The hardest part of exercising is usually not the exercise itself. It’s about knowing how to get started. It can be difficult to know what to do, for how long, and how often. Creating a safe and effective exercise routine that you can actually stick to requires a few strategies. Please enter the FITT principle.
Also known as the FITT formula, it’s a simple set of guidelines you can follow to design a workout program that fits your goals, fitness experience, and lifestyle.
What is the FITT principle?
The abbreviation of the FITT principle is frequency, strength, timeand typeThese are important variables that can be adjusted to get the results you want from your workouts, and can be adjusted in a timely manner while minimizing the risk of burnout and injury.
“These variables work together to equalize the total exercise load,” says Cody Braun, CSCS. He explains that learning how to effectively modify the four elements of the FITT principles will help you set and achieve achievable fitness goals and prevent injuries.
Here, we’ll break down how each part of the formula works to create the best training program for you.
1. Frequency
Frequency simply refers to the number of days in your workout routine and is the basis of your workout program. “This is where you design a layout for when to train each muscle group and when to take rest days,” Brown says.
Do you want to do a 5-day routine or can you only do it for 3 days?
The frequency of your workouts ultimately depends on your schedule and goals, but the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends at least three days a week.
2. Strength
Intensity is a measure of how hard you are working. In other words, whether you’re finishing your workout refreshed or barely enduring it.
When determining what level of intensity to aim for, one thing to consider is your goals. If you want to burn fat and develop muscle, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a great option.
If you want to improve your cardiovascular endurance, switch to moderate-intensity steady-state activities like running or cycling. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve.
The second aspect to consider is your fitness level. For example, if you’re new to fitness, you might overdo a HIIT workout and end up feeling too tired or sore the next day. If you’re too tired from your last workout, you may lose motivation and give up on your program. It can also cause injury if your body is not ready for that level of intensity.
It’s okay to start with less intense training. Then, as your fitness level starts to improve, gradually increase the intensity.
How to measure strength
Mike Donavanik, CSCS, says that to assess intensity, you can use your perceived exertion (RPE) to determine how much effort you’re exerting. The RPE scale allows you to relate a number to the intensity of your workout based on your maximum heart rate during the workout. The lower the number, the easier the training.
Another option to measure training intensity is the “talk test.” If you can barely mutter a word while exercising, you may have reached your maximum intensity. But if you can easily carry on a conversation, your training is on the lighter side.
3. Time
This part of the FITT acronym refers to the duration of each workout session. Are you punctual and can only work out for 20 minutes, or do you have time to spend a full hour at the gym?
No matter what training time you choose, keep in mind that there’s an inverse relationship between time and intensity during exercise, says Brown. “The higher the intensity, the shorter[time]and vice versa,” he explains.
This means a 20-minute routine can work just as well as a longer routine. All you need is maximum strength. If you want to follow the ACSM recommendations, it recommends doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise five days a week, or 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise three days a week.
4. Type
Type refers to a specific workout activity, such as running, weightlifting, or kickboxing. “Not all workouts are the same,” Brown says. That’s why it’s important to choose exercises that will move you towards your goals.
If you want to run a marathon, you should focus on activities that improve your cardiovascular endurance. You want something gentle on your joints, so you might choose a low-impact activity like swimming.
Or maybe you want to lose fat. To achieve this goal, Brown suggests focusing on workouts that burn calories and build muscle, such as a healthy combination of cardio and strength training.
How to use the FITT principle
Whether you create your own training plan or choose from already designed training programs, FIIT principles can help make the overwhelming process of getting in shape more manageable.
By breaking down the process into four parts, “you can better understand what your workout routine looks like, how you can adjust it to reach your goals, and where you’re lacking in certain activities,” says Donavanik.
Once you start the program, check in with yourself every few weeks to assess your progress and see how you’re feeling. “If you start noticing a plateau, it’s probably time to change one of your variables,” Brown says.
Simply switching up one or two variables every 6 to 8 weeks will give you time to master the routine while maintaining your progress.
“For example, you may want to increase the intensity of your training, whether it’s heavier weight, more reps, or faster execution speed, even though the frequency, duration, and type all remain the same,” explains Donavanik.
On the other hand, if you’re continually feeling sore or fatigued, Brown recommends lowering your variables to avoid injury and burnout. This can happen, for example, if you exercise at maximum intensity for 50 minutes five days a week.
In this case, try going back to your 4-day workout and assess how you feel at that time. Or you might keep the same number of days but shorten each workout by 15 minutes.
By fine-tuning the components of the FITT principles, you can tailor your program to your needs and achieve your goals efficiently without losing out.
Struggling to put together a workout routine? Leave the programming to the experts and try one of BODi’s workout programs, which all vary in program length, training time, intensity, and exercise type. From weightlifting and HIIT to barre and yoga, we offer a number of programs tailored to your unique goals and preferences.
