Sports Specific Training

For individuals trying to get into a regular fitness regimen, could using the FITT Principle help structure exercise, track progress, and achieve fitness goals?

FITT Principle

The FITT principle is a set of guidelines for adjusting, revising, and improving exercise workouts. FITT is an acronym for:

• Frequency
• Intensity
• Time
• Type of exercise
• Individuals take these elements to create and adjust workouts that fit their goals and fitness levels.

For example, this could be a workout of 3 to 5 days combined with low, medium, and high-intensity exercises for 30 to 60 minutes each session that incorporates cardio and strength training. Focusing on these details and progressing over time helps create an effective program.

Frequency

Workout frequency and how often the individual is going to exercise is the first thing to look at.

• Frequency depends on various factors, including the type of workout being done, how hard the workout is, fitness levels, and exercise goals.
• General exercise guidelines developed by the American College of Sports Medicine offer recommendations. (Carol Ewing Garber, et al., 2011)

Cardiovascular Workouts

• Cardio workouts are usually scheduled more often.
• Depending on goals, guidelines recommend moderate cardio exercise five or more days a week or intense cardio three days a week to improve health.
• Individuals can adjust the exercise intensity level easily on a treadmill to provide excellent and convenient cardiovascular workouts.
• Individuals who want to lose weight may want to work up to more workouts gradually.
• However, more is not always better, and recovery time is essential. (Pete McCall. 2018)

Strength Training

• The recommended frequency for strength training is two to three non-consecutive days a week. (National Strength and Conditioning Association. 2017)
• Individuals should have at least one to two days of rest and recovery between sessions.
• Workout frequency will often depend on the type of training sessions being performed as well as health goals.
• For example, individuals want to work on each muscle group at least two times a week if their goal is to build muscle. (Brad J. Schoenfeld, Dan Ogborn, James W. Krieger. 2016)
• For individuals following a split routine, like upper body one day and lower body the next, workouts can be more frequent than total body workouts.

Intensity

Workout intensity involves how hard the individual is pushing themselves during exercise. How it is increased or decreased depends on the type of workout. (Carol Ewing Garber, et al., 2011)

Cardiovascular Workouts

For cardio, individuals will monitor workout intensity by:

• Heart rate
• Perceived exertion
• Talk test
• Heart rate monitor
• A combination of these measures.

1. The general recommendation is to work at a moderate intensity for steady workouts.
2. Interval training is done at a higher intensity for a shorter period.
3. It's recommended to mix up low, medium, and high-intensity cardio exercises to stimulate different energy systems and prevent overtraining. (Nathan Cardoos. 2015)

Strength Training

• Individual intensity comprises the amount of weight being lifted and the number of reps and sets done.
• The intensity can change based on health goals.

1. Beginners looking to build stability, endurance, and muscle are recommended to use a lighter weight and do fewer sets with high repetitions - for example, two or three sets of 12 to 20 reps.
2. Individuals wanting to grow muscle are recommended to do more sets with a moderate amount of reps - for example, four sets of 10 to 12 reps each.
3. Individuals who want to build strength are recommended to use heavy weights and do more sets with fewer reps - for example, five sets of three reps each.
4. Building muscle can be done with a wide range of repetitions and weights. (Brad J. Schoenfeld, Dan Ogborn, James W. Krieger. 2016)

Time

The next element of the plan is how long the exercise will be during each session. Exercise length depends on individual fitness level and the type of workout being done.

Cardiovascular Workouts

The exercise guidelines suggest 30 to 60 minutes of cardio, but workout duration will depend on fitness level and type of exercise. ((Carol Ewing Garber, et al., 2011)

• Beginners are recommended to start with a 15- to 20-minute workout.
• Individuals with some workout experience and are doing steady-state cardio, like jogging or using a cardio machine, might exercise for 30 to 60 minutes.
• For individuals doing interval training and working at very high intensity, the workout will be shorter, around 10 to 15 minutes of high-intensity interval training.
• Having a variety of workouts of different intensities and durations will provide a solid, balanced cardiovascular program.

Strength Training

• How long an individual strength trains will depend on the type of workout and schedule.
• A total body workout can take over an hour.
• A split routine can take less time by working fewer muscle groups in one session.

Type

The type of exercise you do is the last part of the FIIT principle.
It is easy to manipulate to avoid overuse injuries or weight loss plateaus.

Cardiovascular Workouts

• Cardio is easy to adjust and change because any activity that increases heart rate counts.

1. Walking, dancing, running, cycling, swimming, and using an elliptical trainer are a few activities that can be incorporated.
2. Having multiple cardio activities is recommended to reduce burnout and keep workouts fresh.

Strength Training

• Strength training workouts can also be varied.
• They include any exercise where some type of resistance  -  bands, dumbbells, machines, etc. are used to work the muscles.
• Bodyweight exercises can also be considered a form of strength training.
• Strength workouts can be changed from total body training to adding, for example, supersets or pyramid training.
• Incorporating new exercises for each body area is another way to vary the type of workouts.
• Spending a few weeks working on functional strength movements, then switching to hypertrophy or strength-based training.
• Each modality includes various alternative types of strength-based exercises.

Using FITT

The FITT principle outlines how to adjust workout programs to achieve better results. It also helps figure out how to change workouts to avoid burnout, overuse injuries, and plateaus.

For example, walking three times a week for 30 minutes at a moderate pace is recommended for a beginner to start out with. After a few weeks, the body adapts to the workout. This results in burning fewer calories, burnout, or weight management efforts, and goals are put on hold. This is where the FITT principles come in. For example, a change-up could include:

• Changing frequency by adding another day of walking or jogging.
• Changing intensity by walking faster, adding more challenging terrain like a hill, or jogging at certain intervals.
• Walking for a longer time each workout day.
• Changing the type of workout by swapping one or more of the walk sessions for cycling or aerobics.

1. Even just changing one element can make a big difference in the workout and how the body responds to exercise.
2. It's important to change things up regularly to keep the body healthy and mind engaged.

Injury Prevention

One of the best things about using FITT is that it allows individuals to monitor the length and intensity of their workouts. When individuals work out too frequently or don't get enough rest, they run the risk of overuse injuries, burnout, and muscle strains. The FITT principle encourages adding variety to workouts. When following this practice, it allows the body to rest and recover properly. Because individuals are not working the same muscle groups over and over again, better results are achieved.

Fighting Inflammation Naturally

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research studies or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, don't hesitate to get in touch with Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Garber, C. E., Blissmer, B., Deschenes, M. R., Franklin, B. A., Lamonte, M. J., Lee, I. M., Nieman, D. C., Swain, D. P., & American College of Sports Medicine (2011). American College of Sports Medicine position stand. Quantity and quality of exercise for developing and maintaining cardiorespiratory, musculoskeletal, and neuromotor fitness in apparently healthy adults: guidance for prescribing exercise. Medicine and science in sports and exercise, 43(7), 1334–1359. https://doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0b013e318213fefb

McCall Pete. 8 reasons to take a rest day. (2018) American Council on Exercise.

National Strength and Conditioning Association. (2017) Determination of resistance training frequency.

Schoenfeld, B. J., Ogborn, D., & Krieger, J. W. (2016). Effects of Resistance Training Frequency on Measures of Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.), 46(11), 1689–1697. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-016-0543-8

Cardoos, Nathan MD. Overtraining Syndrome. (May/June 2015). Current Sports Medicine Reports 14(3):p 157-158. DOI: 10.1249/JSR.0000000000000145

Fitness, exercising, weight, and strength training programs use terms like sets, reps, and rest intervals. Knowing what they mean and how to use them for optimal results is important to achieve health goals. An individual's training program will differ in the weights, reps, sets, rest intervals, and execution speed depending on whether the training is for fitness, muscle growth, strength, power, or endurance. Here we offer a strength training guide on understanding these terms and how they apply to a workout program.

Strength Training Guide

Reps

• Rep means repetition.
• A rep is one completion of an exercise, such as one bench press, or one bicep curl.
• So, one bicep curl equals one rep, and 10 bicep curls equals 10 reps.
• Reps make up a set, which is typically the total number of reps done before taking a break.
• A repetition maximum - 1RM is an individual's personal best or the most they can lift once in a single repetition.
• A 10RM would be the most an individual could lift and successfully perform 10 reps with proper form.

Sets

• A set is a series of repetitions performed sequentially.
• For example, one set of bench presses could be eight reps
• Sets are designed according to the individual's workout program.

Rest

• The rest interval is the time of resting between sets that allow the muscles to recover.
• The rest period between sets can range from 30 seconds to two minutes.
• Exercises can have short or long rests between reps.
• The ideal rest period depends on the objective of the workout and health goals.
• Muscle hypertrophy/building: 30 to 60 seconds
• Muscle endurance: 30 to 60 seconds
• Strength: 2 to 5 minutes
• Power: 1 to 2 minutes

1. It's important to time rest between sets.
2. Not resting long enough and starting with another set too soon can fatigue the muscles too soon, increasing the risk of injury.
3. Resting too long between reps can cool the muscles down and release tension before starting again.

Execution Speed

• The speed at which one rep of an exercise is performed is contraction velocity.
• Concentric - shortening of the muscle is often the lifting part of a rep.
• Eccentric - lengthening of the muscle, often the lowering part of a rep helps to build muscle mass.

1. Strength: 1 to 2 seconds concentric and eccentric
2. Hypertrophy: 2 to 5 seconds concentric and eccentric
3. Endurance: 1 to 2 seconds concentric and eccentric
4. Power: Less than 1 second concentric and 1 to 2 seconds eccentric

Choosing Weights

The distribution of repetitions against a percentage of 1RM maximum lift is as follows. This example uses a bench press where 1RM is 160 pounds.

• 100% of 1RM: 160 pounds, 1 repetition
• 60% of 1RM: 96 pounds, warm-up reps
• 85% of 1RM: 136 pounds, 6 repetitions
• 67% of 1RM: 107 pounds, 12 repetitions
• 65% of 1RM: 104 pounds, 15 repetitions

An individual should be able to do one lift at 1RM, six reps at 85%, 15 reps at 65%, and so on.

Goals to Build a Program

A training program is a schedule of exercise types, frequency, intensity, and volume, for weight training or any other type of fitness training. Individuals can devise various combinations of sets, reps, rest, and exercise types to find what works best for them. A qualified strength and conditioning trainer can help develop a program. The variables can be adjusted and include:

• Exercise selection
• Weights or resistance used
• Number of reps
• Number of sets
• Execution speed
• Rest time between sets
• Rest time between training sessions and days of the week

General Fitness

• A basic strength training fitness program targets strength and muscle-building.
• Between eight and 15 repetitions for two to four sets will help achieve both.
• Choose eight to 12 exercises, making sure to hit the lower and upper body and core.

Strength

• Building strength uses the most weight, the least number of reps, and the longest rest periods.
• The neuromuscular system responds to heavy weights by increasing the body's ability to lift heavy loads.
• For example, individuals with a strength goal could use a 5x5 system.
• This means five sets of five repetitions.

Muscle Growth

• Muscle growth and bodybuilding training use lighter weights, more reps, and less rest periods.
• Muscle requires metabolic stress to increase in size.
• This means working the muscles to the point where lactate builds and the muscle suffers internal damage, sometimes called "training to failure."
• Then resting and proper nutrition help muscle repair and the muscle grows larger in the process.
• A program could be three sets of 8 to 12 reps, with loads that reach or near the failure point on the last few reps.

Power

• Power training uses slightly lighter weights, takes longer rest periods, and focuses on execution speed.
• Power is the ability to move an object at high speed.
• Each push, pull, squat, or lunge is done at a quick tempo.
• This type of training requires practicing the acceleration of a lift, resting properly, and repeating.

Muscular Endurance

• Endurance weight training requires more reps in each set, up to 20 or 30, with lighter weights.
• Individuals should ask themselves what is the day-to-day physical activity that requires the most muscular endurance?
• For example, runners will want to concentrate on increasing endurance in their legs.
• Swimmers may shift and focus on their arms one day then legs another.

Movement as Medicine

General Disclaimer *

The information herein is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified healthcare professional or licensed physician and is not medical advice. We encourage you to make healthcare decisions based on your research and partnership with a qualified healthcare professional. Our information scope is limited to chiropractic, musculoskeletal, physical medicines, wellness, sensitive health issues, functional medicine articles, topics, and discussions. We provide and present clinical collaboration with specialists from various disciplines. Each specialist is governed by their professional scope of practice and their jurisdiction of licensure. We use functional health & wellness protocols to treat and support care for the injuries or disorders of the musculoskeletal system. Our videos, posts, topics, subjects, and insights cover clinical matters, issues, and topics that relate to and directly or indirectly support our clinical scope of practice.* Our office has reasonably attempted to provide supportive citations and identified the relevant research study or studies supporting our posts. We provide copies of supporting research studies available to regulatory boards and the public upon request.

We understand that we cover matters that require an additional explanation of how it may assist in a particular care plan or treatment protocol; therefore, to further discuss the subject matter above, please contact Dr. Alex Jimenez or contact us at 915-850-0900.

Dr. Alex Jimenez DC, MSACP, CCST, IFMCP*, CIFM*, ATN*

email: coach@elpasofunctionalmedicine.com

Licensed in: Texas & New Mexico*

References

Liu, Chiung-Ju, and Nancy K Latham. “Progressive resistance strength training for improving physical function in older adults.” The Cochrane Database of systematic reviews vol. 2009,3 CD002759. 8 Jul. 2009, doi:10.1002/14651858.CD002759.pub2

Loturco, Irineu, et al. “Muscle Contraction Velocity: A Suitable Approach to Analyze the Functional Adaptations in Elite Soccer Players.” Journal of sports science & medicine vol. 15,3 483-491. 5 Aug. 2016

Rønnestad, B R, and I Mujika. “Optimizing strength training for running and cycling endurance performance: A review.” Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports vol. 24,4 (2014): 603-12. doi:10.1111/sms.12104

Suchomel, Timothy J et al. “The Importance of Muscular Strength: Training Considerations.” Sports medicine (Auckland, N.Z.) vol. 48,4 (2018): 765-785. doi:10.1007/s40279-018-0862-z

Tøien, Tiril, et al. “Maximal strength training: the impact of eccentric overload.” Journal of Neurophysiology vol. 120,6 (2018): 2868-2876. doi:10.1152/jn.00609.2018

Westcott, Wayne L. “Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.” Current sports medicine reports vol. 11,4 (2012): 209-16. doi:10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8