In most sports the general trend is to increase the training intensity of the already high-intensity workouts. It appears that each year coaches strive to increase the intensity of the workouts.
In addition, many of these high-intensity workouts are accompanied by a large volume of work. This type of training is done in the belief, or more accurately assumption, that this is the only or best way to improve performance on the field.
However, it appears that this could not be further from the truth. There is no questioning the fact that high-intensity training is effective in producing strength gains. The question is whether this is the most effective way of producing strength games.
Practical experience is showing that moderate training intensity is more effective than high-intensity or low intensity. This means that the body adapts to the training more readily with moderate intensity and thus produces the greatest amount of gain.
Thus, if strength is the objective you can gain more strength with a moderate intensity strength training program than you can with a high-intensity strength training program. At first glance it may appear hard to believe but results indicate otherwise.
For example, it has been proven in practice, especially with the 1X 20 RM strength training program, that you get greater gains with moderate intensity. In the 1 x 20 RM program you do only one set of 20 repetitions. The intensity of the 20 repetitions varies from low to high. You gain greater muscular endurance at the beginning and greater strength at the end of the repetitions.
The overall intensity in this program is much less than in a high intensity program using three or more sets of anywhere from 6 to 12 repetitions. In addition, you do more exercises to more fully develop all the major muscles and joints. This is especially important for the young athlete.
Using moderate intensity also enables you to learn and use more effective exercise technique which is very important in injury prevention. This is especially important for athletes who are learning not only new strength exercises but also new sports skills techniques.
The bottom line: use less intensity to get greater gains in strength and other physical and technical abilities. For more information on using less or moderate intensity see The Revolutionary 1 x 20 RM Strength Training Program.