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FIIT Principle - Guide to Fitness Transformation

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The FITT principle is an approach that provides a framework that can be used to establish, track, or improve both cardiovascular and strength training.

Medically reviewed by

Neha Suryawanshi

Published At January 4, 2024
Reviewed AtJanuary 17, 2024

Introduction:

The abbreviation for the FITT principle stands for frequency, intensity, time, and type. It is similar to pharmaceutical treatment in that it is frequently recommended to people to improve their health. Anyone, regardless of expertise level, can utilize it for any activity. Therapists can also apply it to patients recovering from a medical condition. The foundation for the workout schedule is obtained from the FITT training principle.

What Is the FIIT Principle?

The FITT Principle (or formula) is an excellent tool for keeping track of fitness routine. The letters F, I, T, T, or Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type explain the essential elements or training recommendations for a successful exercise program.

  • Frequency: Relates to frequency or how often the exercises should be done.

  • Intensity: The term "intensity" describes the effort during an exercise session.

  • Time: Refers to the amount of time spent while working out or the duration of workouts.

  • Type: Describes the kind of activity or exercise that is done.

Frequency:

Training three times per week delivers major physical effects. On the other hand, training five days per week at a reduced intensity may be easier to manage for some people. Greater than five training sessions per week result in minimal additional benefit and higher injury risk. The amount of VO2 max that can be increased by training twice weekly is negligible, although it may result in certain functional changes and is probably related to doing nothing. For the majority of adults to attain and sustain health or fitness advantages, moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed for at least five days per week, vigorous-intensity aerobic exercise performed for at least three days per week, or a weekly combination of three to five days per week of moderate and vigorous-intensity workouts is advised.

Intensity:

This is the most challenging component of the FITT Principle to monitor and is also very significant. Monitoring heart rate is the most accurate technique to determine the intensity of the workout. Light, moderate, and strong intensity activities can all range in intensity. For instance, low-intensity activities include walking slowly, moderate-intensity activities include walking quickly or hitting basketballs, and high-intensity activities include running (more than 5 mph).

A decent generalization is that if someone engaged in moderate-intensity aerobic activity can talk but not sing. A person engaging in intense physical exercise cannot speak for more than a few seconds without pausing to breathe. Intensity can generally be measured by heart rate in the majority of patients. Some people may have an illness or receive medication that alters their heart rate response to bodily activity (in this instance, heart rate should not be used to assess exercise intensity).

Time:

The FITT Principle also heavily emphasizes the importance of exercise duration. The amount of time spent exercising typically varies depending on the activity. For instance, engaging in non-stop activity for at least 30 minutes is advised to increase cardiovascular fitness. More time is needed to lose weight. A minimum of 40 minutes of modest weight-bearing activity is needed. However, when discussing the time needed to increase muscular strength, time is frequently expressed as several sets and reps (repetitions). Three sets of eight repetitions are advised.

Type:

The sort or type of workout will greatly impact the outcomes. Understanding the benefits one expects to gain from their efforts is critical. For instance, exercises like walking, swimming, jogging, biking, aerobics, stair climbing, and rowing are particularly helpful to increase cardiovascular fitness. Any activity that uses the bulk of the significant muscle groups will be useful for losing weight. The finest workouts for increasing physical strength involve using free weights, machine weights, and body weight movements like dips, pushups, and chin-ups.

How Is FIIT Used for Cardio and Weight Loss?

Although it is frequently used as part of suggestions for strength training, the FITT Principle is most frequently employed for weight reduction and cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise.

Following is the typical advice for aerobic exercises.

  • Frequency: Five to six times a week on average.

  • Intensity: Approximately 60 to 75 percent of the maximal heart rate would be considered easy to moderate intensity.

  • Time: 30 to 60 minutes or more.

  • Type: Any physical activity that can be done continuously, such as cycling, jogging, walking, swimming, rowing, using an elliptical trainer, or using a stair climber.

How Is FIIT Used for Strength?

Following are the typical suggestions when using the FITT Principle for strength training.

  • Frequency: Twice to three times a week, but not back-to-back days (give one or two days to recover between strength sessions).

  • Intensity: Strength training intensity is influenced by the quantity of weight lifting and the number of sets and repetitions. Generally, one can perform more sets and reps when the weight is smaller and fewer sets and reps when the weight is larger.

  • Time: The amount spent practicing strength training will vary depending on the session's intensity. Reduce the amount of strength training time undertaken or incorporate more rest if the intensity is very high. The time spent on strength training might be much longer if the difficulty level is modest.

  • Type: Body-weight exercises like dips, pushups, and chin-ups are among the best strength training activities, along with free weights, resistance bands, machine weights, hydraulic weight machines, and other exercises.

Conclusion:

The FITT training concepts are instructions for helping those participating in physical activities and sports. It is crucial to remember that the FITT Principle is rendered useless if a person disregards their recommended exercise routine or fails to follow it because they find it boring. The community's activities are now better guided by the FITT exercise's guiding principles. Utilizing the FITT guidelines can be considered a means to increase physical fitness while also helping to manage several lifestyle-related disorders, such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Moreover, it is important to remember the role of mental wellness.

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Neha Suryawanshi
Neha Suryawanshi

Nutritionist

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