What is the Intent program?
Intent is a 10-week program consisting of 5 workouts per week, with each workout being approximately 40-45 minutes in duration.
Intent, like the IRON, Beastmode and EPIC programs, is geared towards hypertrophy training, with the intent to increase the amount of skeletal muscle primarily by creating mechanical tension as the main driver, with metabolic stress and muscle damage having a potential role.
However, this series will follow a different structure than the previous training blocks.
How does Intent differ from previous programs?
The workouts follow an upper body and lower body split; and within each of these, we have 3 variations to each, for example, we will have lower volume, moderate volume and higher volume workouts. This format will repeat throughout the 10-week period.
Training volumes tend to refer to lower volume as lower reps with higher loads, and higher volumes with higher reps with lighter loads, however, as we progress through the Intent program with its programming, we will use other techniques to incur different rep ranges; meaning that we don’t necessarily need to ‘reserve’ or have access to significantly higher loads to achieve lower reps!
It is important to note that the ‘lower volume’ days will not correlate to every single set being a lower rep range – for example, rear delt flyes tend to work better with moderate to higher rep ranges – but there will occasionally be techniques implemented that result in a lower than normal rep range.
The same will apply to higher volume workouts; not all exercises will be performed higher than moderate volume workouts for all exercises, but on average we will work at a higher rep range.
In regards to equipment, the only additional piece I am using is a stability ball. This is solely for the hamstrings (there will be no abdominal or upper body work on the ball). However, a stability ball is NOT essential. In previous programs, we performed a ‘hamstring lift’ which is similar to a glute bridge but with the feet further away from the glutes to place more demand on the hamstrings. Another alternative is the use of sliders. All 3 options are great! You can simply perform which alternative as displayed on the screen you prefer!
If you are relatively new to using the stability ball for rollouts, take it slow, expect there to be a learning curve but thankfully a steep learning curve… it won’t take long to build confidence with it.
As with all resistance training with the goal of building muscle, the intention is that the intended muscle(s) are the limiting factor.
Do the workouts include a warm-up and cool-down?
There will be a new warm-up suggested that will appear before the workout commences. This will either be a full body, upper body or lower body depending on the workout. Once complete, the brief will appear, where I will provide a quick introduction and overview of the workout itself.
You can select ‘Skip warm up’ if you prefer to perform your own routine!
These new warm-ups are shorter in duration (approx 4-6 minutes) compared to previous warm-ups.
There are many ways to warm up and you can do so in any way you like! Another great way to warm up is simply a moderate walk such as a treadmill then once warm, using light dumbbells, performing some of the compound exercises within the workout in the upper body such as shoulder press or chest press. Also, bands are excellent. Simply perform movements through different planes to activate the muscles… just take it nice and slow!
A gentle cool down is provided. However, please feel free to relax further on your mat after for as long as you wish!
Is there cardio within the Intent program?
Resistance training will always have an element of cardiovascular training, particularly if the intensity is there! There will be elevations in heart rate. However, the muscles will often be the limiting factor as opposed to being out of breath.
We are aiming for localised muscular failure, not cardiovascular failure!
But there will be a cardio-based workout available to complement Intent as an option for you to complete at any point, as often as you feel like it.
The workout is 30 minutes in duration and is low impact so will reduce eccentric landing to help reduce impact on lower body days; reiterating this is optional… always best to do any form of cardio that you enjoy whether it is walking, running, high intensity, spin etc! We all have our ways we like to move. Mine over the past year has generally been walking!
I would like to just highlight that sometimes we can implement cardio solely for its energy utilised. And yes, like any movement, it will use energy, however, this is generally very small in amount, especially if it means you sit down for the rest of the day and take the elevators when you would usually take the stairs! Cardio can certainly complement an energy deficit if this is your intention, however, energy intake should still remain the most important variable, usually along with daily movement i.e. steps. Also, ideally, the cardio performed should be structured in a way to minimise the impact on your training sessions if building muscle is the primary goal as depending on eccentric loading (ie. feet hitting the ground during running), duration or if before a leg workout, this could impact the overall intensity of your training session.
You can find these workouts in the 'Cardio / HIIT' filter in the Workouts area!
What is the training split?
As mentioned above, we will be alternating between upper and lower-body workouts.
Every 6 days, we will have completed one rotation of 3 upper and 3 lower body workouts; each of these averaging a lower, moderate and higher volume in programming. Essentially, we will be training our lower body 3 times and upper body 3 times across 6 days.
If we want to consider it across 1 week, we will train our lower body 3 times and upper body 3 times…and the next week being lower body 2 times and upper body 3 times.
Are there finishers within Intent?
Yes, the last set of each workout will involve one big complex! This complex will be 4 minutes in duration. The reason I have decided on a complex is that they tend to encourage us to perform the reps at our own pace.
Following each ‘low volume’ workout, the complex finisher will target specifically the core and abdominal muscles.
Following the ‘moderate’ and ‘higher’ volume days, the finishing complex will generally reflect a prior movement performed earlier in the workout.
Each ‘higher volume’ upper body day as it appears in rotation will be geared more towards the biceps and triceps, but we will still incorporate some compound exercises for the back, chest & shoulders.
All of the ‘higher volume’ workouts will be a circuit format in that we perform different exercises normally for straight, supersets or tri-sets then repeat for another one to two rounds. But the word ‘circuit’ can sometimes conjure up associations with fast-paced and as many reps as possible; these circuits will not involve rushing between sets, not rushing through the reps whatsoever.
In regards to rest periods, typically there will be ~45 seconds rest between compound movements; this is lower than you might be used to or would see if you visit a gym but context matters here; 45 seconds rest in between high squats with a pause at the bottom with a load of 30kg (2 x dumbbells) where we are performing 10 reps and heart rate not particularly elevated, or even single joint exercises or machine based exercises will involve a different rest period compared to if we were performing barbell back squats or barbell deadlifts for 8 reps.
The first week will involve primarily straight sets on one exercise with the following weeks transitioning to more combinations of 2 exercises, back & forth (these could be antagonist sets, pre-exhaust or post-exhaust).
What equipment do I need?
Below is a list of what I would consider the bare minimum equipment to be able to work through the Intent program:
- DUMBBELLS (a lighter pair and a heavier pair)
- MAT
- GLUTE BAND
- STABLE CHAIR / BENCH / BOX
Below is a list (although not extensive by any means as the possibilities are endless) of other equipment that you can use interchangeably throughout the Intent program:
- YOGA BLOCK
- WRIST STRAPS
- BARBELL
- DIP BARS
- PUSH UP BARS
- HIP THRUST BARBELL PAD
- WEDGES
- STABILITY BALL
However, this list is not exhaustive! This is just a list of equipment that I will be using during some workouts, but you can incorporate many other pieces! Kettlebells, landmine set up, cables, TRX, plates, even machines!
What weights will Caroline be using?
The weight I will be using will range from 4kg / 8.8lb dumbbells to a 68kg / 150lb barbell.
Typically, the lighter weights, such as 4kg or 5kg, will be for my lateral raises and rear delt flyes. Heavier weights include 1 x 30kg or 40kg for squats, 2 x 20kg for lunges and 48kg/68kg or 68kg / 150lb barbell or hip thrusts and bridges.
I will detail the weights I use during the introduction, where I talk and give an overview of the structure and tips for the workout.
If using two dumbbells, it will typically indicate the weight PER dumbbell.
Also, in the description box below the workout, you will see the weights I use in written format in kg and lbs.
Remember, this is simply for a guide and context. So, if you usually go slightly heavier or lighter than me, it may help you select the weights you might want at hand!
Scheduling Intent in your CGX calendar
Head here for a step-by-step guide on adding a program to your CGX calendar: How can I schedule a workout or program?
Is there a printable calendar?
We get it – sometimes it's easier to have a physical copy to stick on your fridge to track your progress. Not to worry, we've got you covered!
We have two versions of the Intent calendar available for download: one in full colour, perfect for digital use, and one in black and white, which is great for printing and saves on ink. Click on the links below to get started and choose the version that suits you best. Happy printing!
Why can’t I access all 30 workouts within Intent?
During the initial launch of the Intent program, each workout will be released on the day relating to the calendar. Once made available, it will always be there to complete any time that suits you!
It means that upon initial launch, many of us can complete the program together and work through the workouts on the same days!
What other considerations are important to maximise output?
Progressive overload
Over time, if all training correctly, you will become stronger. However, with hypertrophy, we do not necessarily need to aim for only the goal of increasing the load, as we are aiming for the stimulus, primarily by applying tension, to the target muscle.
I like to think ‘progressively overload the tension to the targeted muscle!’
It can be a great idea to record the weights you are using as you may consider repeating this 10-week program and progressively overloading with heavier weights for some of the movements 2nd time around and in particular, those initial compound movements at the beginning of each workout. This is particularly relevant if you are new to training, as you will likely increase the weight you can lift earlier than you might think!
Some exercises appear more susceptible to progressive overload than others, so we shouldn’t expect linear progress across all muscles.
Effort
This is one of the greatest variables between individuals. And how close we are to failure is a continued debate in the hypertrophic realm and even the research is not definitive. One thing we do know is that the closer we train to train, the greater the number of muscle fibres are stimulated. However, there appears a balance between this and the ability to recover between sets. However, I have found that many people train for years and underestimate how close to failure they train in most sets.
When I started training someone new, often what they considered 1-2 reps from failure was more like 5-6 reps from failure, as they had never kept pushing through to experience failure so had no reference to go by. And even though they might have been training for a number of years, they suddenly were gaining the muscle mass at the pace associated with a complete beginner!
Focusing on your ROM, tempo and mind-to-muscle connection with the last few reps feeling very challenging to where the ‘bar speed’ (we could think of this as the speed at which we can curl the dumbbell upwards) should slow down that little bit in most sets is a simple way to know that we are training close to failure….those reps matter! When we train, we can think it of as increasing our tolerance to that feeling of discomfort and being able to maintain technique integrity when the going gets tough!
With those moderate to higher reps, as we approach failure, we will experience metabolic stress…the pump! This appears, along with tension and damage to promote muscle growth to varying ratios depending on the context.
We all can acknowledge when we train with intent and there can be a big difference in effort, which is dependent even on external factors such as sleep, recovery, nutrition and/or stress. Accepting that there will be days where we won’t always have the BEST workout ever but also, knowing that this is completely normal!
Mind to Muscle Connection
I am a big proponent of the mind-to-muscle connection. And this will be a key part of the Unleash series. Maximising tension and maximising activation of the intended muscles through actually visualising the muscles lengthening during the eccentric portions (think lowering a dumbbell during a curl) to then the shortening of the muscles during the concentric phase (think curling the dumbbell upwards)! And one of the best ways to improve that connection is to slow it down…or even reduce the weight lifted.
But it is important to not overthink this… often it can be a skill that comes with experience. We can all experience this to varying degrees, and even more so during some exercises than others. It has been shown to not be essential for everyone to build muscle so focusing on the best range of movement you can move through at the joint and level of control throughout is of the greatest importance, particularly for beginners who are learning the movement patterns.
Our muscles do not know the KG (or LB) written on the dumbbells, but the muscles do know tension. Highlighting the importance of mind-to-muscle connection during certain exercises, particularly the more isolation exercises, usually leads to a lighter load being required, therefore less force on the passive connective tissues, which can be good news for our joints! And the more experienced of a lifter, perhaps this mind-to-muscle connection becomes more important as it can help us gain more from each rep as opposed to necessarily having to increase the load or reps further….and less stress on our joints!
It is important to highlight here that the mind-to-muscle connection tends to apply more to some exercises and movement patterns than others, such as regular squats and chest presses. With these large compound movements, there are multiple muscle groups involved, and the focus is less on mind-to-muscle connection due to the intended muscles simply having to work in response to these exercises, and this is more so as the load increases. Compared to hip thrusts, heel elevated squats or tricep push-ups, we can apply focus to the intended muscles being placed under tension and being essentially the limiting factor.
Range of Motion (ROM)
We have varying degrees to which we can move through the joint depending on our mobility, strength and anthropometry.
Throughout this 6-week series, as always, I will aim for uniform ROM once I complete the first few reps where I gauge this ROM. Following that, I will aim to standardise how low I descend during a squat, for example, and the tempo at which I move. I will aim not to deviate at any point, and if I do suspect I will deviate during the next rep, I will usually pause to reset.
It is important to not strain in order to reach a certain depth or push through any aggravation at the joint. You do not need to squat ‘ass to grass’ to build your lower body, nor touch your chest to the floor during push-ups to work out your chest or front delts! However, aiming for the muscle to be trained at the stretch position that you can do with each rep is one key way to optimise hypertrophy, particularly in many of the lower body exercises such as squats, so I would encourage you to always train the muscle using YOUR full ROM.
We all perform exercises slightly differently!
Find what stance feels best for you during squats, perform a shoulder press within a range of movement that doesn’t cause aggravation, slow the eccentric even more or place hands under hips for leg lowers…I implore you to always make these workouts your own and what feels best for your body, so how you perform that set might look different than how I do!
Plus, there is no best exercise for any muscle that is the same for all of us! Find the exercises that work best for you and you can perform that alternative if preferred!
Keep an eye on your recovery
Depending on how well you recover, it may mean changing the days on which you train, such as having more rest days or even different loads for the same exercises across the week. Prioritising sleep is the number one in my book. Lack of sleep can have a huge impact on your training, but also on your nutrition and overall mood!
And we actually build that muscle when we are away from those dumbbells!
Have patience!
Building muscle takes time…years! Yes, if relatively new or even if you have been training for a number of years but not been training within a certain proximity to failure, the target muscle wasn’t the limiting factor or even if your protein intake was not supportive of your training to allow for growth, you may gain muscle at a greater pace over 1-3 years.
Knowing that lifting is for life, it allows you to stop waiting, train in the moment and look forward to incredible benefits through life! And as time progresses, you realise it isn’t just muscle you gain…you gain so, so much more.
I want to lean out / not get ‘bulky’. Is this a good program for this?
We have been told much misinformation, particularly via social media, regarding exercise. Firstly, it takes years to build muscle. And muscle is more dense than body fat, essentially ‘taking up less space on the body’.
However, with any type of exercise, we utilise a lot less energy than we think. For example, if we complete a shoulder workout from IRON which is straight sets we will use a certain amount of energy, but if we complete a shoulder workout of the same duration that involves much more energy such as less rest and sweating more (ie. Fuel etc), the energy difference is minute.
Similar to solely doing cardio for energy used could lead to the mindset of ‘having to do it’ whereas incorporating movement that you enjoy, lifting heavy enough to apply tension and come close to failure and keeping an eye on daily steps are great ways to enjoy what you do and not have to focus on energy expenditure (which is often HUGELY overestimated on machines/watches).
When we complete a challenging workout such as a leg session, go for a long run or even a 20-minute HIIT session, we may tend to move slower through the day or sit down more. That’s why a step count can be useful to help keep daily movement the same.
However, the biggest factor to consider is your nutrition.
It can make sense to think you have changed nothing but just started a new workout program and are feeling ‘bulky’ but aside from a small amount of inflammation (acute after a workout is a good thing!), it may be a good idea to look at your nutrition and daily steps.
All resistance training programs help build a strong body. It is the overall energy balance that determines if body fat is lost, gained or maintained. You don’t need to sweat during a workout to lose body fat, but you definitely should look to your energy in as the most influential factor while any exercise can complement energy out (although generally to a small amount).
Weekly updates
Every Sunday evening, there will be a weekly update on CGX. This will usually involve an overview of the week ahead plus any other updates or other content. The overview will include relative information relating to the workouts for that week, along with some key points such as equipment just to help you plan ahead.
It’s going to be a fun-filled 10 weeks for sure!
Make EVERY SINGLE REP COUNT. Don’t skip on any range of motion to hit a certain rep range, continue to practise those movements, try to imagine your muscles as you move lengthening and shortening, explore different positions that work best for you and look forward to that incredible feeling when we are ‘done’ after each session! If only we could bottle that feeling and hand it out to everyone!
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