Planning An Exercise Program
By Scott Haywood
 When designing an aerobic or strength training exercise program, fitness
professionals, such as personal trainers and gym instructors, invariably
use the F.I.T.T. principle as their starting point. The good news is
that with a little bit of knowledge anyone can use this principle in
designing an exercise program that will help them to become progressively
fitter and stronger, and help them lose or control their weight.
If you want to start an exercise program or take your current routine
to the next level, you'll find the information and tips in this article
just what you need.
What is the F.I.T.T. Principle?
The F.I.T.T. principle is a basic philosophy of what is necessary to
gain a training affect from an exercise program.
Specifically, the letters F.I.T.T. stand for:
. Frequency
. Intensity
. Type
. Time
Here's what each of these four things stand for:
Frequency refers to the number of times you exercise. For those new
to training or those just wanting to lose weight, frequency is usually
calculated within the context of a week. For example, your plan might
be to walk 3, 4 or 5 times per week.
Intensity is the level of effort you put into each exercise. For aerobic
exercises intensity is usually measured in terms relative to your maximum
heart rate while the intensity of strength exercises is measured in terms
of the amount of weight you use, the number of repetitions and sets you
perform, and the amount of rest time you take in between sets.
Time is simply how long you exercise during each session. For example,
30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, jogging, cycling, etc) per session.
Type refers to whether you do aerobics or strength training during your
exercise sessions and the specific exercises you select for each.
The F.I.T.T. principle and Weight Loss
Why are the basic F.I.T.T. principle concepts important if you are planning
an exercise program to lose weight?
They're important because they help you to:
. Start with the right exercises and intensity.
. Measure your progress.
. Plan your exercise to maximize long term weight loss.
Using the F.I.T.T. principle isn't just important in your initial exercise
planning, it is also crucial to your long term planning and weight loss
and fitness success.
By increasing or varying any or all parts of the F.I.T.T. principle
elements, you can:
1. Increase the number of calories you burn during each exercise session.
2. Improve your cardiovascular fitness and strength.
3. Help minimize overuse/over training injuries.
4. Build variety into your program.
F.I.T.T Principle Guidelines
Here are some basic F.I.T.T. principle guidelines for both aerobics
and strength training to help you plan an exercise program.
Please keep in mind that these examples represent general guidelines
only for those of us with low to moderate fitness levels. Use these guidelines
to establish a program and then customize your program to fit your specific
needs and goals as your experience and knowledge increases.
And remember to always consult your doctor before commencing any new
exercise program and consult a fitness professional (personal fitness
trainer, gym instructor, etc) if you require help.
Basic Aerobic Training Guidelines
Frequency: Exercise between 3 and 5 times per week.
Intensity: Maintain a heart rate of between 60 - 80% of your Maximum
Heart Rate.
Your Maximum Heart Rate can be calculated using a Maximum Heart Rate
test conducted by a fitness or health professional or estimated using
the formula:
For Women (230 - Age = Maximum Heart Rate). For Men (220 - Age = Maximum
Heart Rate).
The best and most practical way to monitor your heart rate is with a
heart rate monitor.
Time: Those of us with low levels of fitness should maintain our heart
rates in our selected target zone for a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes,
excluding warm-up and cool down periods.
Those with a good fitness base should exercise for between 20 and 60
minutes in their target heart rate zone.
Type: Exercises that involve as many muscles as possible and allow a
relatively consistent level of intensity are best. Good examples of these
include:
. Walking
. Jogging
. Cycling
. Swimming
. Rowing
. Hiking
Basic Strength Training Guidelines
Frequency: Exercise each body part 1 to 2 times per week. For lower
intensity workouts or for those who have trained for some time, try exercising
each body part 2 to 3 times per week. You can exercise different parts
of the body on different days (called split routines) or you can train
your whole body at each workout.
Intensity: Choose a weight that can be performed 10 to 15 times (repetitions)
per set.
When you can perform more than 15 repetitions without rest, increase
the weight slightly for your next workout.
If you are training your whole body each time you exercise, only do
1-2 exercises for each muscle group and perform 1-3 sets of each exercise.
If you employ a split routine try performing no more than 2-3 exercises
per muscle group and 2-4 sets of each exercise.
Time: Beginners usually benefit from exercise sessions that last between
30 to 45 minutes. As you become fitter and stronger, you may want to
increase your total workouts from 45 to 90 minutes. For most of us, particularly
those with limited time, sessions of 60 minutes are typically ideal.
With rest between sets, try not to take longer than 2-3 minutes as a
beginner. As you get fitter, try to reduce this time to 1 minute or less.
Type: Generally speaking, there are two types of exercises for muscles,
compound exercises and isolation exercises.
Compound exercises use more than one muscle group to perform and are
the most effective for those interested in losing weight. Examples of
compound exercises include Bench press, Push-ups, Squats, Shoulder press
and Deadlifts.
Isolation exercises use only one muscle group to perform and include
Bicep curls, Tricep extensions, Leg extensions, etc.
For those new to resistance training, compound exercises are best. Once
you have a base level of strength you can add isolation exercises to
your workouts for variety and to help shape individual muscles.
Conclusion
No matter what your goal, current fitness level or exercise experience,
you can employ the F.I.T.T. principle to plan an effective long term
exercise program.
By using the guidelines above, you too can plan an effective regime
that will help you to improve your cardiovascular fitness, strength,
flexibility and of course help you lose weight.
Using the F.I.T.T. principle in your exercise planning will ensure that
you achieve your weight loss goals as efficiently as possible. Not only
will you achieve your goals in the shortest possible time, you'll also
enjoy your routine more because of the variety built into it. If that
weren't enough, you'll also minimize the chances of experiencing annoying
and painful overtraining injuries that can stall or stop your weight
loss and fitness progress.
While anyone with the basic knowledge provided above can plan their
own workout, if you are new to exercise or have an existing injury or
ailment, we suggest you consult a personal trainer or other fitness professional.
As well as designing a personal plan for you using the method above,
they can help you rehabilitate or work around existing injuries, teach
you the right techniques for each exercise in your program and advise
you of when to modify your plan to take advantage of your new fitness
levels.
For all your weight loss and healthy lifestyle needs, visit www.weightloss.com.au and
become a happier, healthier you.
Scott Haywood
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/
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