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Ramona’s Trainer: Are you FITTE?

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RamonasTrainer.storyBy Peter San Nicolas

Everyone wants to be FIT, but not everyone understands the benefits of being FITTE. The FITTE principle has been a long-term component of personal training and coaching for years.

The FITTE principle is used to help keep you moving forward and making progress. I know, you’re in the dark and have no clue what I’m talking about, so let me explain.

F — Frequency

I — Intensity

T — Time

T — Type

E — Enjoyment

By varying and changing these components, one can keep the results coming and the stagnation at bay. So let’s jump in and get educated, because education is motivation, and now is the time to get motivated with summer right around the corner.

Frequency

is how many times per week you’re going to dedicate to your fitness regimen. If you’re doing nothing right now, I urge you to do at least three days per week. This is a great start and allows for an every other day schedule.

Intensity

is the difficulty level at which you are exercising. This can be measured by perceived exertion level on a scale of 1-10, one being extremely easy and 10 being extremely hard. It can also be measured by heart rate percentage.

Time

is the amount of allotted time per workout or per week. I like to use workout time per week. Let’s say you’re going to dedicate two hours per week to your routine split up over three days, or approximately 40 minutes per bout of activity.

Type

refers to the mode of exercise. The key here is to change it and keep it fresh. Our bodies adapt to the movements we perform on a regular basis, so do your best not to give it a chance to do so.

There are a variety of options for variation. You can change it daily, you can mix steady cardio to high intensity interval training cardio. You can change the resistance training movement, the order, the rep scheme and set number. You can vary the hiking routes each time you go for a hike. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoyment

is critical. Even though it’s the last variable, I feel it is the overarching component. If you don’t like a specific type of activity, then you’re less likely to stick with it. Although the benefits of Pilates training are great, I’m not going to stick with it long term and therefore don’t make that a staple of my routine. I still must incorporate some of it in for the benefits.

One doesn’t have to do Olympic lifting if one just doesn’t care for it, but there are great benefits to the lifts. The key is find something you like, make that the staple and sprinkle some of the others around that cornerstone.

Get FITTE, Ramona, and start on your path to being you, only better.

Peter San Nicolas, owner of Ramona Fitness Center, is a personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

By Peter San Nicolas

Owner Ramona Fitness Center

Peter San Nicolas

Owner, Ramona Fitness Center

National Academy of Sports Medicine - Certified Fitness Professional

Titleist Performance Institute - Certified Golf Fitness Professional

Crossfit Level 1 - Certified Trainer

Ramona Sentinel Columnist - Ramona’s Trainer

619-840-0993 Mobile

760-789-3500 Club

www.ramonafitness.com

www.ramonastrainer.com

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