Intent In Training - Are You Leaving Gains On the Table?
7-minute read
Written by: Coach Nikki Stock
If you’re wondering why you’re not getting stronger, faster, or leaner after “putting in the work,” this blog is for you.
I see it on social media and in my own gym sometimes - people just going through the motions absentmindedly.
Unlike at work, you really can’t just check the box and get paid, so to speak.
Rushing reps, skipping ROM, or checking your phone between sets. Your rest time ends up being 8 minutes instead of 3. You get no muscle connection or “burn.” You can’t tell your coach where you felt the last set. Anything that mentally removes you from training is a detriment and should be eliminated as much as possible.
These are all signs that your intent is lacking. Zoning out and just surviving will not have long-term benefits. Sure, here and there that’s all we can do some days. But if you’re doing that more than say, 10% of the time, you’re spinning your wheels. To be fair, we’ve all done it.
Intent in training is just as important as the training itself. You could have the most elite and effective programming in the world and still fall short of improvement because of how you execute it. Every single exercise and movement on a program has a purpose (unless an idiot wrote it). Are you considering that purpose when you go to complete it?
Let’s illustrate this point. Here are two different ways to complete an accessory exercise on your program. Let’s use an incline dumbbell press as an example:
An athlete grabs some dumbbells of a weight that’s maybe a little challenging. Sits down, leans back, hoists the dumbbells into the air and starts repping things out. Their range of motion is about half of what’s typically desired. They’re doing the movement in fast and jerky motions, not paying much attention to what they feel. They are rushing to the last rep so they can be done. They toss the dumbbells down, grab their phone, and start scrolling social media or texting their friends.
An athlete grabs some dumbbells that may be the same weight as last week or slightly higher. If this is the first week of this exercise, maybe they take a couple warm up sets to determine a good weight for a working set. They sit back, hoist the dumbbells in the air, and focus on muscle tension. Are their pecs on? Upper back and lats stabilizing the weight overhead? Check. They lower the dumbbells all the way down to the shoulder for a good pec stretch while activated, not loose. They zero-in on feeling the most muscle engagement throughout the full range of motion they need to improve shoulder strength and mobility. They think about the benefits of this particular exercise as it relates to their goals and/or their sport. Each rep matters to them. They toss the dumbbells down on the last rep and reflect on the set while they rest, staying focused on the session.
Which athlete do you think will get more out of this exercise? On these variables alone, which strategy is more likely to contribute to greater gains? Read about, or follow the content of the greats in your area, and they’re going to tell you their purpose for the things they do.
Lack of intent can also be considered a lack of strategy. Your entire workout should have an intent, and each exercise should have an intent. Each week and month should also have an overall intent. This gets you into micro-, meso-, and macrocycles of programming (a planning strategy with phases that lead to an end-goal).
Someone trying to get faster will need to be doing their speed drills with the intent of being faster and more powerful on every rep, set, or second. Their box jumps are for absolute max power and height, not just “jump to the box.”
Someone trying to get leaner will need to focus on the variables that contribute to fat loss in order to stay motivated and consistent. Not just hours of cardio and counting calories.
Someone looking to gain strength will need to put effort towards proper muscle engagement, appropriate rest times, and visualizing and manifesting skillful movement on each repetition. Not just blowing through 5x5 at 75% thinking they earned something.
Someone trying to correct an imbalance or resolve a serious weakness is going to seek out multiple exercises at sub-maximal weight and push the mental connection with the area of interest to go absolutely ham at fixing the issue.
Your body won’t adapt if you don’t force it to think it has to.
And don’t get me wrong. Some days you will barely have anything to give, and that is okay. On the shitty days, I’d rather have you do one exercise decently well than do your whole workout quarter-assed and miserable. Remember, intent.
In my current cycle, everything from my warm up to my cool down I know why I’m doing every single thing. My warm ups are for feeling engaged, identifying aches and pains if applicable, and improving mobility in specific muscle groups that have been giving me trouble. I have a thought process on my squats and pulls that are specific to my weaknesses and are heavily skill-focused. My accessories are lower skill and themed for each day. There is no room for being lackadaisical. My cool downs are to promote recovery, flexibility, and proper mental state fluidity. I remind myself of these points of emphasis EVERY workout. And when I mess up, I know it right away and I resolve to do better next time.
For some people that may be excessive thinking, and I get that. Keep in mind I am a coach, competitive athlete, and I’ve been doing this for almost 15 years. The point is, WHY are YOU doing what you’re doing?
Now, a lack of intent, enthusiasm, or motivation for training could potentially be a sign of overtraining. If feeling this way is unusual for you, consider whether you may be overtraining and in need of a deload, change of training style, or longer rest. Read our blog on Recovery here. The “No Pain No Gain” mentality can be helpful at times but frankly, it’s often a poor mantra for the unenlightened folk. True gains come from balanced training and recovery.
Lack of intent could even cause overtraining in some people - let’s take CrossFitters. I used to do CrossFit religiously and still often program CrossFit-style workouts, so before anyone gets defensive, this is from experience and years of observation. I have a thorough understanding of the pros and cons of CrossFit. There are instances where a CrossFit enthusiast disregards the benefits and purpose of individual movements or workout formats and simply puts the value on finishing the reps. “Men will die for points,” Greg Glassman said. So, some people have taken CrossFit and turned it into a check-the-box task. Muscle connection, movement quality, energy systems, nervous system state…all goes out the window in the name of competitive point accumulation. Check the box, my workout is done. I learned nothing, but I’m tired and sore so I’m awesome. It’s the same issue I presented in my incline press example, and now we add intensity and volume.
It’s no wonder that CrossFit began to get a bad wrap as we saw similar injuries from box to box, and people presenting strangely dysfunctional mindsets and moods surrounding training. Many of these people become uncoachable on technique because technique focus means you must slow down, and slowing down is “bad.”
This is an easy example but many athletes and general fitness fans are guilty of lacking intent. It’s a chronic problem of “if I just get it done, I’ll see results.” This works when you are completely new to exercise and wellness, but is very short-lived afterwards.
If you’re struggling with intent in a workout or training itself, maybe you need to sit down and find your “Why.” A great framework to use is Sakichi Toyoda’s 5 Whys. First described this method at Toyota Motor Company, the 5 Whys were used to help with production and design. But, it works well to uncover your deeper values and help guide your intent towards your goals in your life. It doesn’t necessarily take five “whys”…but give it a try and see if you can find the true meaning of movement and training to you. It may help guide your actions in a more fulfilling way. Just keep asking yourself WHY, and eventually you get to the root of yourself.
For some people their “why” could be “so I can keep up with my kids” or “I have a family history of Alzheimer’s and I want to do as much as I can to prevent it.”
Your goals do not have to be as deep as your “why.” Your goal could be to set a state record or lose 40 pounds. Your intent should aim to satisfy your goals AND your “why.”
Movement has a deep connection to our most primal consciousness. Our species only survives because of our ability to move through our environment and attach meaning to sounds, sights, textures, tastes, and feelings. We should be exploring that as much as possible to get even close to our max potential. And if you’re not trying to uncover your max potential, then what are you doing? As soon as your training loses purpose, you will stop adapting to it.
So next time you’re in the gym, ask yourself; Am I getting the most out of this I possibly can?
unsure of how to take action on this topic?
Here are some simple ways to improve your intention and mindfulness towards training:
Keep a journal (training or overall life journal) that includes thoughts, fears, motivations, ideas, and training notes
Write down your goals, on paper, and put it somewhere that you see frequently - at least a couple times per week (Post-It note on your bathroom mirror, in your training journal, on the kitchen counter, etc.)
Have a group of like-minded friends compare training content
Place notes next to the exercises on your program to remind yourself of what to focus on
Lock down your social media apps during training
Use a timer for rest periods and/or your entire workout (2 minute rest or 90 min per training session)
Train with people who have the same goals and/or are more advanced than you
Research gear or tools that enhance movement feedback (Such as Naboso products)
Ask your training partners to hold you accountable to any of the above
