MAX or Muscle Pharm Assault so you can train at your hardest. You can mix these with water and supply your muscles with the exact right amount of electrolytes, creatine, and other natural performance enhancers.

Of course, it’s also important to drink at least 2-3 full glasses of water after a high intensity training session. Gatorade is ok here because it helps balance your elctrolytes but just be aware of the calories it adds as well. You may instead want to go with a fruit smoothie drink including a high quality whey protein such as Optimum Platinum Hydrowhey so you make sure you supply the right amount of amino acids to help your muscles recover from the intense workout.

High Intensity Training Critical Factor #2: Pre-Workout Nutrition

Have you tried training hard and felt light-headed? This is simply because your body does not have the blood-sugar it needs to train hard. An hour to 30 minutes before your workout eating something like a banana, sweet potato, or even some watermelon will help boost the readily available energy you will need for this kind of training.

These foods are quick to digest so you won’t feel too full, but you may need to adjust the time of eating these beforehand as everyone varies. (Foods high in fat or protein will take longer to digest and why not recommended here).

High Intensity Training Critical Factor #3: Proper Running Shoes

Get shin splints, foot or leg cramps or even knee pain after doing high intensity training? I can’t stress enough how important your running shoes are when it comes to these factors. Having a great running shoe with lots of cushioning will drastically decrease the impact on your joints, bones and tendons and I wouldn’t even recommend high intensity training without high quality running shoes even if you are only running on a treadmill or doing bench-squats. It’s just such a big difference!

To be honest, I’ve never been a fan of Nike shoes especially when it came to running. But I’m going to plug them here because a few years back I discovered their Vomero Series, and was blown away. These shoes almost feel like they give you an extra bounce, and running in these becomes way more fun and allow you to go way more intense! They’re on the expensive side but if you’ve heard of Zappos, they offer the most ridiculous prices on shoes and have a crazy free-shipping both-ways return policy and probably the best customer service available on the net. Here is a link to the Nike Vomero series for Men and Women: Nike Pegasus for Men & Nike Pegasus for Women.

High Intensity Training Conclusion:

It took me a good amount of time before I understood these three factors, but thanks to all the courses and training experience I’ve had on high intensity training, I’m able to share this wisdom with you and give you a major advantage over anyone else in your gym.

Just remember: water, pre-workout snack and great running shoes are going to boost your ability to succeed at high intensity training and that means better fat loss and a break away from your plateauing in your workouts. Aim for at least once a week where you are trying this and pushing yourself to the max and I know you’re going to be quite amazed with the changes you’ll see in the mirror.

Have any feedback or questions on the 3 critical factors of high intensity training? Please leave a comment below…