GRADE 12

PHYSICAL EDUCATION
AND HEALTH
 MODULE 2
FITT GOALS BASED ON TRAINING
PRINCIPLES TO ACHIEVE AND
MAINTAIN HRF

Introduction

The FITT Principle was developed around a nifty acronym that carries the same
meaning as its purpose to help you get fit. The letters stand for Frequency, Intensity,
Time, and Type; and all are in reference to the exercises within your program. The FITT
Principle puts your workouts into an acceptable range that works against injuries.
Knowing the frequency, intensity, time, and type that fits into your lifestyle and fitness
experience level will keep you from doing too much, overtraining, and getting negative
consequences from your efforts.
Each component of the FITT Principle fits together like a puzzle to give you a larger,
more detailed picture. Keep this in mind as we get into the different dimensions of the
principle and when attempting to make a workout regimen based on the FITT Principle.
An important piece of the FITT Principle, however, is to be realistic about what you can
and cannot do. How long do you want to spend on each exercise? How often can you
work out in a single week? What is your current health status? All of these connect to
the Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type.

Learning Outcome

At the end of this module, you will be able to:

 Understand the FITT principle
 Analyze the importance of FITT principle on fitness exercise
 Appreciate the importance of FITT principle
 Engage the students on a collaborative discussion
Learning Content

FITT PRINCIPLE
The FITT Principle (or formula) is a great way of monitoring your exercise program. The
acronym FITT outlines the key components, or training guidelines, for an effective
exercise program, and the initials F, I, T, T, stand for: Frequency, Intensity, Time and
Type.

 Frequency

It refers to the frequency of exercise undertaken or how often you exercise. Frequency
is a key component of the FITT Principle. Remember that it’s important to know why
you’re exercising and what you want to achieve before rushing into any exercise
program.
 For Cardiovascular Exercise
o Exercise Guidelines suggest moderate exercise five days a week or
intense cardio three days a week to improve your health. For weight loss,
you may need to do up to six or more days a week.
 For Strength Training
o The recommended frequency here is 2-3 non-consecutive days a week (at
least 1-2 days between sessions.

 Intensity

It refers to the intensity of exercise undertaken or how hard you exercise. This is an
extremely important aspect of the FITT Principle and is probably the hardest factor to
monitor. The best way to gauge the intensity of your exercise is to monitor your heart
rate.
There are a couple of ways to monitor your heart rate but the best way by far is to
purchase an exercise heart rate monitor. These can be purchased at most good sports
stores and retail from $50 to $400. They consist of an elastic belt that fits around your
chest and a wrist watch that displays your exercise heart rate in beats per minute.

If you don’t want to spend the money on a heart rate monitor, simply count your heart
rate over a 15 second period. All you need is a wrist watch that has a “seconds” display.
Feel for your heart beat by either placing your hand over your heart or by feeling for
your pulse in your neck or on your wrist. Count the beats over a 15 second period and
then multiply by 4. This will give you your exercise heart rate in beats per minute.
  For Cardiovascular Exercise
o The general rule is to work in your target heart rate zone (60-85% or
120-180) and focus on a variety of intensities to stimulate different
energy systems.

 For Strength Training

o The exercises you do (at least 8-10 exercises), the amount of weight
you lift and your reps and sets determine the intensity of your strength
workouts. In general, you want to lift enough weight that you can only
complete the desired number of reps (around 1-3 sets of 8-16 reps of
each exercise).

 Time

Time refers to the time you spend exercising or how long you exercise for. The time you
spend exercising is also an important part of the FITT Principle. The time dedicated to
exercise usually depends on the type of exercise undertaken.

For example, it’s recommended that to improve cardio-vascular fitness you’ll need at
least 30 minutes of non-stop exercise. For weight loss, more time is required; at least 40
minutes of moderate weight bearing exercise. However, when talking about the time
required for muscular strength improvements, time is often measured as a number of
“sets” and “reps.” A typical recommendation would be 3 sets of 8 reps.

 For Cardiovascular Exercise

o The exercise guidelines suggest 30-60 minutes of cardio (or working your
way up to that). How long you exercise will not just be dependent on your
fitness level, but also your intensity. The harder you work, the shorter your
workouts will be.
 For Strength Training
o How long you lift weights depends on the type of workout you're doing and
your schedule. For example, a total body workout could take up to an
hour, whereas a split routine could take less time.

 Type

It refers to the type of exercise undertaken or what kind of exercise you do. The type of
exercise you choose will have a big effect on the results you achieve. That’s why it’s
important to know what you want to gain from your efforts.
 For example, if you’re looking to improve your cardio-vascular fitness, then exercises
like walking, jogging, swimming, bike riding, stair climbing, aerobics and rowing are
very effective. For weight loss, any exercise that using a majority of your large muscle
groups will be effective. To improve muscular strength the best exercises include the
use of free weights, machine weights and body weight exercises like push-ups, chin-
ups and dips.

 For Cardiovascular Exercise

o Any activity that gets your heart rate up counts as cardio - Running,
walking, cycling, dancing, swimming, sport-related activities, etc.
 For Strength Training
o This pretty much includes any exercise where you're using some type of
resistance (bands, dumbbells, machines, etc.) to work your muscles.
Bodyweight exercises can also be considered a form of strength
training, as well, although building strength will likely require more
resistance.

FITT for Cardio and Weight Loss

The FITT Principle is most commonly used for cardiovascular (aerobic) training and
weight loss, although it’s also commonly used as part of strength training
recommendations. The standard recommendation for cardio training is as follows.

 Frequency – 5 to 6 times per week.

 Intensity – Easy to moderate, or about 60-75% of your maximum heart rate.
 Time – Anywhere from 30 to 60 minutes or more.
 Type – Any exercise you can do continually, like running, walking, cycling,
swimming, rowing, stair-climber, elliptical trainer, etc.

FITT for Strength

When the FITT Principle is used as part of strength training, the standard
recommendations are as follows.

 Frequency – 2 to 3 times per week, but NOT on consecutive days (leave 1 or 2

days rest between each strength session).
 Intensity – The intensity of your strength training depends on the amount of
weight lifted and the sets and reps you do. Basically, the heavier the weight, the less
sets and reps, while the lighter the weight, the more sets and reps you can do.
 Time – The time you spend doing strength training will depend on the intensity of
the workout. If the intensity is extremely high, then reduce the time spent doing
strength training or include extra rest. If the intensity is low, the time spent doing
strength training can be a lot longer.
 Type – The best types of strength training exercises include free weights,
machine weights, hydraulic weight machines, resistance bands and body-weight
exercises like push-ups, chin-ups and dips, etc.

FITT for Stretching

Let’s take a look at how the FITT Principle can be applied to stretching as it relates to
improving flexibility and range of motion. Remember, stretching can be used for other
activities like warming up and cooling down, but for the purpose of this article let’s stick
with stretching for improving flexibility.

The FITT Principle for stretching would look like the following:

 Frequency – 5 to 7 times per week. Unlike other types of exercises, like cardio
and strength training, stretching (when done properly) is very relaxing and
therapeutic, and will help you recover from your other activities. So feel free to add
stretching to your exercise program every day.
 Intensity – Slow, easy and relaxed. When the goal is to improve flexibility and
range of motion you should do your stretching at a low intensity. Move into the stretch
position and as soon as you feel deep tension within the muscle group, stop there. If
it’s hurting or painful, you’ve gone too far. On a scale of 1 to 10 aim for a tension of
about 6 or 7 out of 10.
 Time – Anywhere from 15 to 60 minutes, and hold each stretch for 40 to 60
seconds.
 Type – Static, Passive and PNF. For improving range of motion and creating
permanent changes in your flexibility the best types of stretching to use are long-hold
static stretching, passive (or assisted) stretching and PNF stretching.

HOW TO USE THE FITT FORMULA

FITT can be applied to any workout routine you have in mind. To demonstrate, let’s
pretend that you’ve been overdoing it on sugary foods lately, and you’re trying to shed a
few pounds. Instead of skipping meals, however, you’d rather exercise the weight off,
according to the FITT model.

 Frequency

To burn up all those extra calories, you’ll want to train as often as possible,
but without over-exhausting yourself. On average, your frequency should be three
to four times a week. Note that it’s unhealthy to lose more than one to two pounds
in a seven-day period.

 Intensity

A moderate to high-intensity workout is good for eliminating excess fat.

Your selected activity should be one that drives up your heart rate to a point
where it’s more than half of your maximum heart rate. Stay hydrated both during
and after to replace any fluids lost from sweating.

 Time

The time you spend exercising will, of course, depend on your individual
fitness level. The longer you work out, the more calories and fat you’ll burn off.
But be sure to pay close attention to your body since it’ll always let you know
when it’s ready to throw in the towel.

 Type

The most effective weight loss techniques tend to be cardio-based. Opt for
activities such as running, swimming, or bike riding. If you’re also looking to tone
and sculpt your muscles, you can add in a few resistance exercises to your cardio
routine.

FITT Principle Table

FITT PRINCIPLE TABLE

F Frequency of How often Beginner 3-5 days per
Exercise week
Moderate to 5-7 days per
High week
I Intensity of How hard Beginner Less than 145
Exercise BPM
Moderate to 145-186 BPM
 High
T Time of Exercise How long Beginner 20-30 minutes
Moderate to 30-60 minutes
High
T Type of Exercise Which A continuous activity that is aerobic
Exercise (requires oxygen)

Teaching and Learning Activities

ACTIVITY 1
Instruction: Answer the following questions below.

1. What do you think are the importance of FITT formula?

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2. How does FITT principle affects exercise?

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3. In your own word, what do you think are the benefits of FITT principle?
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 ACTIVITY 2

In the diagram below, write information about each letter in the FITT formula.

F
I
T
T
Recommended Learning Materials and Resources for Supplementary
Reading

For more readings, please click the link below:

https://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni15a1.htm
https://www.healthychildren.org/English/healthy-living/fitness/Pages/The-FITT-Plan-for-
Physical-Activity.aspx
https://www.workoutsforyou.com/article_fitt.htm

Flexible Teaching Learning Modality (FTLM) adopted

Online (synchronous)
Google classroom/Zoom
Remote (asynchronous)
Module

Assessment Task

Select one of the 5 Components of Fitness (Cardiovascular Fitness/Muscular

Strength/Muscular Endurance/Flexibility/Body Composition) and give an example from
class to show how each part of the FITT formula is used.
Complete the table below:

Example Your Example

Fitness Component Muscular Strength

Frequency 2-3 days a week

Intensity Full Body Weight

Time 3 sets of 10 reps

Type Push Ups

References

https://www.oercommons.org/courseware/lesson/20643/student/

http://sms.syc427.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/SMS-What-is-the-FITT-Principle-
1.pdfhttps://stretchcoach.com/articles/fitt-principle/

https://flo.health/menstrual-cycle/lifestyle/fitness-and-exercise/what-is-the-fitt