What Is Intentional Training?

Intentional training means showing up to each session with a specific focus, paying attention to what happens, and using what you learn to inform how you train next time. It's the opposite of going on autopilot, where you do the workout, go home, and repeat the same thing tomorrow without much thought about what you're actually getting out of it.

What it looks like in practice

Before a session, you set a focus: one thing you want to work on or pay attention to today. During the session, you train with that focus in mind. After the session, you spend a minute reflecting on what happened. What worked? What didn't? What will you focus on next time?

That loop (intention, training, reflection) is the core of intentional training. It turns routine sessions into learning opportunities and connects each session to the next one instead of letting them exist in isolation.

Why it matters

Most athletes train consistently but don't improve as fast as they could because the learning layer is missing. They're getting the reps in but not capturing or applying the lessons from those reps. Intentional training closes that gap without requiring more time or more volume. It's about getting more out of the training you're already doing.

How to start

Pick your next session. Before you begin, choose one focus. After you finish, write down what you noticed and what you'll try next time. That's intentional training in its simplest form.

If you want an app that structures the intention-training-reflection loop for you, Sherpa is free and built around exactly this concept.