If you’ve recently stepped into the gym for the first time, we’re sure you’ve come across some new expressions that everyone in the gym seems to use and know what those terms mean. Below you can find a list of frequently used terms related to training, exercises and gym equipment.
REPETITION (REPS)
Number how many times you perform a movement. It is usually 8, 10, 12, 15 or 20 times.
LOAD
The number of pounds you use when performing a particular exercise.
SETS
Groups of repetition numbers in one exercise. For example, 3×10 (read three times ten), the number 3 indicates the number of series, and 10 repetitions are performed in each series.
CHEATING
If you perform the exercise and, in addition to the muscles that you strengthen with the exercise, you also perform the last few repetitions with another part of the body, usually when it becomes difficult. Cheating often involves swinging, shortened trajectory or poor form, so it should be avoided.
ASSISTANCE
When the other person helps you complete the exercise. Assistance is also called spotting.
ENDURANCE POINT
The moment when further exercise seems impossible. The exercise then continues to be performed with great effort or with the help of a person we call a training partner (spotter).
TRAINING PARTNER (spotter)
A person who comes to the rescue when the exerciser reaches a point of endurance or if the exerciser develops muscle fatigue. The training partner provides you with help, encouragement, and motivation. It can also protect you from possible injuries, especially when using free weights.
PR / PB (Personal Record / Personal Best)
A measure for your best performance of a particular exercise. This can be the highest number of repetitions, but it usually refers to the largest amount of load (kilograms) that you can lift.
MACHINES
The part of the equipment in the gym that is used for movements that are performed strictly, predefined and controlled. There are various devices for different muscle groups. It is important that they are safe to use.
FREE WEIGHTS
Free weights are dumbbells and bars. Weight plates can be added to the ends of both, which are then fastened with a clamp, so that the weight plates do not slip accidentally during exercise. Olympic bars that weigh 20 kg on their own. They are commonly used in bench presses, squats and deadlifts.
LEG DAY
A common term for every day you exercise, and your training focuses on lower body movements instead of upper body movements. There are many movements you can include in your leg day: squats, deadlifts, leg presses, lunges and many other exercises.
UPPER BODY DAY
On your upper body training days, you will train only your upper body muscles. This will include the chest, shoulders, back, biceps, triceps, forearms and even the core muscles.
PUSH TRAINING
In push training, you train all the push muscles of the upper body, i.e. the chest, shoulders and triceps. During this type of training, exercises are performed by pushing the load away from us.
PULL TRAINING
In the pull training you train all the traction muscles of the upper part of the body, i.e. the back and biceps. During this type of training, exercises are performed in which you pull the load towards yourself.
PPL TRAINING (Push / Pull / Legs)
It is a very simple training method in which you divide your body into three parts. And each part is then trained on its own special day. These three workouts (push training, pull tening, lower body training) are then alternated over as many weekly workouts as you choose.
CARDIO TRAINING
Cardio is defined as any type of exercise that speeds up your heart rate. During this type of training, your respiratory system will start working harder as you start breathing faster and deeper. Cardio training most often includes running, brisk walking, skipping rope, exercises that include jumping and a large number of repetitions.
ISOLATION EXERCISES (single joint exercises)
As the name suggests, in one-joint exercises, movement is performed in only one joint. A typical example of such an exercise is the biceps flexion. In exercises like this, the focus is on one muscle or part of the body.
MULTI-JOINT EXERCISES (compound movements)
In multi-joint exercises, movement is performed in two or more joints, and therefore, multiple muscle groups are activated. Some of the most common examples of multi-joint exercises are squats, bench press and deadlifts.
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD
Progressive overload is the process of gradually increasing weight, frequency, or number of repetitions in your strength training routine. This challenges your body and allows your musculoskeletal system to strengthen.
TABATA
The principle of training in which you perform exercises as hard as you can for 20 seconds and rest for 10 seconds. This is one set. In the tabata we have eight series of each exercise.
HIGH-INTENSIVE INTERVAL TRAINING (HIIT)
Training in which intervals of intensive activities and fixed periods of less intensive activity or short rest alternate.
BULKING
A term commonly used by bodybuilders. Bulking is the phase of gaining muscle. You need to intentionally ingest more calories than your body needs in a given period – often 4-6 months. These extra calories give your body the fuel it needs to increase muscle size and strength during weight training.
CUTTING
Cutting, or the fat loss phase, refers to gradually reducing calorie intake and increasing aerobic training to reduce excess body fat from the bulking phase, allowing for improved muscle definition.
Now you can easily join every conversation in the gym and better understand the procedure and principles of training! See you at the gym,
Your Gyms4you team
