SwimBikeRunStLouis

Fitness Dictionary

Abduction Movement of a limb away from middle of body, such as bringing arms to shoulder height from hanging down position.

Abs Abbreviation for abdominal muscles.

Absolute Strength The maximum amount a person can lift in one repetition.

Accommodating Resistance Increasing resistance as lifters force increases through range of motion. Nautilus machines are said to provide accommodating resistance.

Acquired Aging The acquisition of characteristics commonly associated with aging but that are, in fact, caused by immobility or sedentary living.

Active Stretch Muscles are stretched using the contraction of the opposing muscle, (antagonist). For an example stretching the triceps, requires the biceps to contract.

Adduction Movement of a limb toward middle of body, such as bringing arms to side from extended position at shoulder.

Adhesion Fibrous patch holding muscles or other parts together that are normally separated.

ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate) ADP is formed when ATP is broken down within the bodies cell furnace, (the mitochondria). This provides energy for muscular contraction.

Aerobic capacity Another term for maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 Max)

Aerobic Exercise (with oxygen) Activity in which the body is able to supply adequate oxygen to the working muscles, for a period of time. Running, cross-country skiing and cycling are examples of aerobic activities.

Agonist Muscle directly engaged in contraction that is primarily responsible for movement of a body part.

All-or-None Muscle fiber contracts fully or it does not contract at all.

All Natural Athletes, especially body builders who can avoid using steroids or other banned substances. 

Amino Acids Twenty- two basic building blocks of the body that make up proteins.

Anabolic Steroid Synthetic chemical that mimics the muscle building characteristics of the male hormone testosterone.

Anaerobic Exercise, (without oxygen) Activities in which oxygen demands of muscles are so high that they rely upon an internal metabolic process for oxygen, resulting in lactic acid build up. Short bursts of “all-out” activities such as sprinting or weightlifting are anaerobic.

Anaerobic Threshold The point at which you begin working your muscles without oxygen, from an aerobic level, believed to be at about 87% of your Maximum Heart Rate.

Angina Pectoris Chest or arm pain resulting from reduced oxygen supply to the heart muscle.

Antagonist Muscle that counteracts the agonist, lengthening when the agonist muscle contracts.

Anti - Catabolism Supplements such as glutamine, used to prevent breakdown within the body, in order to promote muscle growth.

Antioxidants Vitamins A, C and E, along with various minerals, which are useful to protect the body from “free radicals”. Free radicals are unstable cells, which react with each, naturally created in the body, and also caused by factors such as smoking and radiation. Free radicals may cause cell damage, which leads to disease.

Assimilation The process in which foods are utilized and absorbed by the body.

Atrophy – Decrease in size and functional ability of tissue or organs.

Back Cycling  Cutting back on either number of sets, repetitions or amount of weight used during a exercise session. 

Ballistic Stretch  A more vigorous stretch by using a swinging or bouncing motion suited only for conditioned athletes, especially in martial arts.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)  Metabolic rate at rest, your bodies working output. 

Bioavailability  The simplicity in which nutrients can be absorbed.  

Biochemical Reaction  The chemical reactions which take place within the human body. 

Biological Value  A measure of protein quality in a given food. 

Biomechanics Science concerned with the internal and external forces acting on a human body and the effects produced by these forces. 

Body Composition  The breakdown of your body make-up, i.e. fat, lean muscle, bone and water content.

Bone density  Soundness of the bones within the body, low density can be a result of osteoporosis.

Buffer  Substances that help reduce lactic acid build-up during strenuous exercise.

Bulking Up  Gaining body weight by adding muscle, body fat or both. 

Burn – As in “going for the burn”  In endurance exercise, working muscles until lactic acid build-up causes burning sensation.

Carbohydrate Compounds that contain carbon, hydrogen and oxygen used by the body as a fuel source. Two main groups are sugars and starch. 

Carbohydrate Loading Increase consumption of carbohydrates in liquid or food form normally three days prior to an endurance type event.

Cardiovascular Training Physical conditioning that strengthens heart and blood vessels, the result of which is an increase in the ability for your body muscles to utilize fuel more effectively resulting in a greater level of exercising.

Catabolism The breakdown of lean muscles mass, normally as a result of injury, immobilization and poor dieting techniques. 

Cellulose Indigestible fiber in foods.

Cheating Too much weight used on an exercise, therefore relying on surrounding muscle groups for assistance in the movement; or changing joint angles for more leverage, as in arching back in bench press.

Chelating Agents Soluble organic compounds that can fit certain metallic ions into their molecular structure.

Cholesterol A fat lipid which has both good and bad implications within the human body. Good being known as HDL and bad being LDL. Bad cholesterol is associated with heart disease and stroke, whereas the body requires cholesterol for the production of many steroid hormones. 

Chronic Disease A disease or illness that is associated with lifestyle or environment factors as opposed to infectious diseases (hypo kinetic diseases are considered to be chronic diseases).

Circuit Training Going quickly from one exercise apparatus to another and doing a prescribed number of exercises or time on each apparatus, keeps pulse rate high and promote overall fitness, by generally working all muscle groups as well as heart and lungs.

Coenzyme A substance that works with an enzyme to promote the enzyme's activity.

Complete Proteins Proteins that contain all the essential amino acids.

Compound Training Sometimes called “giant sets”; doing 3-4 exercises for same muscle, one after the other, with minimal rest in between.

Concentric Contraction An isotonic muscle contraction, where a muscle contracts or shortens.

Cool Down Moderate then light activity, normally followed by stretching.

Coronary Circulation Circulation of blood to the heart muscle associated with the blood carrying capacity of a specific vessel or development of collateral vessels (extra blood vessels).

Coronary Heart Disease Diseases of the heart muscle and the blood vessels that supply it with oxygen, including heart attack.

Coronary Occlusion The blocking of the coronary blood vessels.

Creatine Phosphate An inorganic phosphate molecule which binds with ADP and form ADT. Produced naturally within the body, however creatine monohydrate supplements have helped a number of athletes boost their performances.

Crunches – Abdominal exercises Sit-ups done on the floor with legs on bench, hands behind the neck.

Cutting Up Reducing body fat and water retention to increase muscle definition

Deficiency A sub optimal level of either one or more nutrients, often resulting in poor health.

Dehydration Excessive fluid loss from the body, normally from perspiration, urination, evaporation or being sick.

Delts Abbreviation for deltoids, the large triangular muscles of the shoulder which raise the arm away from the body and perform other functions.

Diuretic A substance that aids the increase of urine excreted by the body.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness A condition that is often felt after exercise, especially weight orientated, or excessive running. Caused by the micro tears within your muscles as part of the body rebuilding phase. Will generally last 24 / 72 hours, with feelings felt normally the day after exercise.

Double (Split Training) Routine Working out twice a day to allow for shorter, more intense workouts. Usually performed by more advanced bodybuilders preparing for a contest.

Drying Out Encouraging loss of body fluids by limiting fluid intake, eliminating salt, sweating heavily and/or using diuretics.

Easy Set Exercise not close to maximum effort, as in a warm-up.

Eccentric Contraction Muscle lengthens while maintaining tension.

Electrolytes Capable of conducting electricity in a solution. Used in many body activities, potassium, sodium and chloride are all forms of electrolytes.

Endogenous Naturally occurring body productions.

Endurance Ability of a muscle to produce force continually over a period of time.

Enzyme Helpful protein molecules, responsible for a multitude of chemical reactions within the body.

Ergogenics Something that can increase muscular work capacity.

Essential Fatty Acids Required by the body, however only obtainable from food sources, such as flaxseed oil and safflower oil.

Extension Body part (i.e. hand, neck, trunk, etc.) going from a bent to a straight position, as in leg extension

Fascia Fibrous connective tissue that covers, supports and separates all muscles and muscle groups. It also unites skin with underlying tissue.

Fast Twitch Refers to muscle cells that fire quickly and are utilized in anaerobic activities such as sprinting and power lifting.

Fat Often referred to as lipids, or triglycerides, one of the main food groups, containing nine calories per gram. It serves a variety of functions in the body, however a high percentage of body fat has been proven to be bad for you.

Fibrin The substance that in combination with blood cells forms a blood clot.

Flex Bend or decrease angle of a joint; contract a muscle.

Flexibility (ROM) Range of movement in a joint or group of joints.

Flexion Bending in contrast to extending, as in leg flexion's.

Flush Cleanse a muscle by increasing the blood supply to it, removing toxins left in muscle by exertion.

Forced Repetitions Assistance to perform additional repetitions of an exercise when muscles can no longer complete movement on their own.

Free Style Training Training all body parts in one workout.

Free-Form Amino Acids Structurally unlinked individual amino acids.

Free Radicals  Highly reactive molecules that possess unpaired electrons. Caused by a number of factors, look at Antioxidants for prevention.

Fructose Often used as a sugar substitute for diabetics, because of its low glycemic index. A healthier option than normal sugar, as fructose comes from fruit.

Full Spectrum Amino Acids A supplement that contains all of the essential amino acids.

Glucagon A hormone responsible for the regulation of blood sugar levels. 

Glucose The basic fuel of the body, the simplest sugar molecule and main sugar found in the blood stream.

Gluteals Abbreviation for gluteus maximus, medius and minimus; the buttock muscles.

Glycemic Index  A measuring system to find the extent of which various foods raise the blood sugar level. The benchmark is white bread, which has a GI of 100. The higher the score, the greater the extents of blood sugar raise. E.g. Dextrose scores 138 (HIGH) whereas fructose 31 (LOW).

Glycogen The principle form of carbohydrate energy (glucose) stored within the bodies muscles and liver.

Growth Hormone A naturally released anabolic hormone by the pituitary gland. It promotes muscle growth and the breakdown of body fat for energy, unfortunately it is greatly reduced after the age of about 20

Hard Set Perform a prescribed number of repetitions of an exercise using maximum effort.

High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) A blood substance that picks up cholesterol and helps remove it from the body;  often called “GOOD CHOLESTEROL.”

Hormones Regulators of various biological processes through their ability to control the action of enzymes. Made from proteins, such as insulin for blood sugar control, or cholesterol for testosterone control.

Hyper kinetic Condition A disease/illness or health condition caused or contributed by excessive exercise.

Hypertension High blood pressure.

Hypertrophy Increase in size of muscle fiber.

Hypoglycemia A common occurrence in diabetics, this is low blood sugar levels, resulting in anxiety fatigue and a number of other conditions including coma and death

Incomplete proteins Proteins which are low in one or more of the essential amino acids.

Isokinetic Exercise Isotonic exercise in which there is ACCOMMODATING RESISTANCE. Also refers to constant speed. Nautilus and Cybex are two types of isokinetic machines, where machine varies amount of resistance being lifted to match force curve developed by the muscle.

Isometric Exercise Muscular contraction where muscle maintains a constant length and joints do not move. These exercises are usually performed against a wall or other immovable object.

Kinesiology  Study of muscles and their movements. 

Lactic Acid A substance caused by anaerobic training of the muscles, a build up prevents continuation of exercise, and a good example is 400 meter runners. Watch how they slow down during the last 100 meters of the race. 

Lats Abbreviation for Latissimus dorsi, the large muscles of the back that move the arms downward, backward and in internal rotation.

Lean Body Mass Everything in the body except for fat, including bone, organs, skin, nails and all body tissue including muscle. Approximately 50-60% of lean body mass is water.

Ligament Strong, fibrous band of connecting tissue connecting two or more bones or cartilage or supporting a muscle, fascia or organ.

Lipids All fats and fatty acids.

Lipoprotein Fat carrying protein in the blood.

Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) A core of cholesterol surrounded by protein, often referred to as bad cholesterol.

Lower Abs Abbreviation for abdominal muscles below the navel.

Lumbar Lower region of you spine, vertebrates L1 to L5. Used for bending and extending the body forward and back, with the aid of the abdominal and erector spinae muscles

Max Maximum effort for one repetition of an exercise.

Midsection Muscles of abdominal area, including upper and lower abdominals, obliques and rectus abdominis muscles.

Military Press Pressing a barbell from upper chest upward in a standing or sitting position.

Muscle Tissue consisting of fibers organized into bands or bundles that contract to cause bodily movement. Muscle fibers run in the same direction as the action they perform.

Muscle Spasm Sudden, involuntary contraction of muscle or muscle group.

Muscle Tone Condition in which muscle is in a constant yet slight state of contraction and appears firm.

Muscularity Another term for definition, denoting a fully delineated muscles and absence of fat.

Myositis Muscular soreness due to inflammation that often occurs 1-2 days after unaccustomed exercise. Often referred as DOMS (Delayed onset muscle soreness)

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.

Non-Locks Performing an exercise without going through complete range of motion. For example, doing squat without coming to full lockout position of knees or pressing a barbell without locking out elbows.

Obliques Abbreviation for external obliques, the muscles to either side of abdominals that rotate and flex the trunk.

Odd Lifts Exercises used in competition other than snatch and clean and jerk, such as squats, bench presses, and barbell curls.

Onion Skin Slang denoting skin with very low percentage of subcutaneous fat, which helps to accentuate muscularity.

Overload Principle Applying a greater load than normal to a muscle to increase its capability

Parasympathetic Nervous System  Branch of the autonomic nervous system that slows the heart rate. 

Partial Reps  Performing an exercise without going through a complete range of motion either at the beginning or end of a rep. 

Peak Contraction  Exercising a muscle until it cramps by using shortened movements.

Pecs  Abbreviation for pectoral muscles of the chest. 

Performance benefit  Improvements in physical fitness as a result of exercise. 

Peripheral Vascular Disease  Lack of oxygen supply to the working muscles and tissues of the body, resulting from decreased blood supply. 

Peripheral Heart Action  A system of training where you go from one exercise to another, with little or no rest, preferably alternating upper body and lower body exercises. Designed for cardiovascular training and to develop muscle mass. 

Plyometric exercise  Where muscles are loaded suddenly and stretched, then quickly contracted to produce a movement. Athletes who must jump do these, i.e. jumping off bench to ground, quickly rebounding to another bench. 

Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation  Stretching exercises used to increase an individuals flexibility. 

Power  Strength + speed. 

Power Training  System of weight training using low repetitions, heavy weights. 

Progressive Resistance  Method of training where weight is increased as muscles gain strength and endurance. The backbone of all weight training. 

Pumped  Slang meaning the muscles have been made large by increasing blood supply to them through exercise. 

Pumping Iron  Phrase that has been in use since the 1950’s, but recently greatly popularized. Lifting weights

Quads Abbreviation for quadriceps femoris muscles, muscles on top of the legs, which consist of four parts (heads).

Quality Training Training just before bodybuilding competition where intervals between sets are drastically reduced to enhance muscle mass and density, and low calorie diet is followed to reduce body fat

Reciprocal Inhibition Reflex relaxation in a muscle being stretched.

Repetition One complete movement of an exercise.

Rep Out Repeat the same movement over and over until you are unable to do anymore.

Reps Abbreviation for REPETITIONS.

Rest Interval Pause between sets of an exercise, which allows muscles to recover partially before beginning next set.

Rest Pause Training Training method where you press out one difficult repetition, then replace bar in stands, then after 10-20 second rest, do another rep, etc.

Set Fixed number of repetitions. For example, 10 repetitions may comprise one set.

Slow Twitch Muscle cells that contract slowly are resistant to fatigue and are utilized in endurance activities such as long-distance running, cycling or swimming.

Static Stretch A stretch that is held within the stretched position for several seconds, without movement.

Sticking Point Most difficult part of a movement.

Straight Sets Groups of repetitions (SETS) interrupted by only brief pauses, (30-90) seconds.

Strength The ability of a muscle to produce maximum force.

Strength Training Using resistance weight training to build maximum muscle force.

Stretch Marks Tears (slight scars) in skin caused if muscle or fat tissue has expanded in volume faster than the skin can grow.

Striations Grooves or ridge marks seen under the skin, the ultimate degree of muscle definition.

Stroke  A condition which occurs from insufficient oxygen supply to the brain.

Super Set Alternating back and forth between two exercises until the prescribed number of sets is completed.

Sympathetic Nervous System Part of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for activity by speeding up the heart rate.

Tendon A band or cord of strong, fibrous tissue that connects muscle to the bone.

Testosterone Principle male hormone that accelerates tissue growth and stimulates blood flow.

Thick Skin Smooth skin caused by too much fatty tissue between the layers of muscle and beneath the skin.

Time Dependant Aging The loss of function resulting from growing old.

Training Effect Increase in functional capacity of muscles as result of increased (overload) placed upon them.

Training to Failure Continuing a set until it is impossible to complete another rep without assistance.

Traps Abbreviation for trapezius muscles, the largest muscles of the back and neck that draw head backward and rotate scapula.

Trigger Point An irritable spot usually found in soft tissue injury's, such as a knot within the muscle.

Trimming Down To gain hard muscular appearance by losing body fat.

Tri Sets Alternating back and forth between three exercises until a prescribed number of sets is completed

Upper Abs  Abbreviation for abdominal muscles above the navel. 

Variable Resistance  Strength training equipment where the machine varies amount of weight being lifted to match strength curve for a particular exercise – usually with a cam, lever arm or hydraulic cylinder. Also referred to as “ACCOMMODATING RESISTANCE.” 

Vascularity  Increase in size and number of observable veins. Highly desirable in bodybuilding. 

VO2 MAX  The maximum amount of oxygen a person can utilize per minute of work. Often written down as an evaluation of a persons cardiovascular efficiency

Warm up  Light gradual exercises performed to get the body ready for physical activity, normally
a slower version of the activity to follow. For example a light jog before a run. Often
followed by stretching of the body. 

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