LESSON 2
FITT Principle
Introductio
n
Understanding the FITT principle helps you create a workout plan that will be
more effective in reaching your fitness goals. The FITT principle outlines how to
manipulate your program to get in shape and get better results. It also helps you figure
out how to change your workouts to avoid boredom, overuse injuries, and weight loss
plateaus. FITT stands for frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise (Waehner,
2020).
This lesson contains the four elements you need to think about to create
workouts that fit your goals and fitness level.
Learning
Analyze FITT (Frequency, Intensity, Time & Type) principle
Outcomes
Create a training program using the FITT principle
Preliminary
Picture Analysis
Activities
Direction: Analyze the pictures below.
1. How often do you perform the exercises or any physical activities in a week?
Example: twice a week
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
Answer: _______________________________________________________________
2. How hard/intense do you perform the exercises or physical activities?
Example: in light manner (walking/ biking)
Answer: _______________________________________________________________
3. How long do you perform the exercise or physical activity?
Example: 30 mins/ day (walking/ biking)
Answer: _______________________________________________________________
4. What type of exercises or physical activities do you perform?
Example: Cardio exercises/ core exercise/ biking
Answer: _______________________________________________________________
Learning
Content
What is the FIIT Principle?
F Frequency How often you exercise
I Intensity How hard you exercise
T Time How long you exercise
T Type What kind of exercise
The FITT Principle is one of the foundations of exercise, a set of guidelines that helps
you set up a workout routine for maximum benefit.
Frequency: How often you exercise
In regard to exercise, this term refers to how often a particular workout activity
should be completed. For example, beginning weight-training workout programs
recommended lifting weights three days per week. Record both your overall and
specific activity workout frequencies, such as how often you lift weights and do
cardio. Overall exercise frequency refers to the total number of workouts of all
types of activities you complete.
Intensity: How Hard you work during exercise
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
Exercise intensity refers to how hard your body is working during physical
activity. Your health and fitness goals, as well as your current level of fitness, will
determine your ideal exercise intensity.
Gauging intensity by how you feel
Moderate Exercise Intensity
Moderate activity feels somewhat hard. Here are clues that your exercise
intensity is at a moderate level:
Your breathing quickens, but you're not out of breath.
You develop a light sweat after about 10 minutes of activity.
You can carry on a conversation, but you can't sing.
Vigorous Exercise Intensity
Vigorous activity feels challenging. Here are clues that your exercise
intensity is at a vigorous level:
Your breathing is deep and rapid.
You develop a sweat after only a few minutes of activity.
You can't say more than a few words without pausing for breath.
Gauging intensity using your heart rate
Another way to gauge your exercise intensity is to see how hard your
heart is beating during physical activity. To use this method, you first have to
figure out your maximum heart rate — the upper limit of what your cardiovascular
system can handle during physical activity.
You can calculate your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from
220. For example, if you're 45 years old, subtract 45 from 220 to get a maximum
heart rate of 175. This is the average maximum number of times your heart
should beat per minute during exercise.
Once you know your maximum heart rate, you can calculate your desired
target heart rate zone — the level at which your heart is being exercised and
conditioned but not overworked.
The American Heart Association generally recommends a target heart rate of:
Moderate exercise intensity: 50% to about 70% of your maximum heart rate
Vigorous exercise intensity: 70% to about 85% of your maximum heart rate
If you're not fit or you're just beginning an exercise program, aim for the
lower end of your target heart rate zone. Then, gradually build up the intensity. If
you're healthy and want to exercise at a vigorous intensity, opt for the higher end
of the zone.
Time: How long you exercise
Time refers to the time of day you exercise and how long each session lasts.
For example, it’s recommended that to improve cardio-vascular fitness you’ll
need at least 30 minutes of non-stop exercise. For weight loss, more time is
required; at least 40 minutes of moderate weight bearing exercise. However,
when talking about the time required for muscular strength improvements, time is
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
often measured as a number of “sets” and “reps.” A typical recommendation
would be 3 sets of 8 reps.
Type: The type of Activity you are doing
Type refers to what kind of exercise you are doing. For example, you might do
cardiovascular activity (also known simply as 'cardio'), strength training, or a
combination of the two.
The type of exercise you choose will have a big effect on the results you achieve.
That’s why it’s important to know what you want to gain from your efforts.
For example, if you’re looking to improve your cardio-vascular fitness, then
exercises like walking, jogging, swimming, bike riding, stair climbing, aerobics
and rowing are very effective. For weight loss, any exercise that using a majority
of your large muscle groups will be effective. To improve muscular strength the
best exercises, include the use of free weights, machine weights and body
weight exercises like push-ups, chin-ups and dips.
Examples:
Flexibility Muscular Cardio Agility Muscular
Endurance Respiratory Strength
Fitness
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KARLA C. SALVALLON
F Daily At least 3 At least 3 times / 2-3 times / 2-3 times/week
(Frequency) In warm-up times / week week week
How often? and cool down (min. 24 hrs. Up to everyday
rest between
workouts)
I Stretch your Body Weight Bring heart rate Maximum 60-70% of
(Intensity) muscle until Resistance up to target level effort maximum
How hard do you you feel a Bands, light (60-85% of Max. strength (or
exercise? ‘stretch’ (if it weights Heart Rate) more depending
hurts, you’ve (%ages of 1RM MHR = 220-age on age and
gone too far) can be used “TALK TEST” experience)
depending on
age of
participant)
T Hold each 12-15+ reps Minimum of 20 5 – 10 reps. 1-3 sets
(Time) stretch for 30 3 sets minutes 8-12 repetitions
For how long do seconds. (minimum) (30 sec. -1 min.
you exercise? OR rest between
Do 3 sets of sets)
10 – 15
seconds.
T Specific to Isolating muscle Big muscle group Agility drills Own body
(Type) body part group to work movement that (e.g., zig zag weight
What kind of (e.g., to with body involves the running, Resistance
exercise do you improve weight as entire body. figure 8 tubing
do? hamstring resistance (or (E.g. jogging, running, Medicine ball
flexibility, you light weight) biking) agility ladder, Weight
have to do **all require agility machines
hamstring proper square) Free weights
stretches. instruction prior **all require
to exercise** proper
instruction prior
to exercise**
Learning Task
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
Direction: Create a training program by completing the FITT template below.
ENDURANCE STRENGTH FLEXIBILITY
Frequency
(How often?)
Intensity
(How hard?)
Time
(How long?)
Type
(Exercise
Choices?)
Learning
Assessment
Direction: Identify the following. Write F for frequency; I for intensity; Ti for time
and Ty for type. Write your answer on the space provided.
1. Swimming
2. 2 mins
3. Biking
4. 1 mile
5. 3 set/ minute
6. Three times a week
7. 1 mile/ 5 minutes
8. Every morning
9. jogging
10. calisthenics
11. core exercise
12. 5 minutes
13. Circuit training
14. 5 punch/ 3 seconds
15. 1 km run
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
Teaching PE and Health in Elementary Grades
KARLA C. SALVALLON
