Health benefits of physical activity Chapter 6
FITT – the formula for fitness
The FITT principle is designed to help improve an individual’s existing
fitness levels. It is a set of four guiding principles that are necessary to You can judge if you are
apply in order to use an exercise program to gain a ‘training effect’. The working at a vigorous
purpose of its design is to develop fitness programs for everybody from intensity by seeing
elite athletes to people who simply want to improve their fitness level. if you can say a few
Although it is mainly aimed at development of aerobic fitness, it can also words without gasping
be used in strength, flexibility and anaerobic training. for breath.
The acronym ‘FITT’ stands for the following four things:
Frequency: the number of times a person
exercises over a specific period of time, for
example, a week. The recommendation is a
minimum of three times a week for beginners
through to six times a week for more advanced
exercisers such as athletes. In determining the
frequency of an exercise program, a balance has
to be struck between providing just enough stress
for the body to adapt and giving the body enough
time to heal.
Intensity: the level of effort a person uses while
exercising; defined as being the amount of effort
a person should invest in during the training
program or any one session. If the aim is to
develop aerobic fitness, the person’s heart rate is
used to measure intensity. The recommended level
for people to work at is between 65% and 80% of
their maximum heart rate. Beginners should work Figure 6.24
at about 60% of their maximum heart rate, while Having a training buddy or group can often help
advanced athletes can work at a level of up to 85% maintain a FITT program.
of their maximum heart rate.
Type: the form of activity a person does. If the aim is to develop aerobic fitness,
the person engages in activities in which large muscle groups are used and where
the heart rate is elevated. Three examples include running, cycling and swimming.
The type of activity would be different if the aim were to develop strength,
flexibility or anaerobic fitness. For example, a person who was aiming to develop
strength would engage in resistance training, for example by lifting weights.
Time: the length of time a person exercises for. If the aim is to develop aerobic
fitness, the recommended minimum time for the heart rate to be elevated is 20
minutes. Athletes and fitter people would train for between 30 and 60 minutes,
often at a higher intensity.
Table 6.4 outlines an example of the FITT principle for a person who wants to
improve cardiovascular endurance and strength.
Exploring HPE Years 7–8 209
Chapter 6 Health benefits of physical activity
Table 6.4 The FITT principle
FITT principle Cardiovascular endurance Strength
Frequency 3 to 6 times a week 3 to 6 times a week
Intensity Moderate to vigorous intensity at 3 sets of between 10 and 15 reps
65 to 80% of maximum heart rate per muscle group
Time 20 to 60 minutes 30 to 60 minutes
Type Cardio-endurance activities such as Resistance training, e.g. free weights
running, cycling and swimming
The body’s response to training
There are two types of responses
made by the body, which are linked to
training. Acute responses are immediate
responses that occur during exercise
and chronic responses are long-term
changes to the body following extended
periods of exercise, also referred to as
training effects. An example of an acute
response with cardiovascular training
is that it becomes possible to increase Figure 6.25
Cardiovascular training such as swimming
the size of each breath, known as tidal improves lung capacity.
volume. This acute response occurs to
ensure that enough oxygen can be received by the working muscles. An example
of a chronic cardiorespiratory training effect is that the size of the heart grows,
which takes place over several weeks or months of regular cardiovascular training.
The walls of the heart also become thicker with long-term exercise. These changes
help the heart to pump out larger quantities of blood per minute.
Warm-up and warm-down
All participants in physical activity and sport, regardless of age or skill level, will
benefit from a proper warm-up and warm-down. An effective warm-up provides
the following benefits:
increases the temperature and flexibility of the muscles
raises heart rate and respiration in preparation for vigorous activity
warms the synovial fluid in joints and moves limbs through a full range of motion
prepares the individual psychologically so that they are ready to perform at their
maximum potential.
A general warm-up begins with active movement of the large muscle groups; it
progressively increases in intensity and is followed by stretching.
Stretching exercises should move body parts through their full range of motion,
extending to a point of strain, but never pain. Concentrate on the muscles and
joints that will be used during the training session.
210 Exploring HPE Years 7–8
