Save time on researching strength terms with our extensive library of over 200+ commonly used phrases.
The one-repetition maximum (1RM) is the maximum weight lifted once in a specific exercise, serving as a strength benchmark.
Front torso muscles for core stability and movement support.
Absolute strength is the maximum force a person can exert, regardless of their size or weight.
Accessory or auxiliary exercises are supplemental movements performed alongside main exercises to target specific muscles or aspects of fitness. They help strengthen weaker muscles, improve balance, and prevent injuries
Active recovery means doing light physical activity after intense exercise to help muscles recover faster.
Adduction moves body parts toward the midline, while abduction moves them away from it.
Aerobic exercise is activity that boosts heart rate and breathing, like running or swimming.
The "all-or-nothing law" states that when a nerve fiber is stimulated, it will either produce a full response or none at all in the muscle fibers it innervates.
Amino acids are the basic units that make up proteins and play a crucial role in muscle repair and growth.
AMRAP means "As Many Rounds (or Reps) As Possible" in workouts.
Anabolism is the process in which the body builds and synthesizes complex molecules from simpler ones, typically leading to growth, repair, and maintenance of tissues.
ATP stands for Adenosine Triphosphate, which is a molecule that serves as the primary energy carrier in cells.
Atrophy refers to the wasting away or decrease in size of body tissues or organs, often due to a lack of use or injury.
Balance is the ability to maintain stability while still or moving, crucial for daily activities and sports.
Ballistic training means doing explosive exercises to improve power and speed.
Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the amount of energy expended by the body at rest to maintain basic physiological functions such as breathing, circulation, and cell production.
BCAAs stand for Branched-Chain Amino Acids, which are essential amino acids that play a crucial role in muscle protein synthesis and energy production during exercise.
"Bench" in weight training commonly refers to the bench press exercise, where an individual lies on a bench and lifts a barbell or dumbbells upward from the chest.
BF% stands for Body Fat Percentage, which represents the proportion of fat mass to total body weight.
"Bicep" refers to the biceps brachii muscle, which is a muscle located on the front of the upper arm. It is responsible for flexing the elbow joint and rotating the forearm.
Biomotor abilities are the fundamental physical qualities like strength, speed, and coordination crucial for movement and performance.
Blood glucose is the amount of sugar in your bloodstream, vital for cell energy and regulated by hormones like insulin.
Body composition refers to the proportion of fat, muscle, bone, and other tissues that make up a person's body. It is often expressed as a percentage of body fat relative to total body weight.
Body Mass Index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on weight and height.
Body part training targets specific muscles during workouts, focusing on individual muscle groups for growth and development.
Body recomposition involves losing fat and gaining muscle simultaneously to change body composition.
Bodybuilding is a sport or activity focused on developing and sculpting muscles through resistance training, nutrition, and supplementation.
Gymnastics based exercise performed with little or no equipment, using your own body weight to make the exercises intense.
Carbohydrates are the body's main energy source, found in foods like fruits, grains, and dairy. They break down into glucose, fueling cellular functions and physical activity.
The calf is the back part of the lower leg, housing the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles.
"Cardio" is short for cardiovascular exercise, which refers to any activity that increases the heart rate and promotes cardiovascular health.
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in the blood, crucial for cell membranes and hormone production.
Catabolism refers to the metabolic process in which complex molecules are broken down into simpler ones, releasing energy in the process.
In fitness, a "circuit" is a series of exercises done in sequence with minimal rest.
The clean and jerk is a weightlifting move where the lifter brings the barbell from the floor to shoulder height, then drives it overhead.
Clips or collars are devices used to secure weights onto the ends of a barbell or dumbbell, preventing them from sliding off during exercises.
Closed Kinetic Chain (CKC) exercises involve keeping the hands or feet fixed on a surface, while open kinetic chain exercises allow them to move freely.
Central Nervous System. The connection between your brain and your body.
Compound movements engage multiple muscles and joints at once, like squats or deadlifts.
The part of the exercise when the muscle contracts.
Concurrent periodization is a training method that addresses multiple fitness goals at once in the same program.
Conditioning is the process of improving physical fitness through structured exercise and training.
A cooldown is light exercise or stretching after intense physical activity to gradually lower heart rate.
The core comprises the muscles around the torso that provide stability and support for the spine.
Corrective exercise addresses imbalances and movement issues to improve posture and reduce injury risk.
Creatine phosphate is a compound in muscle cells that helps rapidly regenerate energy during short bursts of high-intensity activity.
Cutting is reducing body fat while preserving muscle, while bulking is focusing on building muscle mass.
Picking a weight off the floor from a dead stop position, using predominantly the musculature around the hips to hinge the weight up
Dehydration is when your body loses more fluids than it takes in, leading to an imbalance of fluids and electrolytes that can impair bodily functions.
Deloading, or unloading, means reducing workout intensity or volume to let the body recover from training and prevent overtraining.
Dietary supplements are products containing vitamins, minerals, herbs, amino acids, or other substances, taken to supplement one's diet and provide nutrients that may be lacking.
A diet is what you regularly eat and drink. It can also refer to a specific eating plan for health or other purposes.
Digestion is how your body breaks down food into usable nutrients for energy and bodily functions, happening mainly in the stomach and intestines.
Delts are the muscles on your shoulders, essential for upper body movement and strength.
DOMS stands for Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness, the muscle pain and stiffness that come after intense exercise.
A drop set is a weightlifting technique where you perform a set to failure, then immediately lower the weight and continue without resting.
Moving the muscles and joints through their full range of motion before exercise.
Exercises that involve using muscle to create movement.
Eccentric contraction, also known as negative contraction, occurs when a muscle lengthens while under tension, such as when lowering a weight during a bicep curl.
Electrolytes are minerals in body fluids. They include sodium, potassium, magnesium, and chloride. When you are dehydrated, your body does not have enough fluid and electrolytes.
EMOM stands for "Every Minute on the Minute," a workout format where you perform a specific exercise or set of exercises at the start of every minute for a predetermined duration.
Enzymes are proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body.
EPOC stands for Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption, which is the increased calorie burn after intense exercise.
Explosive strength is the ability to generate maximal force in minimal time, typically seen in movements requiring rapid acceleration, such as jumping or sprinting.
An EZ bar is a weightlifting barbell with a zigzag or wavy middle section, allowing for various grip positions.
When you physically can't complete a rep of an exercise anymore due to muscle (not mental) exhaustion.
Fast-twitch muscle fibers are muscle fibers that contract quickly and generate a lot of force, making them well-suited for explosive movements like sprinting or jumping.
Lipids used to create ATP when muscle cells are using aerobic energy systems. Oxygen must be present in order for muscle cells to convert fatty acids into ATP.
Fiber is a non-digestible carbohydrate found in plant-based foods. It promotes digestive health and regular bowel movements.
Movement that reduces the angle between two body parts.
Forced reps involve continuing an exercise beyond the point of muscle fatigue or failure with the assistance of a spotter or training partner, allowing for additional repetitions to be completed.
Free weights refer to resistance training equipment that are not attached to a machine and allow for freedom of movement in all directions. Examples include dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells.
Full-body training involves working multiple muscle groups in a single workout session, typically targeting the upper body, lower body, and core within the same session.
Functional training involves exercises that mimic real-life movements or activities to improve strength, stability, and mobility for everyday tasks or specific sports performance.
Giant sets are a workout technique where you perform four or more exercises for the same muscle group or related muscle groups consecutively, with minimal rest in between sets
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. It gives dough its elasticity and helps baked goods maintain their shape
The glutes refer to the muscles in the buttocks, including the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus.
The glycemic index (GI) measures how a carbohydrate-containing food raises blood sugar.
Glucose stored in your muscles. Used during glycolosis to create ATP/energy.
The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into ATP/energy.
GTG, or Greasing the Groove, is a training method where you perform frequent, low-rep sets of an exercise throughout the day to increase strength and skill in that particular movement pattern.
Muscles in your thigh for bending your knee and extending your hip.
HDL, or high-density lipoprotein, is often referred to as "good" cholesterol. It helps remove LDL (low-density lipoprotein) or "bad" cholesterol from the bloodstream, reducing the risk of heart disease.
Heart rate zones are ranges of heartbeats per minute corresponding to different exercise intensities.
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training, a workout method that alternates short bursts of intense exercise with brief periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise.
An increase in muscle cell number
Hypertrophy refers to the increase in size or growth of muscle cells, typically resulting from resistance training or strength exercises.
The difficulty of the exercise based on how much you can maximally lift/move.
Intermuscular coordination refers to the coordination between different muscles or groups of muscles.
Internal rotation is rotation of an appendage towards the midline of the body. External rotation is rotation away from the midline of the body.
Interval training involves alternating periods of high-intensity exercise with periods of rest or lower-intensity exercise.
Intramuscular refers to something located or occurring within the muscles, such as the injection of medication directly into a muscle.
Isolation movements target single muscles or muscle groups, focusing on movement around one joint.
Isometric contraction occurs when a muscle generates tension without changing length, such as holding a plank position
An increase in muscle cell number
An increase in muscle cell number
LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, can lead to heart disease if levels are high.
The lats, or latissimus dorsi muscles, are large muscles on the sides of the back.
LISS stands for Low-Intensity Steady State cardio, a moderate-intensity aerobic exercise performed continuously for an extended period.
The macronutrient ratio is the ratio of carbs, proteins and fats in a person’s diet. A macro-based diet looks at the macronutrient ratio rather than total calorie counts alone.
"Macros" refers to macronutrients, like carbs, proteins, and fats, which provide energy and are tracked for dietary goals.
The maximum heart rate is the maximum number of beats made by your heart in 1 minute of effort.
Maximum strength refers to the highest level of force that a muscle or group of muscles can generate during a single maximal effort.
Metabolism is the body's process of converting food into energy and building and repairing tissues.
Metcon refers to metabolic conditioning, involving high-intensity exercises performed rapidly for improved cardiovascular fitness.
A kinesiology term describing an imaginary line running down the middle of the body, and separating its right and left sides.
The mind-muscle connection refers to the ability to consciously focus on and engage specific muscles during exercise, enhancing muscle activation and effectiveness of the workout.
Monounsaturated fats are healthy dietary fats found in foods like nuts, avocados, and olive oil. They can improve cholesterol levels and reduce heart disease risk when eaten as part of a balanced diet.
Mobility refers to the ability to move a joint or series of joints through a full range of motion with control and stability.
A motor neuron is a nerve cell that transmits signals from the brain or spinal cord to muscles or glands, controlling movement or secretion.
Motor variation refers to the ability to adjust and adapt movements based on different factors such as speed, load, or environment, allowing for flexibility and optimization in performance.
Muscular failure occurs when a muscle or group of muscles can no longer complete a repetition or movement with proper form due to fatigue.
Long, cylindrical cells that muscles are made up of. Muscle fibers are what give skeletal muscle their striped or striated appearance.
NEAT means non-exercise activity thermogenesis, and refers to the calories burned in anything you do outside of sleeping, eating, or exercising.
Negatives, also known as eccentric contractions, are the phase of an exercise where the muscle lengthens under tension, such as lowering a weight during a bicep curl
Neutral grip means palms face each other, used in exercises like pull-ups and rows.
A nutrient is a substance in food that nourishes the body and supports its functions, like growth and energy production.
Nutrition is the study of how food and drink affect our health and nourish our bodies. It encompasses the intake of nutrients, dietary habits, and their impact on overall well-being.
Olympic weightlifting is a competitive sport involving the snatch and clean and jerk lifts, known for its explosive strength and technique.
Overtraining occurs when the body is subjected to more training stress than it can adequately recover from, leading to decreased performance, fatigue, and increased risk of injury.
The progression of work done by a muscle or system over time. This is essential to ensure long term progress and to avoid plateaus as we adapt to the initial load imposed upon us.
Oxidation is a chemical process where a substance loses electrons, often resulting in the production of energy.
The main muscle in your chest, also known as the pectoralis major.
Periodization is the structured planning of a training program into phases with specific goals.
A point where progress flattens out during your regular fitness routine. This could apply to muscle gain, weight loss, endurance training, etc.
Plates are weightlifting equipment used to add resistance to barbells, dumbbells, or weight machines. They come in various sizes and are typically made of metal or rubber.
Plyometric exercises are ballistics that involve a prior landing and rebound to promote muscle stiffness, for instance, repeated jumps and bounds
Polyunsaturated fats, found in foods like fish, nuts, and seeds, are crucial for brain function and heart health.
Post-activation potentiation (PAP) is a phenomenon where a muscle's performance is temporarily enhanced following a high-intensity contraction, leading to increased strength and power output in subsequent movements.
Posterior means the back. You may hear the phrase 'posterior chain' in the gym, which refers to all the muscles on the back of the body such as your hamstrings, glutes and lower back.
Powerlifting is a strength sport where athletes compete to lift the maximum weight possible in three main lifts: the squat, bench press, and deadlift.
Push Pull Legs. A common workout routine that separates push, pull, and leg exercises into different days
Personal Record. The most amount of weight or reps that someone has personally done.
Primal Flow is a movement-based practice that combines elements of yoga, animal flow, and primal movement patterns to improve mobility, strength, and overall fitness.
Progressive overload is gradually increasing workout intensity or volume to promote muscle growth and adaptation.
Turning the hand so that it faces downwards.
Protein is essential for tissue repair, hormone production, and immune support, found in meat, fish, eggs, legumes, and nuts
A pyramid set involves gradually increasing or decreasing weight and/or reps with each set in a workout.
The quads are the four muscles in the front of the thigh, responsible for extending the knee.
Range of motion (ROM) refers to the extent of movement that a joint or group of joints can go through, from full flexion to full extension, in various planes of motion.
Rate of force development (RFD) refers to how quickly a muscle or group of muscles can generate force during a contraction, typically measured in units of force per unit of time, such as newtons per second.
Reactive strength refers to the ability of muscles to rapidly produce force in response to a sudden stretch or loading, such as during plyometric or jumping exercises.
Relative strength is the maximum amount of force your muscles can produce under voluntary conditions in relation to your body mass.
Reps in reserve (RIR) is a measure used during strength training to gauge how many reps are left before reaching muscle failure.
A rest day is a scheduled day of no exercise or lighter activity, allowing the body to recover and repair from previous workouts.
Resting heart rate is the number of heartbeats per minute while the body is at complete rest, typically measured upon waking in the morning before any physical activity.
RPE stands for Rate of Perceived Exertion, a subjective measure of exercise intensity based on how hard it feels.
Saturated fats are found in foods like butter, cheese, and red meat. Excessive intake can raise LDL cholesterol levels, increasing heart disease risk.
A set is a group of consecutive repetitions of an exercise performed without rest. For example, if you do 10 push-ups in a row, that's considered one set of 10 repetitions.
The shoulders consist of the deltoid muscles, which are divided into three main parts: the anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, and posterior deltoid.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are muscle fibers that contract relatively slowly and are resistant to fatigue. They are primarily used for endurance activities such as long-distance running or cycling.
Sodium is an essential mineral found in salt and many processed foods. It plays a vital role in regulating fluid balance, nerve function, and muscle contractions.
The snatch is an Olympic weightlifting move where the lifter lifts a barbell from the floor to overhead in one motion.
Speed strength refers to the ability to generate maximal force at high speeds, typically seen in explosive movements such as sprinting or jumping.
Split training involves dividing your workout routine to focus on different muscle groups or body parts on different days. This allows for more targeted training and adequate recovery time between sessions
Exercises that involve using muscle to hold a specific body position without moving.
A stretch performed without significant movement, holding it for a prolonged period
The stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) is a neuromuscular process where rapid muscle stretching is followed immediately by a contraction, enhancing force production.
Sugar is a simple carbohydrate found in fruits, vegetables, and added to many processed foods.
Coupling two exercises together, performing one after the other, prior to a rest.
Supination is when the palm faces up or forward, and pronation is when it faces down or backward.
Supplemental exercises complement primary movements, targeting specific muscles or patterns beyond main lifts.
Tabata is a HIIT protocol with 20 seconds of maximum effort exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest, repeated for 4 minutes.
TDEE, total daily energy expenditure, is the total number of calories burned by a person in a full day, encompassing everything from exercise, to fidgeting, to breathing.
The mid to upper portion of your spine. It is important to have a mobile thoracic spine to perform a number of exercises because it has a knock-on effect on your shoulder motion and range of motion
Total fat refers to the sum of all types of fat in a food, including saturated, unsaturated, and trans fats.
Toning means increasing muscle definition and firmness while reducing body fat through exercise and diet.
Trans fat is a type of dietary fat that is formed when liquid oils are turned into solid fats through a process called hydrogenation
Tocated between your upper back and neck, the traps (or trapezius) help with shoulder movement, neck motion, posture, and arm support.
Triglycerides are a type of fat found in your blood. They're the most common type of fat in the body and are used for energy
Located on the back of your upper arm and used in pushing movements.
Time Under Tension - if you are changing the tempo of your exercises (standard 10X0), more time under tension is generally equivalent to volume for hypertrophy
Unilateral refers to movements or exercises that involve only one side of the body at a time, rather than both sides simultaneously.
The maximum rate that the body can use oxygen during exercise as an indication of your aerobic capacity
The total amount of work you do for a given muscle group or exercise. Generally, more volume means better results, though too much volume can be an issue as well.
A warm-up is a preparatory phase before exercise, involving light activity and stretching to reduce injury risk and improve performance.
Watts measure power, showing how much energy is used or generated.
The Z Press is a popular exercise for Powerlifters, Strongmen and Weightlifters who all require pushing strength.