Principles of Training — SPORT and FITT

This lesson covers the principles of training required by the OCR GCSE PE specification (J587). OCR uses two acronyms — SPORT and FITT — to organise these principles. You must know what each letter stands for, be able to define each principle, and apply it to a practical training scenario. This is a frequently examined topic in OCR Paper 1.

---

The SPORT Principles

The five SPORT principles describe the fundamental rules that any effective training programme must follow.

Specificity

Definition: Training must be relevant to the sport, activity, or fitness component being developed.

• Training should target the muscles used, the energy systems used, and the movements performed in the performer's sport.
• A 100 m sprinter should focus on anaerobic sprint training, not long slow distance runs.
• A swimmer should train in the pool (specificity of environment), not just on a rowing machine.
• Specificity also applies to the position played — a goalkeeper's training is different from a striker's.

Exam Tip: When applying specificity, always name the sport, the muscles or energy system involved, and explain why the training method is relevant. A vague answer such as "the training should be specific" will not score marks.

Progressive Overload

Definition: Gradually increasing the demands placed on the body over time in order to bring about continued improvement.

• The body adapts to a given training load. If the load stays the same, fitness levels plateau.
• Overload can be achieved by increasing frequency, intensity, time, or changing the type of exercise (these link to FITT).
• Progression must be gradual — increasing the load too quickly risks injury.

graph LR
    A["Current<br>Fitness Level"] -->|"Apply<br>Overload"| B["Body<br>Adapts"]
    B -->|"Increase<br>Demands"| C["Higher<br>Fitness Level"]
    C -->|"Apply<br>Further Overload"| D["Further<br>Adaptation"]

    style A fill:#3498db,color:#fff
    style B fill:#2ecc71,color:#fff
    style C fill:#3498db,color:#fff
    style D fill:#2ecc71,color:#fff

Example of Progressive Overload in Practice

Week	Training Load	How Overload Is Applied
Week 1	3 × 20-minute runs per week	Baseline
Week 3	3 × 25-minute runs per week	Increased time
Week 5	4 × 25-minute runs per week	Increased frequency
Week 7	4 × 25-minute runs at faster pace	Increased intensity

Reversibility

Definition: If training stops or the intensity is significantly reduced, the body will gradually lose the fitness gains that were made.

• Often summarised as "use it or lose it."
• Fitness gains are lost approximately three times faster than they are gained.
• Reversibility can occur due to injury, illness, lack of motivation, or an off-season break.
• Cardiovascular endurance is typically lost faster than strength.
• A performer returning from a long break must rebuild fitness gradually to avoid injury.

Tedium

Definition: Training should be varied to avoid boredom and maintain motivation.

• Performing the same exercises every session leads to mental fatigue and reduced effort.
• Variety can be introduced by: changing the training method, training in different environments, training with different people, using music, or incorporating competitive elements.
• Example: a runner could alternate between continuous runs, fartlek sessions, and interval sessions during the week.

Exam Tip: Tedium is sometimes overlooked by students, but it appears regularly in OCR exams. A good answer will explain that boredom leads to reduced motivation, which leads to lower effort and poorer training adaptations — or even the performer stopping training altogether.

---

The FITT Principles

FITT describes how to apply overload within a training programme. Each letter represents a variable that can be manipulated.

Frequency

Definition: How often a person trains (usually measured in sessions per week).

• A beginner might train 2–3 times per week.
• An elite athlete might train 5–6 times per week, sometimes multiple sessions per day.
• Rest days are important to allow recovery and adaptation.

Intensity