Planning your physical activity can help you achieve specific fitness goals.

Planning your physical activity can help you achieve specific fitness goals.

specificity

overload

progression

warm-up

workout

cool-down

resting heart rate

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.

Your Fitness Goals

In Lesson 2, 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

Your Schedule

Your Fitness Level

Your Overall Health

Personal Safety

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

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 20-minute sessions each week of vigorous aerobic activity.

Aerobic Activities

Aerobic Activities

Cycling

BriskWalking

Running

Dancing Skating

Cross-Country Skiing

Most TeamSports

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

StrengthTraining

Rowing

Cross-CountrySkiing

Pull-Ups

Push-UpsCycling

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.

SpecificityChoosing the right types of activities to improve a given element of fitness

Principles of Building Fitness

To overload is to increase the demands on your body in order to make it adapt and grow stronger.

OverloadExercising at a level that’s beyond your regular daily activities

Principles of Building Fitness

Progression is working a little harder or longer during each session, and more often during the week.

ProgressionGradually increasing the demands on your body

Principles of Building Fitness

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.

Warm-Up

The warm-up stage increases blood flow, delivering needed oxygen and fuel to your muscles, and increases your pulse rate and body temperature.

Warm-upGentle cardiovascular activity that prepares the muscles for work

Warm-Up

To warm up, choose an activity that will work the same muscles you’re going to use during your workout.

After warming up your muscles, take a few minutes to stretch to prepare your muscles for activity and increase your flexibility.

Workout

Use the F.I.T.T. formula when planning your workout.

WorkoutThe part of an exercise session when you are exercising at your highest peak

Workout

The F.I.T.T. Formula

F

I

T

T

Frequency of workouts.

Intensity of workouts.

Type of Activity

Time (duration) of workouts

Workout

Schedule at least three exercise sessions a week, but give your body time to rest between workouts.

Include other types of physical activity during the week to get an hour of activity each day.

F Frequency of workouts.

Workout

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.

I Intensity of workouts.

Workout

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.

T Type of Activity.

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.

T Time (duration) of workouts.

Cool-Down

The cool-down allows your heart rate, breathing, and body temperature to return to normal gradually.

Cool downLow-level activity that prepares your body to return to a resting state

Cool-Down

Stretching your muscles 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.

Tracking Your Progress

As your fitness level increases, your resting heart rate will drop.

Resting heart rateThe 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.

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

Cost, where you live, schedule, fitness level, overall health, personal safety

1. What personal factors can affect your choice of physical activities?

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

2. What are the four principles of building fitness?

Specificity, overload, progression, and regularity

After You ReadReviewing Facts and Vocabulary

3. What are the benefits of warming up before exercise and cooling down after exercise?

It reduces strain on the heart and can help prevent muscle soreness.