A Discussion On Intensity
Now, before we get into this discussion I'd like to preface it by saying intensity is relative.
When I, or anyone, talks about intensity, it is relative to you as an individual; Not a CrossFit Games athlete, or a 5 year CrossFit veteran. What's intense for one individual may seem like a warm up to another, or impossible to someone else. It all depends on where you are in your fitness journey, and that's ok!
However, regardless of where you are, you can feel when you are, and are not pushing yourself.
So now that we've cleared that up I'd like to first talk about two extremes when it comes to intensity; then I'd like you to think about where you fall on this intensity 'continuum' and where you think you aught to be.
The first is extreme is the 'do whatever it takes to finish as fast as possible' group. These are the individuals who come into the gym, look at the board, and make it their sole mission to beat everyone's time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing; it's a good to have a bit of that competitive fire burning inside. It allows you to push (mentally and physically) harder than you may have otherwise.
However, we run into problems when this thought takes precedence over other important factors. When you start putting your time ahead of things like technique, range of motion, and completing all your reps, then your going to stunt your growth (as well as increase your risk of injury).
Now I'm not suggesting that there is not a time and place for this intensity, there certainly is. If you have a workout that is not demanding technically, or you know your technique for those set of movements is bang on, then by all means go for it! Doing anything else would be working in the wrong direction.
However, if the opposite is true, don't be afraid to dial back the intensity, focus on technique, proper range of motion etc.. you, your time, and your body, will benefit down the line as you become more efficient.
Have you ever watched Rich Froning during a workout? The guy's technique is bang on no matter how grueling the workout is. Now I know that's a lofty goal to aspire to, but the point is try and complete your workout with the best form, and trust me the time will follow.
The second extreme when it comes to intensity (or lack thereof) is the 'always in the comfort zone' group.
These are the individuals who when testing their max's during our 'lift heavy' session may not increase the weights even they are easily capable to do so. Or those individuals who tend to finish their workout ahead of most others but do not look any worse for ware.
There comes a point in your CrossFit journey that you need to step outside your comfort zone and challenge yourself if you want to continue to see improvements.
It can be daunting I know! You've finally made it past the point where everything is difficult and your finally comfortable with where you are; the last thing you want is to become uncomfortable again!
Again there is a time and place for this type of intensity; workouts that are technically demanding may require you to slow down to a point where intensity is minimal and that's ok! As your technique improves so can your intensity.
But if you're not pushing yourself on workouts that you know you are capable of doing so, then you're going to limit your potential.
So ask yourself, where do you fall on this spectrum of intensity? Where would you like to see yourself? Unfortunately, the answer is not always clear cut. Certain workouts may dictate this for you (until you become a master of all domains).
So find a balance, challenge yourself at every opportunity you get. But train smart, know your limits, and you will be rewarded with nothing but success.