On your bike for cardio strength. Photo by Cpl Jonathan Garland, Army newspaper
Activity required for:
Result	type of exercise
fat loss	muscle growth and cardio
power	muscle growth, strength
faster 2.4	cardio and aerobic

Unveiling fitness mysteries

Many people, both sedentary and active, do not see a PTI prior to beginning or advancing with a physical training program.

With this in mind, the next several editions will look at generic training guidelines for following a fitness training regime.

The most commonly used methodology follows the FITT principal: Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type of training.

We will advance this concept slightly to include Overload and Recovery – thus following the FITTOR regime.

Before starting, however, it must be determined whether it is safe to start PT and what the end-state of the training is. A visit to a qualified medical practioner is required. Once the all clear is given the next step is to determine purpose for training.

Goals and types of fitness

Goals will dictate design of the program – the first step is to determine what the end state is:

• Strength / power
• Muscle growth
• Local muscular endurance
• Cardio respiratory fitness
• Aerobic capacity/endurance

Fat loss requires a combination of muscle growth and cardio-respiratory fitness/aerobic capacity.

Although many may opt for the all-of-the-above option, only one specific category should initially be selected.

Many forms of fitness training formats are detrimental to each other, thus making gains more difficult.

Training takes time. If you were to train for many goals at once, you would require an enormous volume of training – increasing the risk of injury.

For a well cross-trained physical profile, train one fitness component at a time.

This will allow effective development in an area, which can then be maintained while another is developed.

Some examples of progression sequences follow:

Now that a goal has been determined and training focus selected, the program design can begin and the FITTOR regime implemented.

Frequency

Training requires at least three sessions per week, not the one off.

Intensity

Intensity should vary each session. If you’ve had a long day at work and enthusiasm is low, then go for a light easy session that you will actually accomplish, rather than the intense body buster that you’ll never finish.

The reverse also applies. A point to remember is that intense workouts should be followed by suitable recovery.

The generic 220 minus age x per cent of training intensity is still the most widely used intensity formula, although an emerging variation of 210 minus (0.65 x age) x per cent of training intensity is being peer reviewed.

Guidelines:

Aerobic-based training.

For aerobic-based training, the following percentages of predicted maximal heart rate (PMHR) 60 – 80 per cent.

Resistance-based training.

For resistance-based training the repetition range/training intensity is:

Note: Muscle / technique failure must be reached in this repetition range for maximal benefit.

Failing is not in the losing – but in the not trying.

• Continued in future editions.

.