Intensify Strength and Fitness

The following thought experiment sets the foundational mindset for all of our clients with regards to their approach to training.

Every person has their own unique capacity. Capacity can be viewed through multiple lenses, but for now, let’s focus purely on tissue capacity.

The dotted line represents your tissue’s capacity to withstand load. Stay under that threshold and you are both problem and pain-free. Exceed that threshold and the opposite becomes true; problem and, sometimes, pain. In general, our goal in training is to increase the space under the capacity line.

You wake up every single day with a “pre-existing load” on your body. We’ve parsed this load down into three broad categories: Anatomical Dysfunction, Stress/Diet/Sleep, and Functional Diagnosis. Some of these loads are within your control and others are not. Let’s break it down.

Anatomical Dysfunction: This load is a representation of your unique anatomy. Bony anomalies, scar tissue, and medical hardware are all examples that would fit in this box. For the sake of conversation, this box remains unchanged without surgical intervention.
Stress/Diet/Sleep: Pretty self-explanatory here. How well are you recovering? Do you sleep 8 hours per night or 5? Do you eat well or not so much? Are you stress-free or stressed out? As I’m sure you know, all of these are within our control to a large degree. Consider this box HIGHLY modifiable, especially day-to-day.
Functional Diagnosis: This box represents your current mobility, flexibility, and strength balance. Each of our clients are evaluated to see if there is any “low-hanging fruit” that could be remedied with some focused work. For most of us, this box is also HIGHLY modifiable.

This is what you start with every single day. In part 2, we will address additional load placed on the system. We’ll call these your “wants & needs”. Stay tuned!

We’ve all heard the sayings:
“Motivation comes and goes, habits carry you”.
“It’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency”.
“Consistently good is better than inconsistently great”.

There’s a reason these sayings get used so often. They’re TRUE. But just because they’re true, doesn’t mean it’s easy to practice.

The average person that starts a health and fitness practice quits before the first 12 months. The majority of those people rarely make it past the first 6 months. Why?

More often it is inconsistency in adherence to their plan. These people tend to fall into an “all or nothing” mentality. As soon as they hit a speed bump in the road, they’re completely off track.

Whether it’s a new fitness program, or a dietary protocol, consistency in adherence will by far be the largest predictor of your success.

Here are 5 tips that will help improve overall consistency:

🔸Make it non-negotiable. There are a lot of things in our life that we do that we will make time for regardless of circumstance. Showering, eating food, brushing our teeth, etc. Regular exercise and movement should be treated the same.

🔸Schedule it on your calendar. Just like a work meeting or a doctor’s appointment.

🔸Commit to a minimum monthly expectation. Life can be different from week to week. Setting a monthly goal can help if unforeseen circumstances pop up. We recommend at least 15 training days per month, as a good minimum goal to maintain fitness level and start to make measurable progress.

🔸Surround yourself with like-minded people that support your goals. Having a community of people that help you stay on track and support your lifestyle is huge. You’ve heard the saying, “you’re the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” If you hang out with 5 alcoholics, you’re bound to be the sixth. If you spend time around a group of healthy and fit people, you are more likely to acquire the characteristics of a healthy and fit person.

🔸Choose something you enjoy. If you don’t like it, you’re less likely to want to keep doing it.

Remember, it’s about progress and not perfection. Understand that it’s a process. Have questions or comments? Leave them below.

We’ve all heard the sayings:
“Motivation comes and goes, habits carry you”.
“It’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency”.
“Consistently good is better than inconsistently great”.

There’s a reason these sayings get used so often. They’re TRUE. But just because they’re true, doesn’t mean it’s easy to practice.

The average person that starts a health and fitness practice quits before the first 12 months. The majority of those people rarely make it past the first 6 months. Why?

More often it is inconsistency in adherence to their plan. These people tend to fall into an “all or nothing” mentality. As soon as they hit a speed bump in the road, they’re completely off track.

Whether it’s a new fitness program, or a dietary protocol, consistency in adherence will by far be the largest predictor of your success.

Here are 5 tips that will help improve overall consistency:
Make it non-negotiable. There are a lot of things in our life that we do that we will make time for regardless of circumstance. Showering, eating food, brushing our teeth, etc. Regular exercise and movement should be treated the same.
Schedule it on your calendar. Just like a work meeting or a doctor’s appointment.
Commit to a minimum monthly expectation. Life can be different from week to week. Setting a monthly goal can help if unforeseen circumstances pop up. We recommend at least 15 training days per month, as a good minimum goal to maintain fitness level and start to make measurable progress.
Surround yourself with like-minded people that support your goals. Having a community of people that help you stay on track and support your lifestyle is huge. You’ve heard the saying, “you’re the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” If you hang out with 5 alcoholics, you’re bound to be the sixth. If you spend time around a group of healthy and fit people, you are more likely to acquire the characteristics of a healthy and fit person.
Choose something you enjoy. If you don’t like it, you’re less likely to want to keep doing it.

Remember, it’s about progress and not perfection. Understand that it’s a process. Have questions or comments? Leave them below.

We’ve all heard the sayings:
“Motivation comes and goes, habits carry you”.
“It’s not about perfection, it’s about consistency”.
“Consistently good is better than inconsistently great”.

There’s a reason these sayings get used so often. They’re TRUE. But just because they’re true, doesn’t mean it’s easy to practice.

The average person that starts a health and fitness practice quits before the first 12 months. The majority of those people rarely make it past the first 6 months. Why?

More often it is inconsistency in adherence to their plan. These people tend to fall into an “all or nothing” mentality. As soon as they hit a speed bump in the road, they’re completely off track.

Whether it’s a new fitness program, or a dietary protocol, consistency in adherence will by far be the largest predictor of your success.

Here are 5 tips that will help improve overall consistency:

🔸Make it non-negotiable. There are a lot of things in our life that we do that we will make time for regardless of circumstance. Showering, eating food, brushing our teeth, etc. Regular exercise and movement should be treated the same.

🔸Schedule it on your calendar. Just like a work meeting or a doctor’s appointment.

🔸Commit to a minimum monthly expectation. Life can be different from week to week. Setting a monthly goal can help if unforeseen circumstances pop up. We recommend at least 15 training days per month, as a good minimum goal to maintain fitness level and start to make measurable progress.

🔸Surround yourself with like-minded people that support your goals. Having a community of people that help you stay on track and support your lifestyle is huge. You’ve heard the saying, “you’re the sum of the 5 people you spend the most time with.” If you hang out with 5 alcoholics, you’re bound to be the sixth. If you spend time around a group of healthy and fit people, you are more likely to acquire the characteristics of a healthy and fit person.

🔸Choose something you enjoy. If you don’t like it, you’re less likely to want to keep doing it.

Remember, it’s about progress and not perfection. Have questions or comments? Leave them below.

How many hours of sleep do you get per night? Do you find yourself crashing midday?

According to The Sleep Foundation, the average human adult needs between 7 and 9 hours of sleep every night, yet surveys show that 35% of Americans report getting less than 7 hours of sleep per night.

Sleep is Nature’s steroid. It has all of the benefits with none of the downsides and if you aren’t getting enough of it, your progress in the gym is definitely not hitting it’s full potential.

Here are 6 Tips for improving sleep hygiene and quality:

Wake up and go to bed at the same time every day. Your body has an internal clock that is set (and altered) based on when we get up and when we go to bed. Aim for a consistent sleep schedule, ESPECIALLY on your days off.
Be physically active. You likely already do a good job of this, but make sure that you are moving. Movement and exercise cost the body energy. When it’s low on energy, the body seeks a recharge by way of sleep.
Avoid late night snacks, caffeine, and alcohol. Digesting a heavy meal right before bed isn’t going to make falling asleep any easier. Nor will caffeine or booze. If you really NEED a snack, stick to something light and easily digestible.
Create a bedtime routine. Having a routine that you follow nightly will tell your brain that it’s almost time for sleep. Doing something relaxing such as reading, journaling, stretching before brushing your teeth might do wonders for your sleep.
Keep your room dark, cool, and quiet. Your brain is looking for any reason to be alert. Keeping your room totally dark and quiet will help. Consider a white noise sound machine and black out curtains.
Reduce blue light exposure. Consider using blue light glasses at night. Set a hard rule of no blue light 60 min before bed and no screens 30 min prior to bed. NO SCROLLING WHILE IN BED.

Overall, don’t expect perfection right away. Just strive for being 1% better every night. Even 10 extra minutes of sleep or higher quality sleep will add up. Have questions? Post in the comments below!

For many people that train CrossFit or group fitness style training, a one hour class 3-5 days per week is the only form of exercise that they get during the week. While those classes can feel very strenuous and give the feeling that you’re an active person, the amount of activity you have in your daily life outside your training can have a greater affect on your overall health and your ability to maintain your desired body composition.

You may have heard at some point that you should be getting 10,000 steps per day. Is that a hard and fast rule? No. But on average that is a good general rule and a great place to start.

🔴 Studies have shown strong correlation in decreased cases of heart disease and cancer in those who average 10,000 steps per day and that rate improves in those who average 12,000 or more.

🔴 Taking more steps can help improve cardio vascular health.

🔴 Help improve blood pressure.

🔴 Manage stress and improve mood.

🔴 Increase in steps increases energy used (calories used), which can help control body composition.

🔴 Helps regulate blood sugar.

🔴 Improved joint health through more regular movement.

These are just a few of the many benefits that can come from increasing your overall daily step count. If you’re not sure how many steps you take during the day on average, there are inexpensive fitness trackers that you can invest in. We recommend wearing one consistently for at least a week to get a good idea of where your current average is.

If you have questions, please leave them in the comments below.

INTENSIFY IS LOOKING TO ADD ANOTHER COACH TO OUR EXCEPTIONAL STAFF.

We are hiring for a part time position, with opportunity to grow.

Our ideal candidate is positive and enthusiastic. Must be a team player and willing to accept and give feedback. Candidate must be self motivated, eager to learn and must live and embody a lifestyle of fitness.

Previous experience is a bonus, but not a requirement. Positive attitude and energetic personality are preferred qualities.

If you, or someone you know thinks they would be a great fit for our team, please contact us at [email protected]. Include any previous experience, current certifications and how you think you can bring value to our team.

❗️THERE’S STILL TIME ❗️

INTENSIFY SUMMER KIDS CAMP
Starts next week!

Camp will be held August 1-5, from 2-4pm and at our West Eugene location. This camp is open to any and all kids ages 7-12. You do not need to be a member of our gym to take advantage of this opportunity.

Our camp is focused on building a fun, safe, and encouraging environment for kids to learn about movement, fitness, and healthy lifestyle.

This is a great opportunity for any kid! To sign your child up, please send us a DM or visit our website www.intensifystrong.com and use the link in our online store. We look forward to seeing you!

Starting a new program can be hard. Entering into a new gym environment can be intimidating.
You don’t want to stand out and feel like you don’t know what you’re doing.
You feel like you’re not ready to do “THAT” type of training.

We get it!

That’s why all new members at Intensify get an intro that is personalized for their needs. We’ll meet you where you’re at and help you determine what the best plan for progress is for YOU.

If training in group classes is your goal, we’ll help prepare you to step confidently into that atmosphere.
If your current needs require more individualized attention, we will set you up with a coach and a plan to meet those needs.

We’re here to help you have lasting success, and to live a lifestyle of fitness focused around longevity.

If this sounds like what you’re looking for, set up your free intro by sending us a DM or email us at [email protected]

www.intensifystrong.com

INTENSIFY KIDS SUMMER FITNESS CAMP!!!

We can’t wait to get your kids back in the gym with us. Our summer fitness camp was such a success last year that we’ve expanded the time, added lots of fun games and learning opportunities for your kids and opened registration to more kids.

Camp will be held August 1-5, from 2-4pm and hosted at our West Eugene location. This camp is open to any and all kids ages 7-12. You do not need to be a member of our gym to take advantage of this opportunity.

Our camp is focused on building a fun, safe and encouraging environment for kids to learn about movement, fitness and healthy lifestyle.

While we have expanded our enrollment, we do expect those spots to fill up FAST. We’ve made registration available on our website and are offering an early registration special. Now until May 15th you can register for the price of $65 per participant. After May 15 the price will be $75 per participant.

To register, visit our website intensifystrong.com and find the registration link in our STORE.

BRING A FRIEND WEEK!

This entire week, Monday April 4- Saturday April 9 is our bring a friend week at Intensify. Intensify members, if you have friends, family, or coworkers who have been wanting to come try us out, now is there chance to do so for free.
If you’re not an Intensify member, but know someone who is and you want to come try a workout with us. Let that member know and we’ll get you all set up.
All drop ins must be accompanied by an active member. Limit one class for the week.