FITT Principle & Yoga Poses PDF

FITT Principle - the FITT Principle (or formula) is a great way of monitoring your exercise program. The acronym FITT outlines the key components, or training guidelines, for an effective exercise program, and the initials F, I, T, T, stand for: Frequency, Intensity, T...

FITT Principle - the FITT Principle (or formula) is a great way of monitoring your exercise program. The acronym FITT outlines the key components, or training guidelines, for an effective exercise program, and the initials F, I, T, T, stand for: Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. Frequency (how often)- refers to how often you exercise. Frequency is also dependent upon the type of exercise you’re doing Intensity (how hard)- refers to how hard you exercise. Intensity can be classified as either moderate or vigorous. Time (duration or how long)- is the duration of the exercise. How long you exercise will differ depending on your level of fitness and the type of workout you’re doing. With regards to intensity, minimum recommendations for moderate exercises is 30 minutes 5 days a week and vigorous exercise is 20 minutes 3 days a week. Type (kind of exercise)- refers to the specific kind of exercise you do to achieve the goals you have set. There are four major types of exercise you should know: aerobic, strength, and flexibility. What is Posture? - the term “posture” means the position of the body in space. It indicates the position of the body in space and has the purpose of maintaining the body in balance, during the dynamic movements and the stasis. Types of Posture 1. Dynamic posture- is how you hold yourself when you are moving, like when you are walking, running, or bending over to pick up something. 2. Static posture- is how you hold yourself when you are not moving, like when you are sitting, standing, or sleeping. 8 Foundational Yoga Poses Basic yoga poses 1. Easy Pose - this yoga position is basically sitting comfortably crossed legged on the floor. You should feel at ease in the pose, so if you find that you can’t sit straight, or your knees are very high up, try sitting on a cushion or some blocks to raise your hips. This is a great pose to begin any practice as it will help you to calm the mind, open your hips and strengthen your back. 2. Cat-Cow - these two stretches are always done together and are a great way to learn how to connect movement with your breath, an essential aspect of yoga. These poses will help lubricate and mobilize your spine and increase your circulation. 3. Mountain Pose - don’t be deceived by the simplicity of this pose. It’s not just standing! This foundational standing pose is all about alignment and quiet strength. It strengthens the legs and improves your posture. If you have a solid Mountain pose you can move into different standing poses with a strong and confident foundation. It can actually be a little tricky to do this pose right in the beginning, but it’s worth it! 4. Downward Facing Dog Pose - When learning this pose it’s good to start in an all-fours position. This pose is great for building strength in the upper body (the arms and shoulders) and stretches the whole back body. This is a very stimulating and energizing pose and is used frequently in yoga classes. Make sure you don’t shift too much of your weight into your hands. keep it balanced. 5. Child’s Pose - this resting pose is very healing and restorative. When practicing yoga it’s important to have a pose that you can come back to rest. This is where Child’s Pose comes in. It’s very important to feel 100% comfortable in this pose so finding the right variation for you is important. Check out our pose modifications here. 6. Cobra Pose - another pose used a lot in yoga classes. This gentle backbend helps to stretch and open the chest. It’s energizing and also gently strengthens the upper body. 7. Staff Pose - this pose is the gateway pose to seated postures. Feeling strong and confident in this pose will provide a stable foundation to your seated poses. Discover your core here and improve its stability and strengthen your back. 8. Half Lord of the Fishes Pose - this pose is a great introduction to the twist poses in yoga. You can also lengthen the bottom leg (left leg in the picture). It relieves tension in the back and improves the range of motion in your spine. Make sure you keep your spine long here, so if your back feels rounded, sit on something to raise your hips.