Fitness Glossary

A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J   K  L  M  N   O  P  Q   R  S  T   U  V  W  X   Y  Z  

A

Adrenalin
A substance secreted into the bloodstream and reacted by specialized receptors throughout the body

Agility
Ability to start, stop and move the body quickly in different directions

Anaerobic Exercise
Exercises which result in energy without production of oxygen and producing a byproduct called lactate which results in fatigue. Sprinting is one of the anaerobic exercises, where one uses his stored energy so oxygen is not released and since energy storage is limited these exercises don’t last long periods

Amino acids
A class of organic compounds that are building blocks from which protein is constructed.

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B

Ballistic Stretch
One of the vigorous forms of stretching which emphasizes bouncing and swinging, it is recommended only for seasoned athletes. This form of stretching has leaded to muscle tears for some and so it is essential to do it under guidance alone.

BMI
A mathematical calculation based on your weight and height to determine if you are within a normal weight range for your height

Boot camp
Boot camp is used in the fitness industry to describe group fitness classes that promote fat loss and fitness

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C

Cardiovascualar Training
Physical conditioning that strengthens heart and blood vessels resulting in greater level of exercising

Cholesterol
An essential structural component found in the cell membranes

Circuit Training
A set of exercises, aimed at fat reduction, muscle building and heart fitness. The completion of a set is called a circuit and then one can move on to the next circuit. The exercises are usually of high intensity and the time gap between each circuit is short.

Cross Training
The combination of exercises to make the whole body involved in the workout. For instance swimmers add cycling and lifting weights in their workouts to get better results from their body.

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D

Dehydration
A condition resulting from an excessive loss of water from the body

Dynamic stretching
A type of stretching that utilizes speed of movement and is specific to a sport or movement pattern

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness
It is the pain or stiffness that exists in muscles which lasts from a few hours to several days, Also known as muscle fever it occurs due to engaging in exercises that are not suitable for the person.

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E

Emotional Eating
Emotional eating is the practice of consuming large quantities of food in response to feelings instead of hunger.

Ectomorph
Persons with slender bodies having high metabolism and do not add fat or body muscles easily

Endomorph
Persons with a round built having a tendency to become obese easily.

Exercise Metabolic Rate
The amount of energy burnt by exercises believed to boost the metabolic rate

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F

Fat Camp
A type of program where obese and overweight children and teenagers are sent during the summer to lose weight.

Fitness Boot Camp
A type of physical training conducted by gyms and military personnel

Fitness Spas
A place of business with equipment and facilities for exercising and improving physical fitness

Fitness Resort
A commercial establishment or a place used that focuses on fitness related activities

Fitness Vacation
A leisure time away from work devoted to health and fitness related activities

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G

Glycoloysis
The metabolic process in which sugar and carbohydrates are broken down to form lactic acid which releases energy.

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H

Heart Rate Reserve
The difference between one’s measured maximum heart rate and the heart rate measured at rest. Heart rate is the number of heartbeats usually measured for a minute.

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I

Interval Training
Training made up of successive bouts of exercise at near maximal intensity alternated with periods of rest or lighter exercise such as brisk walking or slow jogging.

Isometric Exercise
Exercises in which the length of muscles remains the same during contraction, a common isometric exercise is to press your hands on the wall and leaning towards it.

Isotonic Exercise
Exercises in which muscle length changes but tension remains unchanged, a common isotonic exercise is doing pushups.

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K

Ketosis
The body produces ketones which are used as energy by some organs during this metabolic state

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L

Lean Mass
The difference between the body mass and fat measured using techniques like underwater weighing.

Low Density Lipoprotein
LDL is also known as bad cholesterol, as the lipoproteins carry cholesterol in the blood to various body parts. Lipoproteins are made up of fat and proteins, a high level of LDL can cause clogging of blood arteries.

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M

Metabolism
The chemical and physiological processes I the body that provide energy or the maintenance of life.

Mesomorph
Mesomorphs are Persons with well defined body features like well built muscles, arms, legs etc.

Macro nutrients
Nutrients which provide energy to the body, required in large quantities.

Micro Nutrients
Nutrients which are indispensable from the body like water which is required only in small quantities but essential for the body to function properly.

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O

Odd Lifts
Exercises used in the competition such as squats, bench presses and barbell curls

Over Training Syndrome
Occurs mostly for professional athletes who train for a competition when they get trained for excessive training periods than that the body can recover from, which leads to changes in both emotional and physical reactions affecting the individual’s performance.

Over Load Principle
The principle of fitness stating that working out with heavier loads than the normal workouts helps improve fitness.

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P

Pyramid Training
A type of variation training in which the load is progressively increased in sequential sets

Pronation
Pronation is the roll of the foot inwards during normal motion.

Pilates
Pilates are a physical fitness routine introduced by James Pilates, focusing on strengthening the abdominal core by both physical and mental exercises.

Power Lifting
A competitive sport in weightlifting which involves three events (the squat, the dead lift and the bench press)

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R

Rest Pause Training
Training method where you press out one difficult repetition then place bar in stands followed by some rest and again resuming

Resistance training
Resistance training is the exercises which are performed against an opposing force generated by resistance.

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S

Steroid
Drugs which are used for muscle building in a short span of time.

Super Set
Super set is a set of two or more back to back exercises having no rest in the middle.

Spot Reduction
Spot reduction is the reduction of fat in a specific body part.

Strength Training
Strength training is working out the muscles against an external resistance, which is doe in exercises like pull down which improve physical strength.

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U

Unsaturated Fat
Fat sources that mainly comprises of vegetable sources and fish

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V

Variable Resistance
Strength training exercises having different resistances throughout the workout.

Vigorous Intensity
Activities having high intensity and result in increased rate of sweating, breathing etc.

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W

Warm Up
Warm ups are a set of preliminary exercises which sets one up for a competition or a long workout.

Weight Training
A form of exercise in which muscles are repeatedly contracted against a weight to reach fatigue

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Y

Yoga
Yoga is a Hindu discipline, which is a scheme of exercise routines to get control over the mind and body.

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HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS DIET : WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT

Weight loss diet, it's obvious that you should avoid highly processed foods that are high in calories, sugar and fat, and have no nutritional value whatsoever. Foods to be eaten very occasionally are foods such as cheddar cheese, because although they contain protein, they are high in saturated fat which is not good, and therefore they are also high in calories.

Weight loss diet will help you lose a pound a week, and that is okay. You shouldn't rush losing weight, because if you starve yourself to lose weight you most likely will pick it all up again" So you need to lose some weight, and you've convinced yourself to do it now before you pickup even more weight. So where do you start? If you have in mind a diet of deprivation and misery, you will never motivate yourself to stick to it long enough to lose weight. Contrary to belief, you can also eat plenty when you are on a diet, because food acts as fuel for your body and without sufficient fuel, you will feel tired, hungry and depressed.

The number one rule for a weight loss diet is to give your body good quality fuel and it will respond by shedding weight. A good diet, whether for losing weight or not, is essential to maintain health. So you will not only feel better, but also look better.

Your body needs good nutritious food to maintain youthfulness and vitality. You want your diet to improve the condition of your hair, skin and nails as well as help you lose weight, then you’ll need the proper nutrients to ensure that your body can maintain optimum health.

These nutritious foods include fresh, natural, raw salad items, lightly steamed vegetables, fruits of all kinds, lean protein, natural carbohydrates such as wholegrain breads and pastas, and pulses. Foods like fresh nuts (not roasted and salted), seeds, pure vegetable oils like olive oil, and oily fish like salmon and sardines, are also good foods, but should be eaten in moderation. When you're on a healthy weight loss diet, it's obvious that you should avoid highly processed foods that are high in calories, sugar and fat, and have no nutritional value whatsoever. Foods to be eaten very occasionally are foods such as cheddar cheese, because although they contain protein, they are high in saturated fat which is not good, and therefore they are also high in calories.

A healthy weight loss diet will help you lose a pound a week, and that is okay. You shouldn't rush losing weight, because if you starve yourself to lose weight you most likely will pick it all up again.
18 EXERCISE UPGRADES

What if you could instantly make any exercise 10 times more effective? Chances are, you can. That's because most men—including longtime gym rats—make tiny but key technique errors on even the most basic movements. And as it turns out, these seemingly minor mistakes may be preventing you from achieving the body you want. You see, an exercise may feel right, but smart lifting isn't just about moving a weight from point A to point B. For big-time gains, you need to master the small details.

The good news: The best fitness coaches need only one sentence to tell you how to improve your results. Apply their words to your workouts, and you'll upgrade your routine instantly. Use these 18 tips from the top trainers in the industry to help you perfect your form, engage the right muscles, burn more calories, and lower your risk of injury. Think about it this way: It takes the same amount of time to do an exercise right as it does to do it wrong. So start squeezing more from every second of your workout.

For more expert tips on how to perfect every exercise and build muscle faster, check out the best new exercises for every part of a man's body.

Pushup

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're letting your hips sag as you raise and lower your body.

Perfect your form

1. "When you're in a pushup position, your posture should look the same as it would if you were standing up straight and tall," says Vern Gambetta, the owner of Gambetta Sports Training Systems, in Sarasota, Florida. "So your hips shouldn't sag or be hiked, and your upper back shouldn't be rounded."

2. "Before you start, contract and stiffen your core the way you would if you had to zip up a really tight jacket," says Kaitlyn Weiss, an NASM-certified trainer based in Southern California. Hold it that way for the duration of your set. "This helps your body remain rigid—with perfect posture—as you perform the exercise."

3. "Don't just push your body up; push your hands through the floor," Gambetta says. You'll generate more power with every repetition.

Bench press

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're thinking only about pushing the bar up from your chest.

1. "Every time you lower the weight, squeeze your shoulder blades together and pull the bar to your chest," says Craig Rasmussen, C.S.C.S., a fitness coach at Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. This will help you build up energy in your upper body so that you can press the bar up with more force.

2. "As you pull the weight down, lift your chest to meet the barbell," Rasmussen says. "This will aid your efforts to create a springlike effect when you start to push the bar back up."

3. "When you press the weight, try to bend the bar with your hands," says Pavel Tsatsouline, a fitness expert and the author of Enter the Kettlebell! The benefit: You'll activate more muscle fibers in your lats and move the bar in a stronger and safer path for your shoulders.

Compare how much you can bench to the Men's Health standards and see if you're weak, ordinary, or if you rule on the bench.

Squat

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're starting the movement by bending your knees.

1. "Sit back between your legs, not on top of your knees," says Dan John, a strength coach based in Draper, Utah. Start your squats by pushing your hips back. "Most men tend to bend their knees first, which puts more stress on their joints."

2. "When you squat, imagine you're standing on a paper towel," says Charlie Weingroff, director of sports performance and physical therapy for CentraState Sports Performance, in Monroe, New Jersey. "Then try to rip the towel apart by pressing your feet hard into the floor and outward." This activates your glutes, which helps you use heavier weights.

3. "Instead of raising your body, think about pushing the floor away from your body," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., co-owner of Results Fitness. "This helps you better engage the muscles in your legs."

Straight-leg deadlift

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're rounding your lower back as you bend over.

1. "To lower the weight, pretend you're holding a tray of drinks and need to close the door behind you with your butt," says Cosgrove. This cues you to bend over by pushing your hips back instead of rounding your lower back—a form blunder that puts you at risk for back problems.

2. "Try to 'shave your legs' with the bar," says Weiss. The reason: Every degree the bar is away from your body places more strain on your back, which increases your chance of injury and limits the emphasis on your hamstrings and glutes.

3. "As you lift the bar, squeeze your glutes like two fists," says Nick Grantham, a top strength and conditioning coach in the U.K. and the owner of Smart Fitness. You'll ensure that you're engaging your butt muscles. This helps you generate more power, lift more weight, and produce better results.

Rows and pullups

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're ignoring the muscles that retract your shoulder blades.

1. "When doing bent-over and seated rows, and any pullup variation, create as much space between your ears and shoulders as you can," says Rasmussen. Pull your shoulders down and back and hold them that way as you do the exercise. This ensures you're working the intended middle- and upper-back muscles.

2. "As you row the weight, stick your chest out," says Mike Boyle, M.A., A.T.C., owner of Mike Boyle Strength and Conditioning, in Winchester and North Andover, Massachusetts. This allows you to better retract your shoulder blades, which will lead to better results.

3. "Imagine there's an orange between your shoulder blades," says Grantham. "Then try to squeeze the juice out of it with your shoulder blades as you pull the weight or your body up."

Discover six muscles you ignore—but shouldn't.

Lunge

WHAT YOU'RE DOING WRONG: You're leaning forward, causing your front heel to rise.

1. "When you lunge, keep your torso upright, and focus on moving it up and down, not backward and forward," says Rasmussen. This will keep your weight balanced evenly through your front foot, allowing you to press hard into the floor with your heel and target more muscle.

2. "Drop your back knee straight down to the floor," says Boyle. Consider this a second strategy to help you remember that you should drop your torso down, not push it forward, as you do the exercise.

3. "To work your core harder, narrow your starting stance," says Gray Cook, M.S.P.T., the author of Athletic Body in Balance. The smaller the gap between your feet, the more your core has to work to stabilize your body. Your goal: Lunge so that it's almost like you're walking on a tightrope as you perform the exercise.