Bicol University

Institute of Physical Education, Sports and Recreation

Legazpi City
Email Address: buipesr@gmail.com

Name: ________________________________________________________ Class No:________

Course & Block: ____________________________Schedule: ___________________ Date:___________
Subject: Pathfit I Movement Competency Instructor: Prof. Jarmi Diane M. Mandane

LESSON: TRAINING PRINCIPLES

I. LEARNING OUTCOMES:
Objectives:
At the end of this module, you should be able to:

 Explain how the FITT principle helps build fitness

 Identify the different training principles

Topics/Subtopics
Lesson 5: FIIT Principles
Lesson 6: Training Principles

II. LEARNING CONTENT:

LESSON 5: FITT PRINCIPLE

Frequency of Exercise - It refers to how often you do physical activity. The number of days per week
dedicated to an exercise program. The frequency of physical activity is an important contributor to
health/fitness benefits that result from exercise. For physical activity to be beneficial you, you must do
it several days a week. Frequency depends on the type of physical activity you are doing and the part
of fitness you want to develop.

Intensity of Exercise - It refers to how hard you exercise. Fitness benefits occur when a person
exercises harder than his or her normal level of activity. If the activity you do is too easy, you will not
build fitness and gain other benefits. The appropriate exercise intensity varies with each fitness
component. To develop cardiorespiratory endurance, for example, you must raise your heart rate
above normal. To develop muscular strength, you must lift a heavier weight than normal. To develop
flexibility, you must stretch muscles beyond their normal length.

Time - It refers to how long you do physical activity. Fitness benefits occur when you exercise for an
extended period of time. The length of time you should do physical activity depends on the type of
activity and the part of fitness you want to develop. For cardiorespiratory endurance exercise, 20–60
minutes per exercise session is recommended. Exercise can take place in a single session or in several
sessions of 10 or more minutes. The greater the intensity of exercise, the less time needed to obtain
fitness benefits. For high-intensity exercise, such as running, 20–30 minutes is appropriate. For
moderate-intensity exercise, such as walking, 45–60 minutes may be needed. High-intensity exercise
poses a greater risk of injury than low-intensity exercise, so if you are a nonathletic adult, it’s best to
first emphasize low- to moderate-intensity activity of longer duration. To build muscular strength,
muscular endurance, and flexibility, similar amounts of time are advisable, but training for these health
components is more commonly organized in terms of a specific number of repetitions of a particular
exercise. For resistance training, for example, a recommended program includes one or more sets of
8–12 repetitions.

Type - It refers to the kind of activity you do to build a specific part of fitness or to gain a specific benefit.
To develop cardiorespiratory endurance, you need to engage in continuous activities involving large-
muscle groups—walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, for example. Resistance exercises develop
muscular strength and endurance, and stretching exercises build flexibility. The frequency, intensity,
and time of the exercise will be different for each type of activity.

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LESSON 5: Principles of Training

Essential within the FITT framework are the following principles of training that must be
considered when training for cardiorespiratory, resistance and flexibility exercise:

Principle of Overload. The most basic law of physical activity that’s states the only way to produce
fitness and health benefits through physical activity is to require your body to do more than it normally
does. An increased demand on your body forces it to adapt. Overload can be achieved through
increases in the frequency, intensity, and duration of exercise. Muscle groups can be effectively
overloaded through increases in the number of repetitions, sets, or exercises in programs that improve
muscular fitness and flexibility.

Principle of progression. Throughout the training program, you must progressively increase the training
volume, or overload, to stimulate further improvements (i.e., progression principle). The progression
needs to be gradual because doing too much, too soon may cause injuries which is a major reason
why some individuals drop out of exercise programs. After a while your body will adapt to an increase
in physical activity and becomes easy. When this happens, you should increase workload.

Principle of Specificity. The specificity principle states that the body’s physiological and metabolic
responses and adaptations to exercise training are specific to the type of exercise and the muscle
groups involved. For example, physical activities requiring continuous, dynamic, and rhythmical
contractions of large muscle groups are best suited for stimulating improvements in cardiorespiratory
endurance; stretching exercises develop range of joint motion and flexibility; and resistance exercises
are effective for improving muscular strength and muscular endurance. Furthermore, the gains in
muscular fitness are specific to the exercised muscle groups, type and speed of contraction, and
training intensity.

Principle of Reversibility. The positive physiological effects and health benefits of regular physical
activity and exercise are reversible. When individuals discontinue their exercise programs (detraining),
exercise capacity diminishes quickly. Within a few months, most of the training improvements are lost

Principle of Individuality. Individual responses to a training stimulus are quite variable and depend on
a number of factors such as age, initial fitness level, and health status. You therefore must design
exercise programs with the specific needs, interests, and abilities of each client in mind and develop
personalized exercise prescriptions that take into account individual differences and preferences.

III. LEARNING ACTIVITY:

Check your progress

1. How does the FITT Formula help you build physical fitness?
2. What are the training principles?
3. How can you use the training principles to begin planning a physical activity program?

IV. LEARNING REFERENCE:

Corbin, Charles & Lindsey, Ruth. (2005). Fitness for Life, 5 th ed. Human Kinetics
Fahey D. et al.(2017).Fit & Well: Core Concepts and Labs in Physical Fitness and Wellness, Brief Edition,12 th
Edition. McGraw-Hill Education

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