Fitness Jargon Buster
Sometimes the language used in relation to fitness, health and physical activity is enough to put us off exercising all together! Our Fitness Teams strive to keep it simple so you’re not put off us!
We’ve set out to explain some common fitness jargon below. The list is not exhaustive so please feel free to add or suggest some more!
A
Aerobic: Literally, “with oxygen.” Aerobic exercise is the body’s process of producing energy with oxygen in the bloodstream. Byproducts are carbon dioxide and water (breathing and perspiration). Aerobic exercise is great for burning fat and strengthening your heart and lungs.
Anaerobic: Literally, “without oxygen.” In anaerobic exercise, energy is produced without oxygen, usually because the exercise intensity is such that the heart and lungs can’t get enough oxygen to the muscles. Anaerobic exercise creates a byproduct called lactate, which builds up in the muscles and causes soreness and fatigue.
B
Barbell: Weights attached to a long bar which requires both hands to pick up.
Body Mass Index (BMI): The BMI is a number that reflects the percentage of body fat in proportion to lean body mass (i.e. bone, muscle, tissue, organs, and blood). This is a height-weight system of measurement that can be applied to everyone.
Bicep: The muscle running along the inside of the upper arm which bends your arm at the elbow. Paddling a canoe exercises your biceps.
C
Cross-training: Mixing different activities into your regular workout routine to avoid overuse injuries and to prevent boredom. Cycling, running and swimming are 3 common activities used to cross-train different muscle groups.
D
Dumbbell: Weights attached to a short bar that can be held in one hand. Often used in pairs.
Diastolic: Referring to the time when the heart is in a period of relaxation and dilatation (expansion).
E
Electrolytes: Minerals such as sodium, potassium, calcium and magnesium that act to keep your nerves firing and muscles moving, especially during exercise. They are lost through sweating and can be replaced by drinking sports / energy drinks.
F
Free Weights: Weights not attached to a machine nor driven by cables or chains. Barbells and dumbbells are examples of free weights.
G
Glycogen: The form carbohydrates take when stored in the muscles.
H
Hamstrings: The group of 3 muscles on the back of your thighs that runs from the lower part of the pelvis to just below the knees. They allow you to bend your knees and straighten your legs at the hips. Climbing, hiking uphill, running and cycling all work the hamstrings.
I
Interval Training: Consists of a short but fast exercise, alternated with a slow but easy physical fitness activity.
J
Jogging: One of the most popular ways of keeping fit, it burns up almost 600 calories an hour. A downside is that it can result in long-term joint damage, especially in the knees. Strengthen the quad muscles to avoid knee injuries.
K
Kickboard: Small foam board used for short sprints to develop leg power and speed when swimming. Held under the chest so that the arms are not involved in the swimming stroke.
L
Lactic Acid (Lactate): A byproduct of anaerobic (or high-intensity) exercise that collects in the muscles and causes soreness, stiffness and fatigue.
Ligament: A flexible, non-elastic tissue that connects bone to bone. For example, the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) of the knee connects the kneecap to the femur (thigh) and the tibia (shin). Ligament injuries can be sprains or tears.
M
Maximum Heart Rate: The fastest rate at which your heart should beat during exercise. To find your maximum rate, subtract your age from 220.
N
Negative Reps: One or two partners help you lift a weight up to 50% heavier than you would normally lift to finish point of movement. Then you slowly lower weight on your own.
P
Pectoral: The pectoralis major covers the chest from the top of the arm to the collarbone, down to the sternum and upper 6 ribs. The smaller pectoralis minor is located underneath, and runs from mid-chest to shoulder blade. Push-ups work the pecs!
Q
Quadriceps or “quads”: The group of 4 muscles that make up the front of the thigh. Quads straighten the knee, and keeping them strong can help ward off knee injuries. Cycling, skiing, running and hiking downhill work these muscles!
R
R.I.C.E: The formula for treating an injury such as a strain or sprain. The acronym stands for Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation.
Repetition or “rep”: A single movement, as in doing one squat. This is going down and then going back up. For toning, strength and endurance, do more reps at a lower weight.
S
Set: A number of repetitions of a movement, such as an arm curl or a squat. A set may have 8 reps.
Spinning: Spinning utilizes a revolutionary stationary bike. The bike has a fixed gear. Each Spinner also has a resistance knob that you can use to adjust the intensity of each workout.
Systolic: The blood pressure when the heart is contracting. It is specifically the maximum arterial pressure during contraction of the left ventricle of the heart. The time at which ventricular contraction occurs is called systole.
T
Tendon: A flexible, non-elastic tissue that connects muscle to bone. The Achilles tendon is the large connector from the heel bone into the calf muscle.
Triceps: The muscles on the back of the upper arms that straighten your elbows and allow you to push your arms forward. You use them when you’re fly-fishing or pushing a running stroller.
U
Universal Machine: One of several types of machines where weights are on tracks or rails and lifted by levers or pulleys.
V
VO2 max: The largest volume of oxygen your body can take in and assimilate. This figure is very high in trained endurance athletes.
W
Warm-up: Gentle, slow exercise at the beginning of a workout to prepare muscles, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature for the activity.
Y
Yoga: A system of exercises for attaining bodily or mental control and well-being. Various forms of yoga include poses (or asanas) for building strength and flexibility, breathing exercises for cleansing, and/or meditation for relaxation and stress reduction.
Z
ZZZ: Studies have shown that sleep deprivation can trigger diabetes, obesity, and a reduction in muscle mass. So after completing your workout, be sure to get a good night’s sleep.
