The Common Gym Terms Everyone Should Know
Whenever you begin something new, there are some jargons which the experienced use that can make you feel out of place. The jargons can make you feel like everyone is in on the joke, except you.
Learning the common terms can make you sound like a pro from the first day. As someone once said, fake it until you make it. Add these terms to your dictionary and impress people around you with your knowledge.
Gym Bro
A gym bro is a guy who thinks he knows everything about bodybuilding, nutrition, supplementation and all that has to do with training. The catch is that none of his knowledge is backed by science. Use this term carefully while addressing someone as they might find it disrespectful.
Macros
Macronutrients are one of the most used words in the fitness nutrition world. Macros constitute the carbohydrates, protein, and fats in a diet. Micronutrients are their counterpart and include all the vitamins and minerals.
Supersets / Drop-sets
Supersets and drop-sets are a couple of advanced training techniques. In supersets, you perform two different exercises back to back without any rest in between. Drop-sets include performing two sets of the same exercise. In a drop-set, you drop down the weight after the first set and complete the same number of reps as the first set without stopping for rest.
Circuits
In a circuit training workout, you perform a “round” of exercises. For example, in a bodyweight circuit workout, one round would consist of 10 pushups, 10 squats, 5 burpees, and 10 lunges, all done without any rest in between the exercises.
HIIT
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) consists of tough, quick, intense bursts of exercise, followed by short recovery periods. The HIIT workouts are meant to keep your heart rate up and are great for burning fat.
LISS
Low-Intensity Steady State (LISS) refers to the kind of cardio where you maintain a set pace at a moderate intensity. A long run, a walk on a treadmill or a bike ride are some examples of LISS.
DOMS
DOMS stands for delayed onset muscle soreness which is the pain you feel in your muscles a day or two after an intense workout. The soreness and pain you feel from DOMS comes from the chemicals that set off pain receptors during the repair process
TuT
As the name implies, time under tension (TuT) refers to the amount of time your muscles are under tension during an exercise. You can lower the TuT by fastening up the tempo of your reps or increase the TuT by slowing down the reps.
GVT
GVT or German Volume Training is a tried and tested training program. It includes doing ten sets of the same exercise for ten reps. The GVT program is known to build size and conditioning.
Aerobic – Anaerobic Exercises
In aerobic exercises, your body uses oxygen as a source of fuel which can keep your body going for extended times. On the other hand, anaerobic exercises are short intervals of work which improve speed and power. In the anaerobic exercises, the muscles use glucose and ATP as a source of energy.
Header image courtesy of Envato Elements
Which of these words do you use the most?
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