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A lot of you guys are already going to understand (maybe even more than I do) about this topic but some will be newer at the fitness game and maybe benefit from the topic and your input.

We all know about weight (how much) and reps (how many) but generating intensity to vary the workout is more of an abstract idea.  In the most basic terms it's how hard you push yourself beyond what you THINK you can do.  Usually the big stopper is our own preconseived ideas about our limits... then a little pain kicks in in the form of muscle stress or burning and then we decide that is our "limit".  Intensity is created when you push that limit just a little bit.  Using the same weight and the same movement create intensity by changing the angle of stress on the muscle. 

For instance take the curl... there are hammer curls, preacher curls, isolation curls, french curls, etc.  all of them use essentially the same movement but if you were to move from one to the next, you would find an entirely different angle of attack on the tricep and bicep in each.  Next time you're doing plain old standing dumbell curls try supinating the movement at the top.  That's just a little twist of the wrist as your hand moves to the very top of its arc.  Curl your little finger toward your chest and go as far as you can in that direction.  This has several residual effects that increase intensity of the curling movement; causes the bicep to peak, flexes the forearm, involves the centerline of the pectoral muscle (creating definition) and completes the fullest range of motion of all joints involved. 

For those who say "I just started and I can only do 3 push-ups or 2 pull-ups... I can only curl 10 lbs..."  don't concern yourself with quantity... increase intensity of what you CAN do and improve the quality of the movement and muscle/joint involvement.  You'll see a natural increase in quantity within a few weeks.  Your effort will definately pay off. 

Other long-time practicioners... please chime in!  Be safe.  Be healthy.  Be prepared.