Fitness Training Principles and Phases

Study Notes

Warm-up: Prepares the body for exercise by gradually increasing heart rate, muscle temperature, and flexibility. Involves light aerobic activities such as walking or a moderate version of the conditioning exercise.
Conditioning: The main part of the workout where exercises are performed to achieve fitness goals, such as calorie burning, endurance building, or muscle-stretching. Examples include swimming, elliptical training, soccer, or basketball.
Cool-down: Enables the body to slowly recover from exercise. Involves gradually decreasing the heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature back to normal. Examples include slow walking or light stretching.

Overload: The body must be challenged beyond its current ability to adapt and improve. This involves gradually increasing the intensity, duration, or frequency of exercise.
Progression: The exercise program should systematically increase the overload to continue promoting adaptation and fitness gains.
Specificity: Training should focus on exercises that mimic the movements and energy systems required for the desired activity or fitness outcome.
Individuality: Everyone responds differently to exercise based on their unique physiological and psychological characteristics. Programs should be personalized to individual needs and goals.
Recovery: Allowing adequate time for the body to rest and recover from exercise allows for better adaptation and prevents injury.
Reversibility: If exercise is stopped, fitness improvements will gradually decrease.

Frequency: The number of exercise sessions per week, typically at least three non-consecutive days.
Intensity: The level of difficulty of an exercise session, generally ranging from 60% to 80% of maximum heart rate.
Time/Duration: The length of an exercise session, typically between 15 minutes and 60 minutes of continuous or discontinuous activity.
Type/Mode: The type of physical activity performed, with a variety of activities contributing to different aspects of fitness.

Circuit Conditioning: A fast-paced exercise class format where individuals cycle through various exercises for short intervals (30 seconds to 5 minutes) before moving onto the next exercise.
Group Exercise: Classes designed to improve cardiovascular endurance and muscle strength. Emphasize the dynamic and motivating aspects of group fitness sessions.