The FITT Principle
The FITT principle is a very basic principle
to use to get the most out of your exercise program. FITT is an acronym
and it stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. If you
understand this principle you will be able to modify your workouts so
you will never hit a plateau. This means that your body has adapted to
what you have been giving it and it will no longer adapt if you keep
giving it the same thing.
Frequency
Let's start with
Frequency. Frequency refers to how many times you exercise a week.
Frequency is important because if you only exercise once a week you will
not really see too many results. Think about it like brushing your
teeth and making it a daily habit. Can you imagine what would happen to
your teeth if you only brushed them once a week? Instead you want to
exercise on a normal basis. There is a connection between how often you
exercise, your outward appearance and how healthy you are. It is
recommended that adults 18 and over get at least 30 minutes of physical
activity at least 5 days a week to remain healthy. If you have been
obese it is recommended you do 60 minutes a day to keep the weight off.
Intensity
If you want to see results
from your exercise program, then you need to increase the intensity.
Just how hard should you work? This is a critical question because if
you work too hard you could end up injured, but if you do not work hard
enough results will be minimal at best.
How hard should you
exercise to develop an acceptable level of fitness? This depends on the
fitness component: cardiovascular, muscular strength, muscular
endurance, or flexibility. It also depends on the level of fitness you
are at presently. If you want to improve your cardiovascular fitness
then you need to make your heart work harder than it normally does. The
intensity of your cardiovascular workout is indicated by how many beats
per minute your heart beats during your workout. The more intense you
make the exercise the faster your heart is going to beat. One way to
make your heart work harder is to run faster. If you want to increase
the intensity for muscular strength or muscular endurance lifting a
heavier weight will increase the intensity. To raise the intensity for
flexibility improvement, you need to work harder to stretch the muscle
beyond normal length. Out of the four different ways to change your
workout changing your intensity is the most beneficial and will bring
you the greatest results.
Time
Time refers to how long you
exercise. How many minutes do you walk or jog (cardiovascular), lift
weights (muscular strength and muscular endurance), or perform
stretching exercises (flexibility)? In order for your exercise session
to be effective you must maintain your exercise for a certain amount of
time. Example, in order to maintain cardiovascular fitness you should
maintain the activity for at least 20-60 minutes.
Research has
shown that as time of exercise increases the intensity level decreases.
If you recall that intensity is the most important component of the FITT
principle. You can increase your intensity by decreasing your time.
This will allow you to exercise at a higher level. Instead of jogging at
a slow pace for 40 minutes you could jog faster for half the time. If
an exercise is too intense you can decrease the intensity by lengthening
the exercise time and doing it at a more moderate pace. Over time you
should increase your exercise time or intensity. If you are excessively
overweight doing lower intensity exercise such as walking for only 15-20
minutes is recommended.
Type
Type refers to what kind of
exercise are you performing, such as walking, jogging, swimming, or
lifting weights, as well as many others. It is important to change what
type of exercise you do to prevent boredom and to vary what muscle
groups you are exercising. Keeping your body guessing will improve your
strength and well help lower your body fat percentage.
By applying
the components of the FITT Principle you should never reach a plateau.
Making simple changes to your workout program will keep it fresh and
exciting by constantly challenging your body to adapt to the demand that
is placed on it.
Paul is a fitness enthusiast who has worked as a Personal Trainer
and a Physical Education Teacher. He earned a Bachelors of Science in
Kinesiology from California State University of Fullerton, and a
Physical Education Teaching Credential as well. He also earned a
National Certification as a Performance Enhancement Specialist,
Corrective Exercise Specialist through the National Academy of Sports
Medicine and is a Certified Personal Trainer. He started
http://www.workdfitness.com
which focuses on all aspects of fitness, and motivation and is the
founder of Workd Fitness Bootcamp. Paul has a passion for helping others
achieve their goals and is ready to help you with yours as well.
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