1. Principles of Training
DEFINITION: The principles of training are the rules that need to be followed when planning and undertaking a physical activity training programme.
There are 5 main principles of training:
Specificity
Progressive Overload
Rest & Recovery
Reversibility
Individual Needs
The acronyms to remember these are SPORR & RIN
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

2. 1.
Specificity
DEFINITION: Working on the correct area of the body or making sure your training relates to the sport you are doing.
It means that you train certain body parts OR components of fitness that will help you in your sport.
Examples:
If you are a marathon runner you would work on improving your cardiovascular fitness rather than your muscular strength.
If you are a cyclist, you would work on improving muscular endurance in your legs instead of in your arms.
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

3. 2.
Progressive Overload
DEFINITION: Slowly increasing the amount of exercise you do to ensure gradual improvements.
It means that you train MORE/HARDER every session in order to make sure that you keep getting better.
As you exercise, your body adapts and gets fitter.
You have to keep working harder to make sure that you keep getting fitter and fitter.
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

4. 3.
Rest & Recovery
DEFINITION: Allowing time in the training programme for the body to rest, repair and restore itself following exercise.
Rest allows time for the body to recover:
Carbohydrates stores are refilled (increasing energy levels)
Muscles repair themselves and the fibres heal (making them stronger)
Allows time for injuries to heal
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

5. 4.
Reversibility
DEFINITION: If you stop training (due to injury or laziness) you will return to your original fitness level.
The body will get fitter with exercise BUT stopping exercise will cause this fitness to be lost.
Often injury or illness causes reversibility. You would have to stop training, which will lower fitness levels and also cause a drop in performance.
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

6. 5.
Individual Needs
DEFINITION: Training programmes must be used by the individual that they are designed for – they will be specific to their sport and their current level of fitness.
Examples:
A high jumper would not use the training programme of a weight-lifter – it would lead to injury and would not help high jump performance.
I would not give Brandon the same training programme as me – he would never be able to lift the heavy weights I use OR run as far as I do on the treadmill.
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)

7. Extra.
F.I.T.T
DEFINITION: Stands for Frequency, Intensity, Time and Type. In order to show progressive overload (making training harder) you need to use at least one of the FITT principles.
Frequency relates to how often you train. To make training harder you could train 3 times per week instead of 2.
Intensity relates to how hard you train. You could increase intensity by lifting heavier weights OR running on the treadmill at a higher speed.
Time relates to the amount of time that you train for. Running for 15 minutes one session and then running 20 minutes the next session would make it harder.
Type relates to the type of training you are doing. Using a different piece of CV fitness equipment (treadmill, rowing machine etc) ever session makes it harder and avoids boredom.
Principles of Training (GCSE PE: Unit 1.1.4)