Exercise Advice and Tips

The F.I.T.T. principle is a basic philosophy of what is necessary to gain a training effect from an exercise program.  F.I.T.T. stands for Frequency, Intensity, Type and Time. We apply these concepts to the two types of training, Cardiovascular Training (often referred to as Aerobic Training) and Resistance Training.

For cardiovascular exercise the guidelines below should be followed:

Frequency: Number of Exercise Sessions Per Week

Aim for a minimum of 3 days per week with no more than 2 days between sessions. Gradually work your way up to 5 or 6 days per week.  Frequency is especially important when it comes to weight loss.  The more you exercise, the more calories you will burn.  Do not forget the importance of rest and recovery- give yourself at least 1 to 2 days off each week.

Intensity: Speed or exercise workload

The recommended range is 60-85% of your maximum heart rate.  This range is called the aerobic training (ATZ) zone.  You can use your ATZ, Perceived Exertion or the "Talk Test" to make sure you're working out in a good range (not too easy, not too hard).  If you can comfortably answer a question during exercise, while still feeling like you’re exerting yourself, you’re in a good calorie-burning range.  This range is ideal for the general health benefits that come with exercise, and for weight loss.  See Cardiovascular Exercise for an explanation of how to monitor your intensity.

Time: How Long for Each Cardio Session

The recommended time for most people ranges from a minimum of 20 minutes (for simple general health benefits), up to about 60 minutes.  Exercise duration should be built up slowly over time.  The further you go over 20 minutes, the more calories you are burning, and the more weight you will lose.  This 20 minutes does not include a warm up and cool down, which should be included in every exercise session.  For example, you might warm up for about 5 minutes, do 20 minutes in your target zone, and cool down for another 5 minutes.

Of course, you might not start an exercise program with a lot of endurance, but you'll slowly build up.  Aim for reaching this time 3-5 days a week.

Type: Activities That Count

Any activity can count as cardio/aerobic exercise as long as it meets the 3 requirements of frequency, intensity and time, you can sustain your target heart rate for at least 20-60 minutes, and do the activity several times a week.

Things to keep in mind:

Time can be cumulative: You don't have to do 60 minutes all at once. You can do several 10-15 minute mini-workouts each day and add them up.

If you can't reach your target heart rate with walking, then add intensity by increasing speed, incline or resistance (depending on the type of equipment or exercise).