FIT Formula By Dr. Asanga Wijayaratne

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Most of us may have seen this word “FIT” at some point or another, but what does this really mean to us sportsmen/sportswomen. 

This is one of the most crucial formulas for coaches, instructors and those interested in fitness and sport.

F – Frequency

I – Intensity

T – Time

What is this frequency, intensity and time?    And how do we incorporate it into our general training schedules?    People always ask me “Doctor how long should I do this training”, “how often”, “what is the weight I have to use”… etc.   So this is for all you inquiring minds…

Cardiorespiratory Fitness

This refers to the ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen to skeletal muscles during sustained physical activity. Regular exercise makes these systems more efficient by enlarging the heart muscle, enabling more blood to be pumped with each stroke, and increasing the number of small arteries in trained skeletal muscles, which supply more blood to working muscles. Exercise improves the respiratory system by increasing the amount of oxygen that is inhaled and distributed to body tissue

There are many benefits of cardiorespiratory fitness. It can reduce the risk of heart disease, lung cancer, type 2 diabetes, stroke, and other diseases. Cardiorespiratory fitness helps improve lung and heart condition, and increases feelings of wellbeing.

The American College of Sports Medicine (of which I am a member), recommends aerobic exercise 3–5 times per week for 15–60 minutes a session, at moderate intensity, that maintains the heart rate between 40%–85% of the maximum heart rate.  

In short, for cardiorespiratory fitness FIT stands for:

F – 3/5 times a week

I – 40%-85% Vo2 max or 55% max heart rate

T – 15-60 minutes of continuous activity

 

Flexibility  

Flexibility is important in fitness because it allows for better performance when playing sports or exercising and in your day-to-day activities, such as bending, walking and lifting.     Flexibility is defined as the range of motion of your joints or the ability of your joints to move freely. It also refers to the mobility of your muscles, which allows for more movement around the joints. Range of motion is the distance and direction your joints can move, while mobility is the ability to move without restriction.  

Flexibility is often overlooked in conditioning programs, but it is just as important to fitness as aerobics or strength training. One way to improve flexibility is to incorporate stretching into your fitness routine. Stretching during and after you work out can help ward off stiffness and keep you limber.

Flexibility training has to be practiced according to the following formula to achieve the greatest results.

F – 3 times a week

I – slow sustained stretches, just below pain threshold

T – 10-30 sec for each muscle group

 

Muscular strength & Endurance

Strength, power and muscular endurance are fitness components with many things in common. They require the application of muscular force to overcome resistance while in motion; they involve muscular contraction of a specific muscle or muscle group; and they are measurable components of fitness. Training programs can improve these fitness components.

Muscular strength is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force to overcome the most resistance in one effort. Strength can be measured based on the amount of weight lifted. Upper-body and lower-body strength are measured separately. Strength tests include the bench press for upper body, the squat for lower body and the deadlift for lower back and leg assessments. Relative strength is based on a ratio of weight lifted to body weight. For example, if two people lifted the same weight, the person who weighs less has greater relative strength.

Power is defined as the amount of work performed per unit of time. Power is an element of skill-related fitness that is needed to excel in athletic performance. Increased strength does not always translate into increased power. For example, a strong upper body lifts a high amount of weight. However a strong upper body does not always have the ability to throw a shot putt very far if enough speed cannot be generated.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force to overcome resistance over a period of time. Often the resistance is the body itself. The measurement of muscular endurance is based on the number of repetitions performed. Muscular endurance is specific to the assessment. The ability to perform upper-body exercises many times is separate from the ability to perform lower-body or abdominal exercises many times. Muscular endurance tests include push-ups, pull-ups and dips for the upper body, and sit-ups for the abdominals. Lower-body endurance can be assessed with squats.

Muscle and Endurance training should be worked on in the following way:

F – a minimum of 2 times a week

I – one set per major muscle group, 8-12 rep, slow & moderate speed

T – a minimum of 20 minutes

So my dear athletes and coaches, to be FIT, you need to make sure you use the general FIT FORMULA.