TRAINING PRINCIPLES and FITT FORMULA

The FITT principle

FITT stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type.
All of these principles must be taken into consideration when undertaking a training
programme.

 Frequency is the number of times exercise is undertaken in a week. The more

times a person exercises the more often their body is put under stress. Exercising
between three and five times a week is the recommended amount to reach the
minimum level of fitness.
 Intensity is the level of difficulty of the exercise. In cardiovascular training,
working in a target zone of 60 to 80 per cent of the maximum heart rate is the level
where fitness will usually increase.
 Time refers to how long an exercise sessions lasts. 30 minutes, to include a
warm-up, is the recommended length of a session in order to maintain good
health and fitness.
1. Keep your pulse at 60 to 80 per cent of its maximum for 20 minutes (the
maximum can be calculated by using this formula: 220 – your age).
2. Warming-up is not included in the 20 minutes.
3. The time begins when the pulse is at 60 per cent of your maximum.
 Type refers to the variety of training a performer undertakes.
If general fitness is the aim, it can be a matter of personal preference to suit the
individual.

THREE TRAINING PRINCIPLES OF A GOOD EXERCISE PROGRAM

 Overload Principle- Placing greater than normal demands on the body.
Walking 2 miles a day, 3 days a week, for 8 weeks, gives a body a certain level of
fitness. o Increasing distance, time, or intensity (overloading) will change the level
of fitness.
 Progression Principle- Increasing exercise gradually.
Walking 1 mile a day, 3 days a week, for 4 weeks o Walking 1.5 miles a day, 3
days a week, for the next 4 weeks o Walking 2 miles a day, 3 days a week, for 4
weeks
 Specificity Principle- Doing specific activities to build specific areas of fitness.
 Walking builds cardiovascular fitness and helps change body composition. o
Stretching builds flexibility. o Weight training builds muscle strength, muscle
endurance (tone), and helps change body composition.

OTHER TRAINING PRINCIPLES

A good safe exercise program includes three stages: Warm-up, Workout, and Cool-
down
 Warm-up helps to reduce muscle injury because warm-up and stretches increase
muscle length. Your heart is also a muscle and a warm-up helps to get it ready for
more vigorous exercise. A Heart Warm-up should last between one and three
minutes (our daily warm-up). The goal is to gradually increase you heart rate
 Workout is the vigorous part of your exercise program. Wear comfortable clothes,
thick socks (acts as a cushion, prevents blisters, and absorbs perspiration) and
dress in layers for temperature control.
 Cool-down to recover from vigorous exercise. There must be a heart cool down
and a muscle cool down and stretch. To relieve muscle cramps or soreness, stretch
the muscles slowly (no bouncing).
AQUATIC FITNESS
 Aquatic Fitness is defined as activities performed in the water that promote and
enhance physical and mental fitness. Aquatic Fitness is typically performed in a
vertical position in shallow and/or deep water. There are numerous applications to
appeal to a wide variety of participants.
 Buoyancy creates a reduced impact exercise alternative that is easy on the joints,
while the water’s resistance challenges the muscles. Water lends itself to a well-
balanced workout that improves all major components of physical fitness --
aerobic training, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility and body
composition.
 Shallow water programming is performed in waist to chest depth. The feet remain
in contact with the pool bottom during most of the workout providing a low
impact training option. Deep water programs, on the other hand, are performed in
water depths that allow the participant to remain vertical (upright) and yet not
touch the bottom. Flotation equipment is utilized to maintain correct alignment
and provide a truly non-impact workout.
WATER EXERCISE CLASSES
1. LAP SWIM
This is a common form of swimming exercise. Lap swimming can be done using
different strokes and is an option for fitness exercise. You can start off with one or two
laps so that you can complete without straining. Gradually the number of laps can be
increased.
1.1 The Strokes A swimming stroke involves the movement of arms and legs,
which in turn propels the swimmer forward. When swimming a stroke, the movement
should be smooth and not jerky. Heavy splashes should be avoided when swimming
using a particular stroke. Some of the popular swimming strokes are:
1.2 Free Style: This style does not limit itself to any particular technique. It is
commonly called front crawl.
1.3 Breaststroke: This style has a particular technique that must be strictly
followed. The shoulders must be kept in line with the water; arm and leg movements
must be pushed forward together and brought back under the surface of the water. It
involves frog-kicking alternates with a simultaneous movement of the arms from a point
in front of the head to shoulder level.
1.4 Butterfly: This stroke evolved from experiments with breaststroke. The stroke
involves the dolphin kick with a windmill-like movement of both arms in unison. When
swimming the butterfly stroke, the swimmers must keep their shoulders in line with the
surface of the water, and make arm and leg movements together.
1.5 Backstroke: Swimmers remain on their back and this stroke involves alternate
over-the-head arm strokes and a flutter kick in a supine position.
2. WATER AEROBICS
2.1 SHALLOW WATER AEROBICS
Shallow water aerobics is performed in 3-4 feet of water where the water is waist high.
Feet remain in contact with the pool bottom during most of the workout providing a low
impact training option. · A body immersed to the waist bears approximately 50% of its
body weight.
2.2 DEEP WATER AEROBICS
Deep water programs are performed in water depths that allow the participant to remain
vertical (upright) and yet not touch the bottom. Flotation equipment is utilized to
maintain correct alignment and provide a truly nonimpact workout. · A body immersed to
the chest bears approximately 25-35% of its body weight
 2.3 WATER WALKING
Water walking is great way to begin your aquatic exercise. It is recommended that a
participant spend 5-10 minutes warming up the body and 5-10 minutes cooling down the
body. Water walking is a good way to get your body used to the effect that water has on
the body as well as a low impact cool down for a tough workout.
Water walking is an independent activity that can have many variations. A participant can
walk as slow or as fast as they would like. There are several pieces of equipment
available to help boost your workout that includes kick boards, dumbbells, and ankle
weights.
3. PUBLIC SWIM
 Public swim is a great opportunity for participants to come in with the family
and/or friends and enjoy a fun time and a workout as well. Just being in the water
causes you to exercise. Every move you make in the water has to be deliberate to
resist the continual pressure of the water on your body.
 WATER RESISTANCE Because the water is a thicker medium than air, by
moving in the water the amount of resistance from the water can range from 4 to
44 times that of air. Using the resistance of the water in exercise is like exercising
with weights or machines on land, but safer.
 BUOYANCY In chest deep water, approximately 90% of your body weight is
buoyant; therefore you really are bearing only 10% of your weight when you
exercise. Exercise in the water is much safer on your joints and muscles; virtually
stress-free.
 WATER TEMPERATURE The water temperature is the same all year long.
You do not need to contend with the variability of the elements; heat, cold, rain,
snow, etc.
 COOLING EFFECT Because of your constant movement in the water, cool
water is continually moving around you, washing away your sweat and cooling
you while you are exercising. You never feel over- heated and sweaty.
 MASSAGING EFFECT The hydrostatic pressure; the pressure of the water on
your body, joints, muscles and internal organs, massages and comforts your body
while you exercise. You never feel fatigued.

HOW IS WATER EXERCISE DIFFERENT?

1. BUOYANCY In the water your body is buoyant and the impact to the joints
during exercise is significantly less than on land. Depending upon the water depth,
your body “weight” is reduced in the pool due to lessened gravitational forces. A
body immersed to the neck bears approximately 10% of its body weight. A body
 immersed to the chest bears approximately 25-35% of its body weight. A body
immersed to the waist bears approximately 50% of its body weight.
2. RESISTANCE Muscles must work against resistance to become developed and
toned. Water provides substantially more resistance than air, because water is
more viscous than air, making each movement in the pool more challenging to the
muscles. Also, muscles typically work in pairs; i.e. biceps & triceps or quadriceps
& hamstrings. When you move your body, or your limbs, through the water you
are always encountering resistance. This helps to provide a more balanced
workout as opposing muscles are involved, unlike on land where you typically
need to reposition the body, or select a separate exercise, to provide adequate
stimulation to both muscles of the pair.
3. COOLING EFFECT Water cools more efficiently than air, so when exercising in
the water the body is able to eliminate excess heat more effectively. This is not to
say that you will not sweat during a workout in the pool, but water helps prevent
overheating and washes away the perspiration as you exercise. Because the water
cools the body quickly, it is imperative that you begin every workout with a
“thermal warm up” designed to elevate the body’s core temperature, warm the
muscles and prepare the joints for the increased workload to come.
4. HEART RATES Heart rate responses differ when exercising in the water than
when exercising on land. Typically, aquatic exercisers experience a reduced heart
rates response (i.e. lowered pulse rate), but the water should not be considered less
effective. Studies have shown that oxygen consumption (the true measure of the
cardiovascular benefits) is comparable to a similar program on land, although the
heart rate response is lower. Several factors, some of which have been previously
mentioned, influence the exercising heart rate when submerged in the water to
mid-chest: Lessened gravity allows a more efficient return of blood to the heart
from the extremities. The cooling effect of water reduces the workload on the
heart.