When it comes to building muscle and burning fat, it doesn’t matter how much you exercise. It’s about how well you use the FIIT principle. There are four critical elements: frequency, intensity, time, and type that will determine the effectiveness of your workouts if you want to hit all your goals.
Frequency
Frequency determines how often you exercise. An exercise program requires commitment and willpower, so work out when you can realistically fit your workout into your schedule. Training at minimum three to five times per week to maintain muscle tone and aerobic capacity and improve overall fitness.
Intensity
When evaluating the FITT principle, you should monitor your heart rate. Is it low enough? Is it high enough? Try out the Karvonen formula if you are unsure.
For those that are serious about their program, a heart rate monitor is an excellent investment to ensure that your body is working out within recommended heart rate zones.
To measure your heart rate without a unique device, all you need is a watch and a little arithmetic. Simply, count the number of heartbeats in 10 seconds and multiply that number by 6 to get the beats per minute.
Time
The FITT Principle encourages individuals to dedicate a specific amount of time every week to exercise.
There are no set rules for how long or how much you should exercise each day. Typically, the duration and intensity of your workout will depend on your fitness level and goals.
How often you train depends on your schedule and fitness goals, but the ACSM recommends at least three to five days a week. Something like walking three times per week for 30 minutes at a moderate pace might be an excellent starting point for a beginner.
Type
But the FITT principle outlines how to manipulate your program to get in shape and get better results. Exercise is vital for your health, but the type of exercise you choose will significantly affect the results. That is why it is essential to be clear about what you want from your efforts.
- Aerobic exercise for at least 12-20 minutes
- Anaerobic exercise for a timely challenge to fitness gains
- Flexibility and balance for improving movement
- Strength gains from weights
How to use the FITT principle
The F.I.T.T. principle illustrates the ideal way to manage your current fitness level to prevent plateaus, increase results, and ensure progress.
Simply vary the frequency of walking workouts by adding another day of walking. Adjust intensities by walking faster or adding some running intervals, or adding hills to your walking workouts. Modify the time spent walking each workout day. Add a 30-minute walk to your current plan if you want to lose weight, or add an hour-long hike to make even faster weight loss progress. Change the type of workout by doing some swimming, cycling, and yoga.
Fitness is key to a healthy body and mind. Changing things up not only helps maximize results but it keeps things interesting, so you’re not bored of the same thing over and over again.
