Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

BUENAVISTA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
"Your Future Is Our Commitment"

PATH-FIT: Movement Competency Training

First Semester (A.Y. 2024-2025) Module 1

Lesson 3 Basic Principles of Training

The scientific evidence demonstrating the beneficial effects of exercise is indisputable, and the benefits
of exercise far outweigh the risks in most adults. For most adults, an exercise program including aerobic,
resistance, flexibility, and neuromotor exercise training is indispensable to improve and maintain physical
fitness and health. An exercise training program ideally is designed to meet individual health and physical
fitness goals within the context of individual health status, function, and the respective physical and social
environment.
What is the difference between physical activity and exercise? Physical activity refers to the
contraction of skeletal muscle that produces bodily movement and requires energy. Exercise is physical
activity that is planned and is performed with the goal of attaining or maintaining physical fitness. Physical
fitness is a set of traits that allows an individual to perform physical activity
By using the principles of training as a framework we can plan a personal training program that uses
scientific principles to improve performance, skill, game ability and physical fitness. A successful training
program will meet individual needs which are personal fitness needs based on age, gender, fitness level and
the sport for which we are training. A successful training program will also include exercise in the correct
heart-rate target zone.

The key principles when planning a program are:

1. Principle of Specificity – training must be matched to the needs of the sporting activity to improve
fitness in the body parts the sport uses.- It simply states that exercising a certain body part or component of
the body primarily develops that part. The principle of specificity implies that to become better at a particular
exercise or skill, you must perform that exercise or skill.
2. Principle of Overload - fitness can only be improved by training more than you normally do. You must
work hard. It also infers that a greater than normal stress or load on the body is required for training
adaptation to take place. What this means is that in order to improve our fitness, strength or endurance, we
need to increase the workload accordingly. In order for a muscle (including the heart) to increase strength, it
must be gradually
stressed by working against a load greater than it is accustomed to. To increase endurance, muscles must
work for a longer period of time than they are accustomed to or at a higher intensity level. This could mean
lifting more weight or doing high-intensity interval training workouts.
3. Principle of Progression – It implies that there is an optimal level of overload that should be achieved,
and an optimal time frame for this overload to occur. A gradual and systematic increase in the workload over a
period of time will result in improvements in fitness without risk of injury. If overload occurs too slowly,
improvement is unlikely, but overload that is increased too rapidly may result in injury or muscle damage. It
also stresses the need for proper rest and recovery. Continual stress on the body and constant overload will
result in exhaustion and injury. You should not train hard all the time, as you'll risk overtraining and a decrease
in fitness.
4. Principle of Reversibility – any adaptation that takes place as a result of training will be reversed when
you stop training. If you take a break or don’t train often enough you will lose fitness. Adaptation refers to the
body's ability to adjust to increased or decreased physical demands. It is also one way we learn to coordinate
muscle movement and develop sports- specific skills, such as batting, swimming freestyle, or shooting free
throws. Repeatedly practicing a skill or activity makes it second-nature and easier to perform. Adaptation
explains why beginning exercisers are often sore after starting a new routine, but after doing the same
exercise for weeks and months they have little, if any, muscle soreness. In planning a program, use the FITT
principles to add the detail:
a. Frequency - decide how often to train.
b. Intensity - choose how hard to train.
c. Time - decide for how long to train.
d. Type - decide which methods of training to use.
5. Principle of moderation. It is important to have rest periods which allow the body to adapt. Too much
training (overtraining) can lead to injury.
6. The Principle of Individual Differences. It simply means that, because we all are unique individuals, we
will all have a slightly different response to an exercise program. This is another way of saying that "one size
does not fit all" when it comes to exercise. Well-designed exercise programs should be based on our
individual differences and responses to exercise. Some of these differences have to do with body size and
shape, genetics, past experience, chronic conditions, injuries, and even gender. For example, women
generally need more recovery time than men,1 and older athletes generally need more recovery time than
younger athletes.
7. The Principle of Use/Disuse. The Principle of Use/Disuse implies that when it comes to fitness, you do
actually "use it or lose it." This simply means that your muscles hypertrophy with use and atrophy with disuse.
This also explains why we decondition or lose fitness when we stop exercise. Muscle hypertrophy is a term for
the growth and increase of the size of muscle cells. The most common type of muscular hypertrophy occurs
as a result of physical exercise such as weightlifting, and the term is often associated with weight training.
Atrophy, decrease in size of a body part, cell, organ, or other tissue. The term implies that the atrophied part
was of a size normal for the individual, considering age and circumstance, prior to the diminution. In atrophy of
an organ or body part, there may be a reduction in the number or in the size of the component cells, or in
both.

Principles of Training provides insight into the different variables presented by training tasks. It
presents a wide sample of experimental data to reveal to the intending practitioner of training—whether in
industry, in sport, in the defense services or other fields—that awareness of experimental findings must be
paralleled by competence in analyzing tasks in order to determine how and where any particular principles
may reasonably be applied.

Principles and methods of training

A tailored training program will help you achieve your fitness goals. The FITT acronym and calculating
target zones make training more efficient.

Methods of training. Specific training methods can be used to improve each fitness factor.
a. Circuit training involves performing a series of exercises in a special order called a circuit. Each activity
takes place at a 'station'.
b. Continuous training involves working for a sustained period of time without rest.
c. Cross training involves using another sport or activity to improve your fitness. It happens when an
athlete trains in a different environment. For example a volleyball player uses the power training for that sport
to help with fitness for long jump.
d. Fartlek training or 'speed play' training involves varying your speed and the type of terrain over which
you run, walk, cycle or ski.
e. Interval training involves alternating between periods of hard exercise and rest. It improves speed and
muscular endurance.
f. Weight training uses weights to provide resistance to the muscles.
g. Altitude training is aerobic training high above sea level, where oxygen levels are lower. It is used to
increase aerobic fitness quickly.

General methods of training can be applied to specific sports. For example, continuous training might
involve swimming, cycling, rowing, aerobics or running.

Calculating target zones and thresholds of training

To train effectively you must know:
 your current level of fitness
 the amount of aerobic training you need for your sport
 the amount of anaerobic training you need for your sport

For example, sprinters use mainly anaerobic training and marathon runners use mainly aerobic
training.
You can use your maximum heart rate (MHR) to calculate how hard you should work your heart to develop
either aerobic or anaerobic fitness.

To calculate MHR: Formula

MHR = 220 - age = bpm

MHR at 60-80% Intensity (Moderate) MHR at 80-100% Intensity (Vigorous)

 Formula: MHR x .60= bpm Formula: MHR x .80=bpm
MHR x .80=bpm MHR x 1.0=bpm

Aerobic fitness is another way of describing cardiovascular fitness, or stamina. You can improve aerobic
fitness by working in your aerobic target zone. This is found between 60-80% of your MHR. You cross your
aerobic threshold, the heart rate above which you gain aerobic fitness, at 60% of our MHR.
You can improve your anaerobic fitness, which includes strength, power and muscular endurance, by
working in your anaerobic target zone. This is found between 80-100% of your MHR. Anaerobic threshold is
the heart rate above which you gain anaerobic fitness. You cross your anaerobic threshold at 80% of your
MHR. Below 60% MHR you do not improve your aerobic or anaerobic fitness at all.
Stages of a training session
1. Warm up
 Whole body exercise to raise heart rate and body temperature.
 Stretching to prepare muscles, ligaments and joints.
 Practising skills and techniques to be used in the session.
2. Main activity - this could be:
 fitness training - which may be linked to repeated technique work
 skill development - drills or team practices
 modified or conditioned games
3. Warm down (sometimes called cool down)
 Light exercise to help remove carbon dioxide, lactic acid and other waste products.
 Gentle stretching to prevent muscle soreness and stiffness later.

We have all heard it many times before - regular exercise is good for you, and it can help you lose weight.
But if you are like many Filipinos, you are busy, you have a sedentary job, and you haven't yet changed your
exercise habits. The good news is that it's never too late to start. You can start slowly and find ways to fit more
physical activity into your life. To get the most benefit, you should try to get the recommended amount of
exercise for your age. If you can do it, the payoff is that you will feel better, help prevent or control many
diseases, and likely even live longer.
Exercise is defined as any movement that makes your muscles work and requires your body to burn
calories. There are many types of physical activity, including swimming, running, jogging, walking and
dancing, to name a few. Being active has been shown to have many health benefits, both physically and
mentally. It may even help you live longer.

TYPES OF EXERCISE EXAMPLE

Cardio training (aerobic and anaerobic) A brisk walk
a. Steady state (aerobic)- It refers to the pace of your Jogging
workout and can involve any level of intensity. Climbing the stairs
b. Low- and moderate intensity (aerobic)- can be Playing tennis
measured as any exercise that keeps your heart Dancing
rate below 50% of your MHR (maximum heart rate Biking
c. High-intensity and intervals (anaerobic) - This is Doing yard work like raking,
where you can expect to work pretty darn hard, digging and gardening
elevating and maintaining your heart rate above Swimming laps
70% of your MHR

Weight training (resistance training) Lifting free weights

a. Hypertrophy: Enlargement muscles by increasing Using resistance machines at
size of cells in muscle fiber the gym
b. Muscular endurance: Ability of muscles to exert Using resistance bands to
tension over a long period of time leverage your own body
weight in building strength
c. Muscular strength: The amount of force a muscle
exerts in a single max. effort
d. Cardio training: Using weights or resistance to work
your aerobic energy systems

Flexibility Stretching various parts of the

a. Static stretching body
b. Dynamic stretching Doing yoga
c. Passive stretching
 d. Active stretching
e. Ballistic stretching
f. PNF (Proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation)

Balance exercises Heel-to-toe walking

Standing on one foot
Practicing tai chi poses

Sports Team sports like hockey,

basketball and soccer
Yoga Hatha, Ashtanga, Iyengar, hot
yoga, vinyasa flow,
Kundalini and yin
Pilates

Mobility work

Health benefits of exercise

1. Help you control your weight. Along with diet, exercise plays an important role in controlling your weight
and preventing obesity.
2. Reduce your risk of heart diseases. Exercise strengthens your heart and improves your circulation. The
increased blood flow raises the oxygen levels in your body.
3. Help your body manage blood sugar and insulin levels. Exercise can lower your blood sugar level
and help your insulin work better.
4. Help you quit smoking. Exercise may make it easier to quit smoking by reducing your cravings and
withdrawal symptoms.
5. Improve your mental health and mood. During exercise, your body releases chemicals that can
improve your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

Here are a few habits you can add to your daily routine to live an active and energized lifestyle.
1. Get moving
Physical activity doesn’t just have to be exercise but can also include any sort of body movement. This
includes activities such as dancing, swimming or even playing your favorite sport so you can maintain a
healthy lifestyle while having fun.
2. Maintain a healthy diet
A healthy outside starts from the inside’. In addition to physical activity, the food we eat is also essential
to maintaining a healthy and active lifestyle. Eating the right food not only protects us from illnesses but also
gives us the energy to engage in physical activity.
3. Meditate more
Getting enough physical activity is essential for good health, but your mental wellness is just as
important. The daily stressors of meeting deadlines and obligations can often get to us, making it difficult to
stick to our fitness goals. This is why, is important to take a break and focus on fulfillment from within.
4. Get enough sleep
Sleep allows our bodies to shut down while the regenerative and healing process begins, and it is
considered to be more important to your health than food and exercise. A good night’s sleep can help reduce
stress levels and help you maintain a healthy weight.
5. Pick a hobby
One of the best ways to maintain an active lifestyle is doing something you love. When you do
something that makes you happy psychologically, it is known to release endorphins in the body. The brain
focuses on an activity you enjoy such as a painting or dancing and the chemicals reactions in your brain
change for the better.
6. Get a regular health checkup
A health checkup can help analyze the state of your current health and also identify any potential
illnesses. Health-checkups can also help detect any changes you need to make to your current lifestyle. A
yearly health-checkup is recommended to ensure you are in the pink of health. Neuberg offers extensive
health-checkup packages and routine health checkups.
7. Reward yourself
While sticking to your habits is important you should also reward yourself for all the effort you have
taken to change your life for the better. If you are following a new diet, take a cheat day to enjoy some foods
that you love.
Guide Questions:

1. What is the difference between physical activity and exercise?

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2. What are the 7 key principles planning a training program? Describe each.
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3. Why is the principle of training important?

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4. What are the health benefits of exercise?

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Prepared by:

CRISANTO M. GUDIA
P.E. Instructor