Utilizing the SAID Principle in Training: How EYS Program Design Delivers Results
In the world of fitness, achieving results requires more than just showing up - it requires training smart. One of the foundational concepts we build our programs on at Earn Your Stripes is the SAID Principle - Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands. This principle states that your body will adapt to the demands you place on it, whether that’s strength, endurance, or mobility.
The Science of SAID
The SAID Principle tells us that training needs to be specific to the outcome we want to achieve. Whether you're looking to build strength, improve cardiovascular endurance, or develop functional movement, the body will respond best to exercises that target those specific goals. This principle is critical when designing any effective fitness program—and it's central to how we structure workouts at EYS.
How EYS Leverages the SAID Principle
At EYS, we understand that to achieve real, lasting results, your workouts must challenge your body in a targeted way. That’s why we’ve built our programming around three key components that address different fitness goals, all while keeping you engaged and pushing your limits.
- EYS Fit focuses on building strength and endurance through high-intensity, multi-station circuit training.
- EYS Core zeroes in on strengthening the foundation of your body, focusing on core stability and functional movement.
- EYS Combat blends explosive boxing and dynamic floor work to boost cardiovascular fitness and total-body power.
Each of these formats targets different areas of the body with specific exercises that align with your goals - whether it's pushing for muscle growth, building endurance, or improving agility and power. By progressively increasing the intensity and variation in the workouts, we ensure your body continues to adapt and improve.
The Results?
Whether you're a beginner or seasoned athlete, our commitment to the SAID Principle guarantees that the EYS program adapts to your current level, continuously challenging you to evolve and reach new heights in your fitness journey. The result? Increased performance, better results, and a strong, resilient body that’s ready for whatever comes next.
Benefits of HIIT
EYS Admin
Those brief windows of relief in your workout have an incredibly important role in improving your fitness. Your body has an amazing ability to source and burn energy, but it can only do so much untrained. Your fitness levels are connected to your body’s ability to source and burn energy, and generally, the more proficient it is in doing so, the more you can achieve in a workout. The good news – this can be trained, by sticking to the intervals.
In your EYS sessions, you should make sure to stick to the working time and rest time, no longer and no shorter. The workouts at EYS are designed specifically to challenge the body’s energy systems enough so that they get better at sourcing and burning that energy. So embrace the rest, but when a coach tells you to start working, get straight into it! When they say hold on for those last few seconds, HOLD ON! You can do it!
Heart Rate Zones and Training
EYS Admin
There has been a lot of buzz in the fitness community about HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and using your heart rate to determine your intensity.
For the longest time, we have exercised without much thought as to what our heart rate is or why it is important. Over time we have started to understand how training at different heart rates can affect our body. Different heart rates fall into “zones” which correlate to different energy systems your body recruits during exercise.
Your body uses two different energy systems while exercising.
The aerobic energy system involves a lower heart rate and anaerobic energy system involves a higher heart rate.
- Examples of aerobic exercise would be walking, running, rowing, cycling, and swimming.
- Anaerobic exercise would be sprinting, Olympic lifting, jumping, or short exertion exercises.
An easy way to determine your heart rate/zone is by using a heart rate monitor. At EYS, we allow members to choose whether or not to use a HR monitor system.
The EYS heart rate monitor system tells you:
- heart rate
- what zone you are training in
- your effort level based on Target Achievement Points (TAPS)
- calories burned
During HIIT training we want you to be working at 80% or more of your estimated max heart rate (MHR).
How do you find your max heart rate? Use this easy formula: 206.3 – (.711 X your age).
Since you are working at max effort (unable to carry on a conversation) you will need an allowed rest time so your body is able to work at that same effort level during your next set. This rest time should be at 40-50% of your estimated max heart rate.
HIIT uses different work-to-rest ratios to keep your workout intense.