FITT PRINCIPLE

Exercise is an activity that will stimulate the body to adapt and become stronger.
The FITT Principle is a helpful guide in designing a personalized fitness program.
FITT Principle is an acronym for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. These
are the key factors in designing an exercise program that will address the current
fitness level, provide means to overload the body and trigger positive adaptations.
Factor
Definition
Frequency
Number of sessions in a week
Intensity
Difficulty level of the exercise or work demand
Time
Duration or distance covered in an exercise session
Type
Mode of exercise or activity
FREQUENCY depends on the current fitness level and the type of activity
preformed. It is important to allow rest days to allow the body to recover.
INTENSITY refers to the difficulty level of the work-out. Current research
indicates that exercise intensity is the most important factor in improving fitness
level.
TIME influenced by the intensity and type of activity performed.
TYPE influenced by the fitness goal and current fitness level.
Muscular imbalance occurs when muscle pairs have different strength or if the
muscles surrounding the joints are tight. A muscular imbalance will eventually lead
to chronic musculoskeletal injuries.
Movement screening used to evaluate the presence of muscular imbalance.
Movement like squats, lunges, trunk rotation, and push-ups can show
neuromuscular deficiency.
SQUAT multi-joint movement that has the ability to show neuromuscular
deficit in the core muscle and the lower extremity muscles.
Body Part
Correct Position for Squat
Shoulders
Elbows held behind ears throughout the movement
Hips
Trunk remains flat without leaning forward too much
Knees
Knees are stable and does not exhibit movement to the
side nor the front
Ankle
Feet is in full contact with the ground and aligned with
the knees
Quality
Balance is maintained when thighs are parallel to the
ground
LUNGE evaluates stability and neuromuscular deficit of the lower
extremities. It can also show if an individual has poor flexibility as well as
balance problems.
Body Part
Correct Position for Forward Lunge
Shoulders
Elbows held behind the ears throughout the movement
Hips
Trunk remains flat and vertical
Knees
Knees are aligned with hip and foot
Ankle
Heel of the lead leg should be in contact with the floor
and under the lead knee while the heel of the rear foot is
off the ground.

Quality

Balance is maintained when lead thigh is parallel to the

ground.
TRUNK ROTATION common movement in many sports that involves
throwing. Throwing movements push the center of gravity of the body
outside the normal region and forces the abdominal muscles to counteract
the displacement.
LUNGE AND TWIST assess movement deficiency and balance when
performing trunk rotation
Body Part
Correct Position for Lunge and Twist
Shoulders
Arms are parallel to the ground and the opposite elbow
crosses the lead knees
Hips
Trunk remains flat and does not bend while twisting
Knees
Knees are aligned with hip and foot
Ankle
Heel of the lead leg should be in contact with the floor
and under the lead knee while the heel of the rear foot is
off the ground.
Quality
Balance is maintained when the lead thigh is parallel to
the ground.
PUSH-UP basic exercise that evaluates the strength of the arms and
abdominal muscles as well as the flexibility of the shoulder joint.
Body Part
Correct Position for Push-up
Shoulders
Head is centered between the shoulders and the elbows
are wider than the shoulders
Hips
Trunk remains flat and straight from head to buttocks
Knees
Knees are straight and thighs does not touch the ground
Ankle
Weight is balanced over the forefoot
Quality
Balance is maintained as chest is lowered close to the
ground

SQUAT

LUNGE

LUNGE AND TWIST

PUSH-UP