Intensity is an extreme degree of strength, force, or energy. Bruce Lee called it “emotional content”. It’s an important aspect of martial arts, and one that is typically overlooked. It is NOT something you can just have, Intensity needs to be worked and developed.
Intensity is one of the major differences between a professional athlete and a “joe”, it’s something that is palpable when it’s at a high enough level. When I was a wee Kenpo laddie (and I mean wee), studying at Joe Palanzo’s Kenpo in Reisterstown I met Ed Parker. Unfortunately, I was entirely too young to understand that this was as cool as it was, but – I did get a lesson in Intensity that I will never forget.
We were all lined up with out backs to the door, kneeling down. I don’t remember why…if I had to guess, I’d say the instructor was stripe testing us. So there we are kneeling, and suddenly we all stopped. I could feel the hair on the back of my neck stand up, and what felt like waves pressing against my back…kind of rolling over me. Everybody in the room turned, kind of slowly, like we weren’t sure what was behind us, and there was Ed Parker. Just staring…except that Mr Parker never just did anything. That was Intensity, being able to impress his presence on a room full of people that didn’t even know he was there.
I have exuded a similar, though by no means I’m sure as powerful, Intensity doing a silent woof in our FAST Defense classes – projecting hatred and aggression at the student until their instincts take over and they force me to back away. If you’ve never felt this (and in Baltimore, it has a name of it’s own that comes from the visual organs and a vulgar term for intercourse), I invite you to come and take the class – I’ll make sure you get a turn “in the barrell”. 
Lauren Kearney is a great example of Intensity: Lauren Kearney
Intensity must be worked at, like any other attribute that you wish to develop in martial arts. Here are two drills we use to develop it, if you have your own, feel free to share!
- Belt Pull. This drill requires three people, two BG’s and a good guy. BG one (or Uke for you purists) holds a kick shield in front of the good guy (Tori), whilst BG two wraps his belt around the waist of the good guy and stands behind him. Good guy then proceeds to beat on the bag, using whatever techniques you prefer (hands are ALOT easier), and BG two pulls him away from the bag. You need people about the same size for this, or it will look like a donkey pulling a kite the first time, and a child pushing a school the second. I use a 30 second round, with everyone switching (GG to BG 1, BG 1 to BG 2, BG 2 to GG) at the end.
- Sibling. I stole this one, unabashedly, from Wendy Redding a great FAST coach I know. Again, you will need three people for this drill, in the same proportions; the only difference in the initial set-up is there is no belt. Instead, BG two pushes, pulles, whines, hollers, grabs, etc the GG, forcing him to work past BG two like a younger sibling (hence the name of the drill, for those of you that wait for the reveal in movies). Be careful, as the “sibling” is off limits to the GG during this drill.
Till Next Time!
Mr J