A tennis player is planning a personal exercise programme to improve their overall fitness for the sport. (a) State what the letters in the FITT principle s...

(a) The FITT principle

The FITT principle is a framework for designing a personal exercise programme. Each letter stands for:

• F = Frequency - how often you train [1]
• I = Intensity - how hard you train [1]
• T = Time - how long each session lasts [1]
• T = Type - what kind of training you do [1]

(b) Applying FITT to a tennis player's programme

A tennis player could apply each component as follows:

• Frequency: Train 4 times per week, allowing rest days for recovery between sessions. This ensures the body has time to adapt without overtraining. [1]
• Intensity: Work at 70-80% of maximum heart rate during cardiovascular sessions, or use perceived exertion scales during on-court drills. This intensity mirrors the demands of a competitive match. [1]
• Time: Each training session lasts 45-60 minutes. This is long enough to produce a training effect but not so long that quality deteriorates. [1]
• Type: Use interval training to replicate the stop-start nature of tennis rallies, and include agility ladder drills to improve footwork and change of direction. The type of training should match the physical demands of the sport. [1]