Exploring the FITT Principle (Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type)

To keep on track with your individual activity choices, here are some guidelines from the Student Home Fitness Guide, developed by the Fort Garry Physical Education Teachers' Association:

Frequency: This is the number of times a person engages in moderate to vigorous activity. The Ultimate goal is doing it daily. However, since Rome wasn't built in a day, start with a minimum of three times per week, and work towards daily. Start at the low end and build.

Intensity: This refers to the speed or workload used in a given exercise period. In other words, it's how hard you're working. While exercising you should be able to carry on a conversation with little difficulty.

Time: This is the number of minutes of physical activity. Again, start off easy and build. In cardiovascular activities try to work to the point where you can keep your heart rate elevated continuously for 20 minutes. Some examples of good cardio activities are walking 40 minutes, cycling 20 minutes; running 15 minutes, cross country skiing, 12 minutes.

Type: This is what type of exercise you're doing. It's a good idea to choose according to what you need to work on. For example, flexibility training doesn't improve your cardiovascular endurance. Try to include aerobic exercises that involve the large muscle groups.

Remember, doing it daily (frequency) is more important than intensity, time, or type.

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