Principles of training, injury prevention and warm-ups — Edexcel GCSE Physical Education revision

Principles of training: SPORT and FITT

• SPORT stands for Specificity, Progressive overload, Reversibility and Tedium — the key principles that guide effective training design.
• Specificity means training should match the demands of the sport, activity or the individual's targeted fitness component.
• Progressive overload means gradually increasing the demands placed on the body (frequency, intensity, time, type) so it keeps adapting without causing injury.
• Reversibility means fitness gains are lost if training stops or is reduced, sometimes called 'detraining'.
• Tedium refers to boredom from repeating the same training, which can reduce motivation, so variety should be included.

FITT and SMART targets

• FITT stands for Frequency (how often), Intensity (how hard), Time (how long) and Type (which method) — used to apply progressive overload safely.
• Increasing frequency, intensity or time gradually creates overload without excessive risk of injury.
• SMART targets should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic (or Relevant) and Time-bound.
• Setting SMART targets helps performers stay motivated, track progress and adjust training plans effectively.
• Overtraining occurs when training load exceeds recovery capacity, leading to fatigue, illness, poor performance and increased injury risk.

Key terms

Specificity

Training that matches the demands of the sport or the fitness component targeted.

Progressive overload

Gradually increasing training demands so the body keeps adapting.

Reversibility

Loss of fitness gains when training stops or reduces.

Tedium

Boredom caused by repetitive training, reducing motivation.

FITT principle

Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type — factors adjusted to apply overload.

SMART targets

Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound goals.

Common exam traps

• Confusing a sprain (ligament) with a strain (muscle/tendon) — remember 'sprain' = joint ligament.
• Forgetting reversibility means fitness is lost quickly if training stops, not gained faster.
• Thinking progressive overload means increasing everything at once — usually only one FITT factor is changed at a time.

Practice questions with answers

1. 1. What does the 'S' in SPORT principles stand for?

   • • Specificity
   • • Speed
   • • Strength
   • • Skill

   Answer: Specificity

   Specificity means training should match the sport or fitness component targeted.

2. 2. What does FITT stand for?

   Answer: Frequency, Intensity, Time, Type

   These four factors can be manipulated to apply progressive overload.

3. 3. Which principle explains why fitness gains are lost if training stops?

   • • Reversibility
   • • Specificity
   • • Tedium
   • • Overload

   Answer: Reversibility

   Reversibility (detraining) means fitness declines without continued training.

4. 4. Which of these best describes progressive overload?

   • • Gradually increasing training demands over time
   • • Doing the exact same session every week
   • • Stopping training completely for a month
   • • Reducing training intensity permanently

   Answer: Gradually increasing training demands over time

   Progressive overload increases demands gradually to force adaptation safely.

5. 5. Name the five components of a SMART target.

   Answer: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound

   SMART targets should meet all five criteria to be effective.

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