Fitness Glossary

Aerobic - Literally, "with oxygen." Aerobic exercise is the body's process of producing energy by increasing the blood flow to give much needed energy to working muscles. Aerobic exercise is anything that is done with oxygen.

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.

Antioxidants - Substances such as Vitamins A, C and E and minerals such as copper, magnesium and zinc. Believed to destroy free radicals, which some scientists think may not only accelerate aging but also contribute to the formation of cancers and cataracts.

Bio mechanics - The study of the mechanics of muscular activity. Body fat - The percentage of your body mass that is not composed of lean muscle, water, bones or vital organs.

Cardiovascular - Relating to or involving the heart and blood vessels.

Complex carbohydrates - Starches, such as grains, breads, rice, pasta, vegetables and beans. They get their name from their complex, chainlike structure. During digestion, starches are typically broken down into sugars and used by the body for energy. Complex carbohydrates offer you more sustained energy levels than simple carbohydrates.

Cool-down - Slowing down at the end of a workout to allow your body temperature and heart rate to decrease gradually.

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.

Trainer Tip – Nearly all of my personal training is focused around cross training, its fun, varied and great way of burning calories. Challenge yourself - book a multi sport event this year

Dehydration - The abnormal depletion of body fluids, easily detected by dark, concentrated urine. Prevented by drinking water or sports drinks before, during and after exercise. When you are fully hydrated, urine is plentiful, pale and odorless.

Dumbbell - weights attached to a short bar that can be held in one hand. Often used in pairs.

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.

Endorphins - These are the brain chemicals that contribute to the ‘good feeling’ during and after exercise.

Fartlek - Swedish for "speed play," a type of loosely structured interval training for runners, cyclists, and in-line skaters. It combines high-intensity segments with your regular training pace in order to build strength and speed.

Flexibility - The range of motion around a joint. This can be increased with stretching and yoga. Free weights - Weights not attached to a machine nor driven by cables or chains. Barbells and dumbbells are examples of free weights.

Glucose - A sugar, the usual form in which carbohydrates are assimilated by the body.

Glycogen - The form carbohydrates take when stored in the muscles. I Intervals - Speed workouts, usually run on a track, with distances and target paces decided before you run. They typically consist of relatively short sprints of 220 yards to 1 mile interspersed with rest periods of slower running.

Isometrics - Exercise or a system of exercises in which opposing muscles are so contracted that there is little shortening but great increase in tone of muscle fibers involved.

Kilometer - Metric measurement used in athletic events. One K equals 0.62 miles. A 10K race is 6.2 miles, and a 5K is 3.1 miles.

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 crucial ligament (ACL) of the knee connects the kneecap to the femur (thigh) and the tibia (shin). Ligament injuries can be sprains or tears.

Nutrition - The sum of the processes by which an animal or plant takes in and utilizes food substances.

Osteoporosis - A condition that affects especially older women and is characterized by decrease in bone mass with decreased density and enlargement of bone spaces producing porosity and fragility.

Overpronation - Excessive inward foot motion during running that can lead to injury. Learn how to choose running shoes.

Perceived exertion - The level of intensity you feel your body is exerting during exercise on a scale of 0 to 10. An unscientific way of staying within your target heart rate zone. Pyruvate - A nutritional supplement that has been found to enhance athletic performance and possibly aid in burning fat.

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..

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.

Set - A number of repetitions of a movement, such as an arm curl or a squat. A set may have 8 reps, for example.

Shin splints - The generic term for pain in the front of the lower leg. Most often caused by inflammation of the tendons (tendinitis), which can result when the tendons are subjected to too much force or repeatedly overstretched. Running or walking on hard surfaces can contribute.

Simple carbohydrates - Sugars, such as fructose, glucose, maple syrup and honey. So called because their chemical makeup consists of only 1 or 2 units as opposed to complex carbohydrates, which contain many.

Spinning - The Spinning program utilizes a revolutionary stationary bike, the Johnny G. Spinner by Schwinn, which is designed to simulate a real outdoor biking experience. There are no computers attached to the Spinner, and the bike has a fixed gear, racing handlebars, pedals with clips or cages, and a seat that can adjust up and down, fore and aft. Each Spinner also has a resistance knob that you can use to adjust the intensity of each workout.

Static stretch - A simple muscle stretch that goes just to the point of gentle tension and is held steadily for several seconds without moving or bouncing.

Stretch reflex - A protective, involuntary nerve reaction that causes muscles to contract. Bouncing or overstretching can trigger the reflex in which muscles are trying to protect themselves from damage.

Target heart rate - The ideal intensity level at which your heart is being exercised but not overworked. Determined by finding your maximum heart rate and taking a percentage (60% to 85%, depending on fitness level) of it.

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.

Threshold - The heart rate at which lactic acid begins to build up faster than you can break it down. You should do the bulk of your training at just below that level. VO2 max - The largest volume of oxygen your body can take in and assimilate. This figure is very high in trained endurance athletes.

Warm-up - Gentle, slow exercise at the beginning of a workout to prepare muscles, heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature for the activity.

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

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.

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

Atrophy - Withering away Decrease in size and functional ability of tissue or organs.

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

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

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

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 muscle mass, normally as a result of injury, immobilization and poor dieting techniques.

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.

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 promotes overall fitness, by generally working all muscle groups as well as heart and lungs.

Complete Proteins - Proteins that contain all the essential amino acids. Concentric Contraction - An isotonic muscle contraction, where a muscle contracts or shortens.

Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) - Diseases of the heart muscle and the blood vessels that supply it with oxygen, high risk factor for a heart attack.

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

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

DOMS - 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.

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.

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

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

Flexibility - (ROM) Range of movement in a joint or group of joints. Flexion - Bending in contrast to extending, as in leg flexion.

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.

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

Glycemic Index (GI) 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.

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

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. Isotonic Exercise - Muscular action in which there is a change in length of muscle and weight, keeping tension constant. Lifting free weights is a classic isotonic exercise.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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. Spotter Person who watches a person closely to see if any help is needed during a specific exercise.

Strength - The ability of a muscle to produce maximum force. Strength Training - Using resistance weight training to build maximum muscle force.

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

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