Principle stating that the type of exercise you perform determines the type of benefit your receive.

AB
Principle of Overload Most basic law of physical activity that states that the only way to produce fitness and health benefits through physical activity is to require your body to do more than it normally does.
Principle of Progression Principle stating that the amount and intensity of your exercise should be increased gradually.
Principle of Specificity Principle that states that the type of exercise you perform determines the type of benefit you receive
Principle of Rest and Recovery Principle stating that you need to give your muscles time to rest and recover after a work out
PRE Exercise that increases resistance until you have the amount of muscle fitness you want.
Biomechanics Branch of Kinesiology that uses principles of physics to help us understand the human body
Voluntary Muscles Muscles in which you consciously control
Origin connected to the bone that is stationary during movement.
Insertion connected to the bone that moves
Muscle Fibers Long, thin, cylindrical muscle cells
Isometric Contractions occur when muscles contract and pull with equal force in opposite directions so that no movement occurs.
Isotonic Contractions pull on your bones to produce movement.
Concentric Contractions when the muscle shortens
Eccentric Contractions when the muscle lengthens
Isokinetic Exercise Velocity of movement is kept constant by a machine
Plyometrics Explosive jumping
Muscle a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body.
Joint a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the body.
Tendon a flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a muscle to a bone.
Slow Twitch Muscle contract slowly, and are usually red because they have a lot of blood vessels delivering oxygen to the muscle.
Fast Twitch Muscle fiber that contracts quickly, is white because it receives less blood flow delivering oxygen, and generates more force when it contracts.
Intermediate Muscle characteristics of both muscle fibers
Body Dysmorphia condition in which a person is obsessed with building muscle
Double Progressive System the most used method of applying the principle of progression for improving muscle fitness—first by increasing reps and second by increasing weight
Interval Training Type of training that uses bouts of high-intensity exercise followed by rest periods
Muscle Bound having tight, bulky muscles that inhibit free movement

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The FITT principles are an exercise prescription to help participants understand how long and how hard they should exercise.

FITT is acronym that stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. FITT can be applied to exercise in general or specific components of exercise. For example, below are some general FITT guidelines for weekly exercise.

Frequency: Daily moderate exercise is ideal, but try to exercise a minimum of 3-5 days per week.

Intensity: Moderate to vigorous intensity exercise is recommended for adults.

Time: 30-60 minutes per day.

Type: To maintain a well-balanced fitness level, perform a variety of exercises included cardio, strength, and flexibility training.

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Whether you’re new to fitness or an avid gymgoer, you can apply the FITT principle to what you do. FITT stands for:

  • frequency
  • intensity
  • time
  • type

Each component works in tandem to help you reach your fitness goals.

This article will explore what the FITT principle is, along with how you can incorporate it into your workouts.

The FITT principle is a tried-and-true method of putting together an efficient workout plan.

It’s especially useful if you’re someone who thrives on structure, as you can think of the components as a set of rules to follow.

It’s also great for monitoring your exercise progress with cardiovascular activity and strength training.

One study even found that the FITT principle was useful in helping researchers and healthcare professionals create the right exercise regimen for people who had just had a stroke.

Let’s explore each component.

This refers to how often you exercise. The point is to meet your goals without overtraining the body.

  • When it comes to cardio: As a general rule of thumb, aim for a minimum of three cardio sessions per week. If you’re looking to lose weight, you might increase this number to five to six sessions.
  • When it comes to strength training: It’s recommended to do some sort of strength training three to four times per week. Strength training can involve the use of weights (even bodyweight workouts), resistance, barbells, or machines.
  • Also includes rest days: Also account for rest days when putting together your plan. It’s important to give your muscles a chance to recover.

This refers to how difficult an exercise is.

When it comes to strength training

If you’re new to an exercise program, you don’t want to make the plan too challenging. This could lead to injury or burnout.

Start at a level that feels comfortable, and then gradually increase the difficulty as your strength and endurance builds.

With strength training, there are three primary methods you can use to measure intensity:

  1. amount of weight lifted
  2. number of repetitions completed
  3. number of sets

When it comes to cardio

To measure how hard you’re working during a cardiovascular exercise, you can look to your heart rate, which is measured by beats per minute (bpm).

This starts with determining your target heart rate zone for your fitness level and age. The heart rate zone you’re meant to target is based on a percentage of your maximum heart rate (MHR).

1. Find your max heart rate (MHR)

To find your MHR, use this calculation: 220 minus your age = MHR.

For example, if you’re 25 years old, your MHR is 195 (220 – 25 = 195 MHR).

2. Find your target heart rate zone

According to Harvard Health, aerobic exercise is when your heart rate reaches between 70 and 85 percent of your MHR. You’re also getting a workout when your heart rate reaches 50 to 70 percent of your MHR.

To find your target heart rate zone, use this calculation: MHR multiplied by percentage rate in decimals.

So, this looks like: 195 x 0.50 = ~97 and 195 x 0.85 = ~165

According to the American Heart Association, the target heart rate zone for a 25-year-old is approximately 95 to 162 beats per minute.

This refers to the duration of each exercise.

Experts recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise or at least 75 minutes of high-intensity exercise a week.

This can look like 30 minutes of moderate exercise or 15 minutes of intense exercise a day.

Of course, you can increase or decrease this duration based on several factors, including current fitness level, age, weight, health, and others.

A cardio workout is recommended to last a minimum of 30 minutes. This can be longer, depending on the exercise. A long bike ride, for example, could take up to 2 hours.

Resistance workouts usually last between 45 and 60 minutes.

Don’t add time to your workouts until you’re ready to do so. Once your endurance builds, you can gradually increase the time spent exercising.

This refers to what kind of exercise you’ll be doing under the umbrella of cardio or strength training.

Cardio is any type of exercise that improves your cardiovascular system. This includes:

  • running
  • swimming
  • walking
  • dancing
  • aerobics routines
  • cycling

Strength training is any type of exercise that tones and strengthens the muscles. It usually results in muscular hypertrophy.

This includes:

  • the use of weights, like bicep curls and bench presses
  • bodyweight exercises, such as:
    • squats
    • pushups
    • pullups
    • situps

There are many upsides to using the FITT principle to guide you toward your fitness goals.

It’s good for busting through plateaus

Hitting a plateau is a common concern for those who are trying to reach their fitness goals.

When you notice that your weight is no longer budging, you can look to your FITT plan and find ways to improve it.

For example, if you’ve been walking for 4 weeks straight, you can add jogging to the plan to get the scale moving.

It’s great for alleviating boredom

In addition to busting through plateaus, the FITT principle encourages cross-training. This is when you use several modes of training to reach your desired fitness goals.

For example, you may alternate between walking, strength training, and dancing to help you see results — and keep boredom at bay.

Cross-training comes with several other benefits. For example, it helps reduce the risk of injury since you won’t be overusing the same muscles or joints.

It can be used by all fitness levels

You don’t have to be an avid gymgoer to use this method.

It’s great for beginners, as it teaches you the basics of putting a fitness plan together. This can help save you money in the long run, as the average cost of a personal trainer is $60 to $75 per hour.

Incorporating the FITT principle into your life can be simple. Here’s how you can use it with cardio and strength training.

FITT example for weight loss

If your goal is to lose weight, your fit plan might look like this:

  • Frequency: Get your heart rate up during 3 to 6 days of the week.
  • Intensity: This will depend on your current fitness level. For a high-intensity workout, aim to reach 70 to 80 percent of your maximum heart rate.
  • Time: Aim for around 20 to 30 minutes per workout. You can increase the workout length as your endurance builds.
  • Type: Any type of cardiovascular training, such as dancing, walking, running, rowing, jogging, hiking, cycling, swimming, etc.

FITT example for cardiovascular exercise

  • Frequency: 4 days a week
  • Intensity: moderate, 60 to 70 percent heart rate
  • Time: 30 minutes
  • Type: jog

FITT example to increase strength

  • Frequency: 4 days a week
  • Intensity: intermediate, 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
  • Type: could be various leg exercises, such as deadlifts, hamstring curls, squats, standing calf raises, leg extensions, and leg press or alternatives
  • Time: 45 to 60 minutes

Choose a few goals

Before you create your plan, get concrete about your goals.

Try SMART goal planning to assist you, or ask yourself these questions:

  • What’s my current fitness level?
  • What do I want to achieve in the next month? Next 3 months? Next 6 months?
  • What types of exercises do I like to do?

By answering these questions, you’ll be able to tailor the plan to meet your individual needs.

Don’t make the plan too hard

For example, when strength training, the goal is to push your muscles to the point of fatigue without overexerting them. Only increase the weight for an exercise when you can still maintain proper form.

Consider time when adjusting your intensity

The intensity of your workouts can also depend on the length and frequency of them.

For example, you may ramp up the intensity on a HITT workout when you know that it’s only 10 minutes.

Add variety to your workouts

To achieve a balanced body, you need to work several different muscle groups. This can mean doing different kinds of activities for fitness. It’ll also help you avoid the dreaded exercise rut.

Regardless of your fitness level, you can implement the FITT principle as a way to create an effective exercise program.

This will help you reach your fitness goals, bust through plateaus, and stay consistent with your workouts.

Before starting any exercise program, you may want to consult with your doctor to ensure you’re safe to do so. This is especially important if you have any preexisting health conditions.

Overall, know your limits. Only gradually increase the intensity once you’re comfortable.

It’s your workout plan, so always feel free to tailor it to fit you!

What principle of fitness program states that the type of exercise you do determine the specific benefit you receive?

Specificity: A principle of exercise that states that specific kinds of exercises must be done to develop specific aspects of the body and specific aspects of fitness. Basically, exercise in a manner that will get you to your goals.

Which principle states that to produce fitness and health benefits through physical activity the body should do more than it normally does?

Principle of Overload Only way to produce fitness and health benefits through physical activity is to require your body to do more than it normally does. An increased demand on your body forces it to adapt. Your body is designed to be active; so if you do nothing your fitness decreases and your health suffers.

What's the principles of exercise?

The principles of specificity, progression, overload, adaptation, and reversibility are why practicing frequently and consistently are so important if you want to improve your performance.

What principle of exercise is most helpful to determine health risks of an individual?

The principle of overload recognizes that physical activity has to be at a higher-than-normal level to lead to increased health. As an individual performs exercise at this higher level, however, the body adapts to the increased demand and becomes the new level of normal.