What are the principles of training (SPORRT and FITT), and how are they applied to make a programme effective?
The principles of training (specificity, progression, overload, recovery, reversibility and tedium - SPORRT), the FITT principle (frequency, intensity, time, type) used to apply overload, and the idea of peaking, applied to a training programme.
A focused CCEA GCSE Physical Education answer on the principles of training, covering SPORRT (specificity, progression, overload, recovery, reversibility, tedium), the FITT principle for applying overload, and peaking, all applied to a training programme.
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What this dot point is asking
CCEA wants you to know the principles of training summarised as SPORRT, the FITT principle used to apply overload, and the idea of peaking, and to apply them to a training programme. CCEA's SPORRT is specificity, progression, overload, recovery, reversibility and tedium, note the double R with recovery. Getting these principles right is what makes training actually improve fitness.
The principles of training: SPORRT
Note that CCEA's version has two Rs, recovery and reversibility, so do not leave recovery out. Each principle answers a different question about how to train well.
Applying overload: the FITT principle
To overload safely you change one or two FITT variables at a time, then let progression raise them gradually as the body adapts.
| FITT element | How to increase it | Example for a runner |
|---|---|---|
| Frequency | Train more often | 3 runs to 4 runs a week |
| Intensity | Work harder | Add hill or faster sections |
| Time | Train for longer | 30 to 40 minutes |
| Type | Change the method | Add interval training |
Peaking
A performer builds fitness through the season, then tapers (eases off) just before the big event so they are fresh and at their peak when it matters. Peaking links to progression and recovery: you progress to build fitness, then recover to be fresh on the day.
Examples in context
Example 1. Reversibility during injury. A swimmer who breaks an arm and cannot train for six weeks loses fitness: their aerobic endurance and muscular strength fall because the training stimulus has stopped. This is reversibility, "use it or lose it", and it is why athletes try to maintain some training even when injured.
Example 2. Tedium and motivation. A runner who does the same 5km route every day quickly gets bored and may give up. Varying the training, fartlek one day, intervals the next, a long run at the weekend, keeps it interesting and maintains motivation. Tedium reminds us that a programme must be enjoyable enough to stick with, linking to adherence.
Try this
Q1. State what each letter of FITT stands for. [4 marks]
- Cue. Frequency (how often), Intensity (how hard), Time (how long), Type (which method).
Q2. Explain the principle of reversibility. [2 marks]
- Cue. Fitness is lost if training stops or is reduced, for example losing endurance during a lay-off ("use it or lose it").
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of CCEA exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
CCEA 2023 Paper 26 marksExplain the principles of training represented by SPORRT, using examples from a training programme.Show worked answer →
One mark per principle correctly explained with an example (up to six).
Specificity: training must match the sport and the component needed, for example a sprinter doing speed work rather than long runs.
Progression: training is made gradually harder over time as the body adapts, for example adding distance or weight each week.
Overload: the body must work harder than normal to improve, achieved through the FITT principle.
Recovery: the body needs rest between sessions to repair and adapt, for example a rest day after a hard session.
Reversibility: fitness is lost if training stops or is reduced, for example losing endurance during an injury lay-off.
Tedium: training must be varied to avoid boredom, for example mixing methods so the performer stays motivated.
Markers reward each SPORRT principle explained with an example. Note CCEA's SPORRT includes recovery, so do not omit it.
CCEA 2022 Paper 24 marksExplain how the FITT principle can be used to apply overload to a runner's programme.Show worked answer →
One mark for each element of FITT applied to the runner.
Frequency: increase how often they train, for example from three to four runs a week.
Intensity: increase how hard they work, for example running faster or up hills.
Time: increase how long each session lasts, for example from 30 to 40 minutes.
Type: change the method to keep developing the right fitness, for example adding interval sessions.
Markers reward each FITT element applied to the runner to increase the training demand (overload).
Related dot points
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