A Glossary Of Fitness Terms Worth Knowing

Every industry has its own language and terms. These words and phrases can be confusing to anyone who is not part of the daily operations of a specific sector, and the fitness business is no exception.

To help you understand the terms, acronyms, and phrases regularly used when working with a personal trainer, Bar None Fitness Studio has created this handy reference guide. Here you’ll find valuable information allowing you to comprehend and communicate your fitness needs effectively.

Circuit
A series of exercises performed back to back with little to no rest in between each exercise. One round through the exercises would be considered one set.

PB
Peanut butter and personal best! The terms are totally interchangeable😜.

HIIT
It stands for high-intensity interval training and refers to short, high-intensity bursts of exercise, followed by a period of low-intensity recovery or rest. You would alternate between the high and low-intensity intervals for some time or several intervals. The most straightforward example is to think of high intensity as a sprint or an exercise you are performing quickly (fast air squats), followed by a jog or walk or a rest. Try starting with a one to two ratio of high-intensity interval length to low-intensity interval length (for example, a fifteen-second sprint or a thirty-second walk).

Rep
It’s also known as repetition and refers to a complete movement of a single exercise (one bicep curl is considered one rep). This movement consists of the eccentric (the motion of lengthening a muscle) and concentric (the motion of shortening a muscle) phases of the exercise.

Set
A set is a cycle of consecutive reps, usually followed by a period of rest or recovery. For example, three sets of twelve reps (that is three into twelve) would be considered performing twelve repetitions of an exercise (like bicep curls) three times. After each set of twelve repetitions, there would be a recovery period before beginning the next one.

Superset
These included two exercises performed back to back without rest or recovery in between. For example, if you are doing a superset of ten squats and ten seated rows, you would perform the ten squats and go right into the ten seated rows without resting in between the sets.

Isometric
Isometric exercise means you are holding a specific movement (stopping your body at a particular point in the activity) instead of contracting and releasing your muscles through the full range of the exercise. For example, an isometric squat would mean you are holding the squat, let’s say halfway down. Instead of squatting down and coming back up, you would hold the squat for a period. A wall sit or plank would also be considered isometric.

Hypertrophy
It is the increase in muscle cell size (muscular growth) which occurs during weight training. Hypertrophy training means increasing the training volume (more sets and reps), usually resulting in lifting somewhat lighter weights with a shorter rest time (for example, one to two to five minutes) between sets compared to strength training.

Strength training
This includes exercise specifically and strategically designed to improve muscular strength. Strength training means reducing the number of reps in a set (exercise volume) and lifting heavier weights with a longer rest time between sets (three to five mins).

Plyometric (Plyos)
Exercises that are explosive (exerting maximum force) and performed quickly. These exercises are designed to increase power. Jump squats, box jumps, and burpees would be considered plyometric exercises.

Tabata
A specific style of high-intensity interval training consists of twenty-second work intervals followed by ten-second rest or recovery intervals for eight rounds (that’s a total of four minutes). For example, you could perform jump squats for twenty seconds followed by ten seconds of rest for a total of eight rounds.

EPOC
It stands for excessive post-exercise oxygen consumption and is the increased rate of oxygen intake after carrying out a strenuous activity. It also results in increased metabolism and calories burned, sometimes referred to as the after-burn effect. It means that your body is still working even after your workout is complete.

DOMS
Delayed onset muscle soreness or DOMS is the soreness experienced twenty-four or seventy-two hours after exercise. But, more soreness doesn’t mean more gains. Being sore after an intense workout or after a new routine is a normal part of muscle and strength building, but feeling this after every workout wouldn’t necessarily translate to building more muscle and getting stronger. The constant stress on your body could mean you aren’t recovering well or may be nutritionally deficient.

Stretching
An essential part of every exercise program is stretching. Dynamic stretching requires an active extension to move a joint and muscle through its full available range of motion. This type of stretching is great for warming up your body before a workout (lunge twist, marching knees to chest, and butt kicks). You want to focus on keeping the body moving by only holding a stretch for less than five seconds.

Static stretching requires stretching a muscle close to its furthest available range of motion and holding that position for forty-five seconds or more. This type of stretching is ideal for after a workout or on non-workout days.

Mind-muscle connection
This is one of the most important connections to make while exercising. It refers to a purposeful, conscious effort that involves learning each section of a movement pattern. Whether it be a bicep curl, squat, row, or burpee, the mind-muscle connection allows you to visualize each part of your body in isolation as you perform the entire exercise. By focusing on where you are working, squeezing, and holding the tension, you can better isolate the targeted muscle(s) to really optimize the exercise and entire workout. In the end, it is more about your mind-muscle connection compared to how much weight you lifted. By mastering this, you will really be able to control your body and the outcome.

If you’re looking for a personal trainer in Burlington, ON, reach out to the experts at Bar None Fitness Studio. Our mission is to optimize our clients’ lives through exercise, nutrition, and positive energy. Our fully equipped fitness facility is dedicated to welcoming every “body” regardless of age or fitness level.

Our friendly fitness studio offers private one-on-one personal training sessions that work within our clients’ schedules, with no crowds, wait times, and intimidation often associated with “big box” gyms. We also have a smoothie and shake bar for clients to refresh, refuel, replenish and recover. We have clients visiting us from Burlington, Brampton, Brantford, Cambridge, Guelph, Halton Hills, Hamilton, Mississauga, Milton, and Oakville, ON. Please view our complete list of services here, , oread customer reviews here get in touch with us here.