FITT training takes into account frequency, intensity, time and type –

You’ve probably heard of (or even done) a HIIT session. High-intensity interval training, as the name implies, is very intense because it varies different heart rates in a short interval. So it can be a little difficult for some people, especially those who are starting to practice physical activities.

However, a new acronym has emerged and promises to be a more viable alternative to HIIT: FITT training. “It’s a plan that talks about frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise”, explains Carol Borba, a physical educator with more than 4 million followers on Instagram.

And although the concept seems new, the specialist guarantees that the logic has been used for a long time. “A FITT class is what the staff already puts into practice with their students: respect for the individuality of each one. These are questions we always ask people,” she says. Some of them are:

What is the person’s goal in six months, a year and the long term? What is the fitness level? Are you a beginner, intermediate or advanced? How many times a week can a person train? What sports do people like the most?

With this, the professional can establish the best training strategy. In FITT, it’s the same thing, only following the acronym:

F of frequency

“It could be every day of the week. Or, if the person is looking for hypertrophy, he will need rest days for muscle recovery”, says Carol Borba. Another feature that should be taken into account when deciding the frequency is physical fitness. “Perhaps, for a beginner, it’s scary to work out every day. For a more advanced person, no.”

I of intensity

According to the personal, the correct intensity is the one in which the person can perform the entire session and that respects her goal. After all, making a beginner work hard right from the start increases the chances of injuries and withdrawals.

“We can monitor the intensity through the heart rate and the look of the professional, who can tell if the person is exaggerating the load, for example.”

T of time

The time of each class will vary according to each one’s goal. “Do I need to do cardio every day for an hour? It depends on what you want: are you training for a marathon or just want to go for a walk?”, exemplifies the specialist.

modality type tee

Here, you should only think about your preferences. “You have to find an activity that you enjoy. And then, you can play with the other variables (frequency, intensity and time) to avoid entering the plateau zone and stop having results”, he says.