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13.18 Principles of Exercise Training: Specificity and Progressive Overload

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans take into account the principles of exercise training: specificity and progressive overload. Together, specificity and progressive overload are often referred to as the FITT principle, which refers to the frequency, intensity, time, and type of activity.

Specificity refers to how the body adapts to a particular type of stress placed on it. For example, weight training promotes muscular strength, stretching promotes flexibility, and running promotes cardiorespiratory endurance. The same principle applies to sport-specific fitness and skills. For example, practicing basketball skills may improve basketball performance, but not necessarily tennis or swimming performance. The most effective way to train for a particular activity is to practice that activity regularly.

2, 3, and 5 pound handweights
Photo by Marco Verch (via creative commons 2.0 license)

The second principle of exercise training is progressive overload, which involves increasing the frequency, intensity, and time of an activity. In other words, progressive overload means making the body work harder, longer, or more often over time. Overload is an important concept because, to a certain degree, as the amount and intensity of activity are increased, so are the health and fitness benefits. Exercise and sports medicine professionals recommend increasing duration before intensity for individuals that are more sedentary or have lower overall fitness (American College of Sports Medicine, 2006).

Why Cross Train?

Cross training—participating in multiple types of activities across and within each of the components of fitness—can contribute to progressive overload and performance. Even though running is the primary focus when someone is training for an event like a 5K race, incorporating cross training in the form of resistance training, cycling, or swimming can improve running performance. Cross training can not only improve performance, but help prevent injury and boredom. In addition, a program that incorporates a variety of activities can increase and maintain interest and motivation.

 

Self-Assess Your Understanding

  • Identify examples of changes to frequency, intensity, time, and type of activity.
  • What are the benefits of cross training?
  • Define progressive overload and specificity.
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