Weight Training & Fitness Terms

AEROBIC - Using oxygen.

AEROBIC ACTIVITIES - Activities using large muscle groups at moderate intensities that permit the body to use oxygen to supply energy to maintain a steady state for more than a few minutes. See steady state.

AGONIST - A muscle that directly engages in an action around a joint that has another muscle that can provide an opposing action.

ANAEROBIC - Not using oxygen.

ANAEROBIC ACTIVITIES - Activities using muscle groups at high intensities that exceed the body’s capacity to use oxygen to supply energy and create and oxygen debt by using energy produced without oxygen.

ANTAGONIST - A muscle that can provide an opposing action to the action of another muscle (the agonist) around a joint.

ATROPHY - Reduction in size, or wasting away, of a body part, organ, tissue or cell.

BALLISTIC MOVEMENT - An exercise movement in which a part of the body is “thrown” against the resistance of antagonist muscles or against the limits of a joint. The latter, especially, is considered dangerous to the integrity of ligaments and tendons.

CARDIOVASCULAR - Pertaining to the heart and blood vessels.

CIRCUIT TRAINING - A series of exercises performed one after the other, with little rest between. Resistance training in this manner increases strength while making some contribution to cardiovascular endurance as well. (It remains controversial as to whether a significant cardiovascular benefit will be achieved in the absence of very consistent motivation or close supervision of the sessions.)

CONCENTRIC ACTION - Muscle action in which the muscle is shortening under its own power. This action is commonly called “positive” work, or, redundantly, “concentric contraction.”

COOL DOWN - A gradual reduction of the intensity of exercise to allow physiological processes to return to normal. Helps avoid blood pooling in the legs and may reduce muscular soreness.

DURATION - The time spent in a single exercise session. Duration, along with frequency and intensity, are factors affection the effectiveness of exercise.

ECCENTRIC ACTION - Muscle action in which the muscle resists while it is forced to lengthen. This action is commonly called “negative” work, or “eccentric contraction,” but, since the muscle is lengthening, the word “contraction” is misapplied.

EXERCISE PRESCRIPTION - A recommendation for a course of exercise to meet desirable individual objectives for fitness. Includes activity types; duration, intensity, and frequency of exercise.

EXTENSION - A movement that moves the two ends of a jointed body part away from each other, as in strengthening of the arm.

FAST-TWITCH FIBERS - Muscle fiber type that contracts quickly and is used most in intensive, short-duration exercised, such as weightlifting or sprints.

FATIGUE - A loss of power to continue a given level of physical performance.

FITNESS - The state of well-being consisting of optimum levels of strength, flexibility, weight control, cardiovascular capacity and positive physical and mental health behaviors, that prepare a person to participate fully in life, to be free from controllable health-risk factors and to achieve physical objectives consistent with his/her potential.

FLEXIBILITY - The range of motion around a joint.

FLEXION - A movement that moves the two ends of a jointed body part closer to each other, as in bending the arm.

FREQUENCY - How often a person repeats a complete exercise session.

HAMSTRINGS - The group of muscles at the back of the thigh, and their tendons.

INTENSITY - The rate of performing work; power. A function of energy output per unit of time.

ISOMETRIC ACTION - Muscle action in which the muscle attempts to contract against a fixed limit. This is also sometimes called “isometric contraction,” although there is not appreciable shortening of the muscle.

LACTIC ACID - The end product of the metabolism of glucose for the anaerobic production of energy.

LIGAMENT - The fibrous, connective tissue that connects bone to bone, or bone to cartilage, to hold together and support joints.

MAXIMAL HEART RATE - The highest heart rate of which an individual is capable. A broad rule of thumb for estimating maximal heart rate is 208 (beats per minute) minus the person’s age.

ONE REPITITION MAXIMUM, 1 RM - The maximum resistance with which a person can execute one repetition of an exercise movement. See repetition.

MUSCLE GROUP - Specific muscles that act together at the same joint to produce a movement.

OVERLOAD - Subjecting a part of the body to efforts greater than it is accustomed to, in order to elicit a training response. Increases may be in intensity or duration.

PHYSICAL FITNESS - The physiological contribution to wellness through exercise and nutrition behaviors that maintain high aerobic capacity, balance body composition and adequate strength and flexibility to minimize risk of chronic health problems and to enhance the enjoyment of life.

PLYOMETRIC - A type of exercise that suddenly preloads and forces the stretching of a muscle an instant prior to its concentric action.

POWER - Work performed per unit of time. Measured by the formula: work equal force times distance divided by time. A combination of strength and speed.

PRIME MOVER - The muscle or muscle group that is causing the movement around a joint.

PROPRIOCEPTIVE NEUROMUSCULAR FACILITATION, PNF STRETCH - Muscle stretches that use the proprioceptors (muscle spindles) to send inhibiting messages to the muscle that is to be stretched.

REPETITION - An individual completed exercise movement. Repetitions are usually done in multiples.

RESISTANCE - The force that a muscle is required to work against.

SET - A group of repetitions of an exercise movement done consecutively, without rest, until a given number, or momentary exhaustion, is reached.

SLOW-TWITCH FIBERS - Muscle fiber type that contracts slowly and is used most in moderate-intensity, endurance exercises, such as distance running.

SPECIFICITY - The principle that the body adapts very specifically to the training stimuli it is required to deal with. The body will perform best at the specific speed, type of contraction, muscle-group usage and energy source usage it has become accustomed to in training.

STRENGTH - The amount of muscular force that can be exerted.

STRETCHING - Lengthening a muscle to its maximum extension; moving a joint to the limits of extension.

TARGET HEART RATE (THR) - The heart rate at which one aims to exercise.

TENDON - The fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone.

WARM-UP - A gradual increase in the intensity of exercise to allow physiological processes to prepare for greater energy outputs.