Planning An Exercise Program
When designing an aerobic or strength training exercise program, fitness professionals, such as personal trainers and gym instructors, invariably use the F.I.T.T. principle as their starting point. The good news is that with a little bit of knowledge anyone can use this principle in designing an exercise program that will help them to become progressively fitter and stronger, and help them lose or control their weight.
If you want to start an exercise program or take your current routine to the next level, you ll find the information and tips in this article just what you need.
What is the F.I.T.T. Principle?
The F.I.T.T. principle is a basic philosophy of what is necessary to gain a training affect from
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Specifically, the letters F.I.T.T. stand for:
Frequency
Intensity
Type
Time
Here s what each of these four things stand for:
Frequency refers to the number of times you exercise. For those new to training or those just wanting to lose weight, frequency is usually calculated within the context of a week. For example, your plan might be to walk 3, 4 or 5 times per week.
Intensity is the level of effort you put into each exercise. For aerobic exercises intensity is usually measured in terms relative to your maximum heart rate while the intensity of strength exercises is measured in terms of the amount of weight you use,
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Time is simply how long you exercise during each session. For example, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, cycling, etc) per session.
Type refers to whether you do aerobics or strength training during your exercise sessions and the specific exercises you select for each.
The F.I.T.T. principle and Weight Loss
Why are the basic F.I.T.T. principle concepts important if you are planning an exercise program to lose weight?
They re important because they help you to:
Start with the right exercises and intensity.
Measure your progress.
Plan your exercise to maximize long term weight
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Using the F.I.T.T. principle isn t just important in your initial exercise planning, it is also crucial to your long term planning and weight loss and fitness success.
By increasing or varying any or all parts of the F.I.T.T. principle elements, you can:
1. Increase the number of calories you burn during each exercise session.
2. Improve your cardiovascular fitness and strength.
3. Help minimize overuse/over training injuries.
4. Build variety into your program.
F.I.T.T Principle Guidelines
Here are some basic F.I.T.T. principle guidelines for both aerobics and strength training to help you plan an exercise program.
Please keep in mind that these examples represent general guidelines only for those of us with low to moderate fitness levels. Use
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And remember to always consult your doctor before commencing any new exercise program and consult a fitness professional (personal fitness trainer, gym instructor, etc) if you require help.
Basic Aerobic Training Guidelines
Frequency: Exercise between 3 and 5 times per week.
Intensity: Maintain a heart rate of between 60 - 80% of your Maximum Heart Rate.
Your Maximum Heart Rate can be calculated using a Maximum Heart Rate test conducted by a fitness or health professional or estimated using the formula:
For Women (230 - Age = Maximum Heart Rate).
For Men (220 - Age = Maximum
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The best and most practical way to monitor your heart rate is with a heart rate monitor.
Time: Those of us with low levels of fitness should maintain our heart rates in our selected target zone for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes, excluding warm-up and cool down periods.
Those with a good fitness base should exercise for between 20 and 60 minutes in their target heart rate zone.
Type: Exercises that involve as many muscles as possible and allow a relatively consistent level of intensity are best. Good examples of these include:
Walking
Jogging
Cycling
Swimming
Rowing
Hiking
Basic Strength Training Guidelines
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Intensity: Choose a weight that can be performed 10 to 15 times (repetitions) per set.
When you can perform more than 15 repetitions without rest, increase the weight slightly for your next workout.
If you are training your whole body each time you exercise, only do 1-2 exercises for each muscle group and perform 1-3 sets of each exercise.
If
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Time: Beginners usually benefit from exercise sessions that last between 30 to 45 minutes. As you become fitter and stronger, you may want to increase your total workouts from 45 to 90 minutes. For most of us, particularly those with limited time, sessions of 60 minutes are typically ideal.
With rest between sets, try not to take longer than 2-3 minutes as a beginner. As you get fitter, try to reduce this time to 1 minute or less.
Type: Generally speaking, there are two types of exercises for muscles, compound exercises and isolation exercises.
Compound exercises use more than
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Isolation exercises use only one muscle group to perform and include Bicep curls, Tricep extensions, Leg extensions, etc.
For those new to resistance training, compound exercises are best. Once you have a base level of strength you can add isolation exercises to your workouts for variety and to help shape individual muscles.
Conclusion
No matter what your goal, current fitness level or exercise experience, you can employ the F.I.T.T. principle to plan an effective long term exercise program.
By using the guidelines above, you too can plan an effective regime that
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Using the F.I.T.T. principle in your exercise planning will ensure that you achieve your weight loss goals as efficiently as possible. Not only will you achieve your goals in the shortest possible time, you ll also enjoy your routine more because of the variety built into it. If that weren t enough, you ll also minimize the chances of experiencing annoying and painful overtraining injuries that can stall or stop your weight loss and fitness progress.
While anyone with the basic knowledge provided above can plan their own workout, if you are new to exercise or have an existing injury or ailment, we
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