Intensity, as defined by Crossfit, is exactly equal to average
power (force x distance / time). In other words, how much real work did you do
and in what time period? The greater the average power, the greater the
intensity. This makes it a measurable fact, not a debatable opinion. In the Crossfit Level 1 Certification, we learn that "Intensity is the independant variable most commonly
associated with maximizing favorable adaptation to exercise."
Where functionality defines the CrossFit path, it is
intensity that most controls the rate of progress for any particular
individual. Intensity is essentially the rate of work or power expressed in
completing work. It correlates to heart rate and how quickly you complete
any WOD where we’re looking for time to completion. Do more work in less time (without overdoing it), and you’ll
get fitter faster.
Greg Glassman, Crossfit's founder states, "Strength and conditioning gains come fastest for athletes
who hold the highest average intensity over sustained periods. Consistency must
be established at any general intensity level before it is appreciably turned
up, or the specter of burnout looms. Countless people have after three
spectacular CrossFit workouts stated a preference for a fiery death over coming
back for a fourth workout. They went too hard – too intense." He goes on to say that time is the most important variable in the equation above. Coach Glassman recommends that we hold off on going up on the load or weight, if that increase in load or weight will cause our time to be much slower than the average time for that particular workout. He states that if you use heavier weights and finish 5 minutes behind the nearest athlete that you might feel strong, but you have not trained with intensity. His simple quote of "use speed as an intensifier before weight"is a lesson several of us could benefit from.
Not being able to complete a WOD doesn’t mean that you can’t
do CrossFit. Taking a WOD and reducing the load, cutting the reps, dropping a
set, taking longer rests, and sitting down three times during the workout is
still doing CrossFit. In making these modifications the athlete is merely
turning down the intensity.
This brings us to a few final important points about
intensity. Intensity and results are directly proportional, but intensity and
comfort are inversely proportional. Choosing for greater intensity is choosing
for more fitness, but, also, greater personal sacrifice in the form of
discomfort. Expecting elite fitness from comfortable efforts is naïve, while
going too fast is dooming. No formula can sort these issues out for you; the
intuition of athletes and coaches everywhere has smartly outperformed all
formalized approaches.
Knowing the taste and feel of intensity is no less than
coming face to face with the real cost of elite fitness.
Now, a quick example of intensity that was presented by Unit2 Crossfit:
Example A: Jack trains at Unit 2 Fitness 5 days per week and
does CrossFit. Jack feels that the classes are getting easy for him so 2 days
per week he will do two classes back to back. On the days that Jack only does 1
class he stays after class and does a few extra reps on abs. Jack is getting
fitter but more slowly than he would like.
Example B: Jill trains at Unit 2 Fitness 4 days per week and
does CrossFit. She ends every class in a puddle of sweat laid out on the mat
feeling like death may come and get her at any moment. Jill has never
considered doing 2 classes back to back. It takes her a good 10 minutes of
staring at the ceiling after class just to get up the energy to just get up move
off the mat. Jill is getting results faster than she ever thought possible.
Why: Jack spends 3 more hours per week at the gym than Jill
does yet is getting results slower than Jill. The reason is very simple yet is
counter-intuitive to many people. Jill's intensity for her 4 hours is very high
whereas Jack's intensity is low enough to allow him to do extra reps or another
class. Jill's higher intensity workouts are getting her faster results than
Jack can ever hope to accomplish at his lower intensity level.
As trainers we see this scenario regularly. It is great that
Jack is in the gym 5 days per week. However, Jack needs to raise his intensity
level to a point that he cannot even think about doing two WODs per
day. If you want fast results then your intensity must be as high as possible.
-Coach Tony
