Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type (FITT)

To succeed in any fitness-training program you undertake, you must track your frequency,

intensity, time, and type of exercise (FITT). You can use the acronym FITT to remember

these factors easily. While FITT is just one method of developing a proper long-term physical

fitness regime, fitness experts agree that you need these factors to have an effective, safe

daily workout program.

Frequency

Frequency is the number of workouts you perform each week. A basic guideline is three

to five cardiovascular workouts, two to three strength workouts, two to five calisthenics

workouts, and three to six flexibility workouts weekly.

Intensity

Intensity is how hard you work out. You can measure intensity by something called RPE

(Rating of Perceived Exertion), which is a psychological scale and reflects how hard the

workout feels to you.

The most commonly used indicator of your workout intensity is your heart rate. Ideally,

you should stay within a productive heart-rate zone. You can use your age to find your

Target Heart Rate (THR).Finding Your THR • Your maximum heart rate (MHR) is approximately 220 minus your age • Your lowest target heart rate is equal to MHR 3 .60 • Your highest target heart rate is equal to MHR 3 .85.Your THR zone is between the lowest and highest THR calculated above. As you begin your exercise routine, your heart rate should be on the lower end of your THR zone. Exercising above the zone increases your risk of injury and reduces your ability to perform optimally. Easy Versus Hard Exercise in moderation. Never exercise a particular muscle group hard (at a high intensity or for a long time) two days in a row. You should always follow a hard workout with a light day or a day off. For the best development, more is not always better. Time Like intensity, the time you spend exercising depends on the type of exercise you are doing. At least 20 to 30 continuous minutes of intense exercise will improve cardiorespiratory endurance. For muscular endurance and strength, exercise time equals the number of repetitions you do. For the average person, eight to 12 repetitions with enough resistance to cause muscle failure will improve both muscular endurance and strength. As you progress, you will make better strength gains by doing two or three sets of each resistance exercise. Use flexibility exercises or stretches for varying times, depending on the objective of the session. While warming-up before a run, for example, hold each stretch for 10 to 15 seconds. To improve flexibility, stretch during your cool-down as well, holding each stretch for 30 to 60 seconds. If flexibility improvement is your goal, devote at least one session per week to developing that component.Type Type refers to the kind of exercise you perform. When choosing the type, consider the principle of specificity. Some people overemphasize cross training and you should avoid this pitfall. For example, to improve your level of CR fitness (the major fitness component in the two-mile run), do CR types of exercises. The basic rule is that to improve performance, you must practice the particular exercise, activity, or skill you want to improve. For example, to be good at push-ups, you must do push-ups. No other exercise will improve push-up performance as effectively.