Principles of Exercise
The Principles of F.I.T.T (Frequency, Intensity, Type and Time) only give you the general idea of exercise. Other principals play an important part with exercise and/or physical activity. Active participation, Multilateral development, Specialization, Individuality, Progression, Variety, the list goes on! On a side note, understand your purpose for being physically active, and realize that the result(s) depend(s) on the participation and effort you include.
The Basics:
*Frequency: Create a regular and specific exercise schedule for yourself. Try to include 1 hour a day of daily physical activity; 3-4 days a week increase the intensity. You should see improvements and feel different about yourself. This will help keep your motivation going.
*Intensity: In order for your muscles to get stronger and your body to get more fit, you must work hard while performing aerobic activity or lifting weights. Your heart should beat faster and your breathing should increase. Of course, too much of a good thing is a bad thing, so don’t overdo it! Work within your ability. If you don’t know your limit, workout with someone who has some knowledge on physical activity, or hire a trainer to teach you the basics.
*Type: Your body wants to work out the way it is designed to. For aerobic activity, you are not increasing flexibility; you are strengthening your heart. For muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth), you are not increasing your aerobic endurance. For strength, you must work out your muscles, and for flexibility you must stretch and elongate your ROM (Range of Motion).
*Time: Gradually, increase the number of times you do a set or repetitions or increase the speed or weight used. It is not about how hard or fast you do the activity, but how effective and efficient you are at performing the activity to YOUR ability. To see some physical improvements, it generally takes 6-8 weeks, but once you have begun your physical activity you will feel better immediately! Thanks to your endorphins!
In Detail:
- Adaptation! We have the possibilities to increase physical capacity! Along these lines, overload is what is responsible for adaptation. Going out of your comfort zone, will a key factor to incrrease your physical capacity. So add an extra 5lbs when you feel the exercise is comfortable, or increase your speed when you have the endurance to do so.
- Capacity! Your body has the capacity to evolve and overcome stress. Training does cause a stress on your body, but it is a good stressor! Your body will adapt which is why there are a numerous ways to exercise! It’s limitless!
- Volume! Intensity! Volume and Intensity play a important role together. If you are going to lift 200lbs, you most likely will not be doing it 20 times in a row, and in 45 seconds! Know your Volume (total number of repetitions, number of sets, and activity duration) and know your Intensity (total amount of weight used, or speed).
- Multilateral development! Build a cloud, like you learned in grade school, and branch out your possibilities. Include a list of several different types of stimuli. Avoid early specialization, and build a foundation (base of support) before initianting a specific training regime.
- Specificy! Your individual physical activity or training should follow a guideline. Which is why you have already set your goals. And get specific! While having the objective to have a long-lasting life filled with physical activity, as I have taught you so well, find short-term goals too! Improve your mile time, increae your strength with a specific muscle group or groups, etc. If you want to see improvements, you must train with its characteristics (Physiological, Biomechanical, and Technical).
- Individuality! Appreciate and respect your differences as an individual. Your own characteristics: Biomechanical, Physicological, Psychological, and Technical. These all play a crucial part towards your individality. Just keep it appropriate with in your own physical ability.
- Variety! Lord knows I can’t stand monotony, and your physical activity shouldn’t be monotonous. Let’s not get this confused with technique. Providing the notion of basic exercise technique and safety, allow yourself to get creative. Include a variety of physical activity for yourself. Change your aerobic workout from the tredmil to biking or swimming. This can help improve your main physical activity of choice. Did you know: Professional Athletes are notorious for walking in to a ballet class now and then.
- Progression! Don’t expect to see your results a week later. Progression is going to help avoid your body to plataeu and avoid physical activity all together! This is one reason why I don’t like certain fitness trends because they fade away quickly! So, that means you will be seeing a lot of me ALL the time!
-Andrew Ames
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