The FITT Principle: What exactly is it and how can you make use of it?

It can be difficult to build a fitness regimen on your own due to the large variety of workouts and exercises available. This is where the FITT Principle comes into play.

FITT is an acronym that stands for frequency, intensity, time, and type of exercise. These are the four factors to consider when designing workouts according to your goals and fitness level.

The FITT principle is a tried-and-true approach to creating a productive training routine. It's especially handy if you thrive on structure, as the components may be thought of as a set of rules to follow. It's also useful for keeping track of your cardiovascular and strength-training workout progress.

The FITT principle is best for beginners because it explains exactly what is required to get started.

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What is FITT?

The four components of FIIT are not independent of one another but rather intricately linked and interconnected.

FITT ensures that your body reaps the full advantage of frequent workouts, regardless of your level of experience. In the same way, it guards against eventual workout exhaustion.

But what is the formula, exactly? Take a closer look at each component and see how it relates to your workout routine.

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Frequency

This relates to how frequently you exercise, which is usually indicated by the number of days or sessions per week you commit to.

It may be tempting to go to the gym every day if you have lofty goals, but remember to schedule some rest days as well.

The number of times you exercise (frequency) is determined by your fitness level, the amount of time you have to exercise, and the goals you have set for yourself.

If you want to lose weight quickly, you'll need to do more workouts. Slow and gradual improvement is recommended if you wish to enhance your fitness levels, and so on.

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Intensity

This is a crucial part of the FITT Principle, and it's also the most difficult to keep track of.

Maintaining the intensity of exercise during the first few days, when you're still working on increasing your stamina and dealing with muscular cramps, is the most difficult thing to do.

Only by going slow and steady and adapting to the workouts can you keep up the intensity.

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Time

You may pick how long each sweat session will last once you've set the frequency and intensity. The amount of time spent exercising is usually determined by the sort of activity performed.

For example, it is recommended that you exercise for at least 30 minutes non-stop to increase cardiovascular fitness. More time is required for weight loss; at least 40 minutes of moderate weight-bearing activity is recommended.

However, when building muscle strength, time is frequently expressed as a number of "sets" and "reps."

To increase strength, you can use the FITT method. (image via pexels/Andrea Piacquadio)

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Type

Because there are so many alternatives, this one might be the most fun to adjust out of all the variables. The type of exercise you do will also be determined by your goal.

Exercises such as jogging, running, brisk walking, cycling, Zumba, aerobics, and stair climbing can help you improve your cardiorespiratory fitness.

Weight lifting, machine weight exercises, and bodyweight exercises such as chin-ups, dips, pull-ups, push-ups, and planks are all good ways to improve muscle strength.

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How to use FITT to stay fit

Any fitness plan that you have in mind can benefit from FITT. You can create a wide range of workouts by experimenting with different combinations of the four FITT principles.

So, how do you know you're putting those components in place correctly? Here's how you can include it in your aerobics and strength training routines.

To increase strength

If you want to increase strength, your fitness strategy could look something like this:

• Frequency - Four times a week.
• Intensity - Three sets of 10 to 12 reps
• Time - 45-minutes to 60-minutes
• Type - Deadlifts, hamstring curls, squats, standing calf raises, leg extensions, and leg press are just a few examples of leg exercises.

For weight loss

If you want to lose weight, your fitness strategy could look something like this:

• Frequency - Get your heart rate up three to six days a week.
• Intensity - The intensity will be determined by your current fitness level. Aim for 70 to 80 percent of your maximal heart rate for a high-intensity workout.
• Time - Set aside 20 to 30 minutes for each workout. As your endurance improves, you can lengthen the workout.
• Type - Dance, walking, running, rowing, jogging, hiking, cycling, swimming, and other forms of cardiovascular exercise are examples.