Fitness Plans

Your Fitness Plan The physical activities you choose depend on factors such as your fitness goals and the activities you like – Identifying a specific fitness goal is a good way to get motivated to get in shape In Chapter 12, you learned how to measure your level of fitness, this knowledge can serve as a starting point for setting your fitness goals

Personal Needs Factors that may affect the activities you choose to do to meet your personal fitness goals – Cost – Where You Live – Personal Safety – Your Schedule – Your Overall Health – Your Fitness Level

Types of Activities Choose different types of activity to meet specific fitness goals and to prevent boredom Create a fitness journal to keep track of the fitness activities you do each day Moderate-intensity physical activities count toward your daily dose of physical activity. – Walking, Climbing Stairs, Household Chores, Yard Work

Aerobic Activities Aerobic activity raises your heart rate Aim for at least three minute sessions each week of vigorous aerobic activity Aerobic Activities – Cycling- Brisk Walking – Running- Dancing – Skating- Cross-Country Skiing – Most Team Sports

Strength Training Strength training develops muscle tone Aim for at least two or three sessions per week of 20 to 30 minutes each, with at least one day off between sessions Strength Training: – Rowing- Cross-Country Skiing – Pull-Ups- Push-Ups – Cycling- Running – Skating

Flexibility Exercises Flexibility exercises include stretching for 10 to 12 minutes a day. – Gymnastics- Martial Arts – Ballet- Pilates – Yoga- Stretching

Principles of Building Fitness Effective fitness plans focus on four principles: specificity, overload, progression, and regularity – When designing your physical activity program, you will consider your needs and interests

Principles of Building Fitness Choosing strength-training activities to build muscular strength is an example of specificity – Choosing the right types of activities to improve a given element of fitness To overload is to increase the demands on your body in order to make it adapt and grow stronger – Exercising at a level that’s beyond your regular daily activities Progression is working a little harder or longer during each session, and more often during the week – Gradually increasing the demands on your body Regularity means working out on a regular basis – You need at least three balanced workouts a week to maintain your fitness level

Stages of a Workout An exercise session has three stages: warm-up, workout, and cool-down – Using the three stages will get your body ready for physical activity and help you to avoid injuries The warm-up stage increases blood flow, delivering needed oxygen and fuel to your muscles, and increases your pulse rate and body temperature – Gentle cardiovascular activity that prepares the muscles for work

Workout Use the F.I.T.T. formula when planning your workout – The part of an exercise session when you are exercising at your highest peak The F.I.T.T. Formula – F - Frequency of workouts – I - Intensity of workouts – T - Type of Activity – T - Time (duration) of workouts

Workout F- Frequency of workouts – Schedule at least three exercise sessions a week, but give your body time to rest between workouts Example: Monday, Wednesday, Friday: Workout Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Rest – Include other types of physical activity during the week to get an hour of activity each day Example: Riding a bike, walking the dog, swimming, etc.

Workout I - Intensity of workouts – Push yourself hard enough to create overload – For aerobic activities: Exercise within your target heart range. – For strength training: You should feel strain on your muscles, but not pain

Workout T- Type of Activity – Vary your activities throughout the week to build different elements of fitness – If you jog Monday and Wednesday, try lifting weights on Tuesday and Thursday – If you swim Monday and Wednesday, trying yoga on Tuesday and Thursday

Workout T- Time (duration) of workout – To build cardiovascular fitness, keep your heart rate within your target range for at least 20 minutes – Strength-training sessions should take 20 to 30 minutes, while flexibility can be increased in just 10 minutes of stretching

Cool-Down The cool-down allows your heart rate, breathing, and body temperature to return to normal gradually – Low-level activity that prepares your body to return to a resting state Stretching your muscles helps prevent injuries Cool down run after working out helps prevent injuries

Tracking Your Progress Track your progress to see how your fitness level increases over time – A fitness journal can help you track your progress. As your fitness level increases, your resting heart rate will drop – The number of times your heart beats per minute when you are not active

Tracking Your Progress To check your resting heart rate, sit quietly for at least five minutes, take your pulse for 15 seconds, then multiply the result by four To check your resting heart rate, sit quietly for at least five minutes, take your pulse for 30 seconds, then multiple the result by two

Creating a FITT-ness Plan There are 7 steps in which to help you develop your FITT-ness plan – Write your health goal Design a plan. Decide which aerobic and strength – training you want to do and how often you will do them – Make an action plan Use the FITT formula. The formula will make sure you are working out at the best pace to see results and prevent injury

Creating a FITT-ness Plan – Identify obstacles to your plan To reduce your chance of injury, you need to spend 3-5 minutes warming up before you do aerobic or strength training and 5-10 minutes cooling down after – Set up a time line to accomplish your health goals Do an aerobic exercise three to five times a week. It is important to reach your target heart rate (220-age x.75) Maintain continuous activity for a minimum of 15 minutes and continue up to 60 miutues

Creating a FITT-ness Plan – Keep a chart or diary in which you record progress toward your health goal Do resistance training two to four days a week, working the upper and lower parts of your body and opposing muscles groups (abs and back). Do three sets of 8-12 reps for each exercise and record your progress – Build a support system Enlist family and friends to workout with you and support you – Revise your action plan or timeline, if necessary and reward yourself when you reach your goals Set small goals at first and then set your sights a little higher each time you reach your goal. Keep track of your progress