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FITT - Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type of Activity

When you put a lot of effort into increasing physical activity, you want results! Whether you are a beginner or have experience, FITT will help you build your physical activity program. By following FITT, you are striving to manage your weight and improve your health.

FREQUENCY: How often are you active?

Everyone:

• Be active 5 or more days of the week.

Start slowly and gradually increase your physical activity.

Beginners:

• Start with 2-3 days of aerobic activity (activity that increases your heart rate). Gradually increase to at least 5 days/week.

Experienced:

• Continue with aerobic activity 5+ days/week.

• Add in 2 days (Tuesday, Thursday) of strength training.

INTENSITY: How hard are your heart and muscles working?

Everyone (including Beginners):

Always warm-up, cool-down, and stretch. • Be active at a moderate intensity (like a brisk walk or gardening).

Be active at a rate that allows you to talk.

. Slow down if you have trouble breathing or if you can't catch your breath. You should stretch after aerobic or strength training. A stretch should never be painful. Some discomfort is normal. You want to feel a slight pull of the muscle.

Experienced:

• Build intensity for aerobic exercise by increasing speed (fast/sprint walk for 30 seconds followed by 1 minute brisk walk) and/or incline/resistance (hills on

treadmill, greater workload on bike).

• Increase intensity for strength training by adding weight or only resting 30 seconds between sets.

TIME: How long are you active?

Everyone:

• Try to stay active for at least 10 minutes without stopping. Remember, some activity is better than no activity. It is okay to build up to 10 minutes.

• Aim for a total of at least 30 minutes of activity throughout the day. For weight loss,

increase this to 60 minutes per day. • Set a goal for the week based on total minutes of physical activity

• Increase the length of time you are active before increasing the intensity of the

activity. There are no time goals for strength training.

You should stretch after aerobic or strength activity.

For muscles that were used, hold each stretch for 15-30 seconds. Repeating stretches will increase flexibility.

TYPE: What are you doing?

Everyone:

• All types of physical activity are important...so mix it up.

• Aerobic-walking, bicycling, dancing, • Strength-carrying wood, swimming, mowing the lawn. lifting dumbbells.

Flexibility-seated stretches, yoga.

DEFINITIONS

Aerobic activity is when the body's large muscles move together and your heart beats

faster than usual. This type of activity burns the most calories and promotes weight loss. Examples include aerobics, swimming, running, walking, kickboxing, dancing, and cycling

Strengthening activity is when the body's muscles work against a force or weight. Examples include elastic bands, weights, or body weight.

Flexibility lengthens a muscle while increasing range of motion.. Examples include self- stretch, yoga, Pilates, and chair stretching routines.

Lifestyle activity occurs during normal, everyday activity such as vacuuming, walking the dog, mowing the lawn, participating in a walking meeting at work, or dancing.

After reading answer the question, The article provides a complete overview for fitness routines. Explain the second principle of training, and the balance one needs to find. Answer in 2-3 sentences.

The second principle of training discussed in the article is intensity. It emphasizes the importance of finding a balance between challenging oneself during physical activity without overexertion. This means exercising at a moderate intensity that allows for comfortable conversation and gradually increasing intensity over time.

The principles of overload, progression and specificity govern effective exercise plans. In your own words, describe the principle of overload, the principle of progression, and the principle of specificity. Answer in 2-3 sentences.

The principle of overload states that in order to see improvements in fitness, the body must be exposed to a greater workload than it is accustomed to. This involves gradually increasing the intensity, duration, or frequency of exercise. The principle of progression builds upon overload, stating that as the body adapts to the increased workload, further progression is necessary to continue seeing improvements. This can be achieved by consistently challenging oneself and gradually increasing the demands of the exercise program. The principle of specificity emphasizes the idea that the benefits of exercise are specific to the type of activity performed. This means that to see improvements in a particular aspect of fitness or skill, the exercise program should closely resemble the desired outcome.

Can you make the answer shorter?

Sure! The principle of overload means pushing the body beyond its normal limits to see improvements in fitness. The principle of progression involves gradually increasing the demands of exercise as the body adapts. And the principle of specificity focuses on matching exercise to specific goals to see desired improvements.

The second principle of training mentioned in the article is Intensity. It refers to how hard your heart and muscles are working during physical activity. Finding the right balance of intensity is crucial, as you want to challenge yourself enough to see results, but not push yourself to the point of exhaustion or injury. This can be achieved by gradually increasing the intensity of your workouts as you become more experienced and listening to your body's cues to ensure you are working at a moderate intensity level.