Glossary
Training and food terms, explained.
42 terms from the gym and the kitchen, each in two sentences, with a link to the full article.
Training 20
Sets, reps, effort and exercises.
Compound exerciseA compound exercise moves more than one joint and trains several muscles at once, like the squat, bench press or row.Read Concurrent trainingConcurrent training means doing strength training and endurance training in the same period.Read Drop setA drop set is a set where you lower the weight as soon as you reach failure and keep going without a break.Read Hard setA hard set is a set taken close to failure, usually with 0 to 3 reps left.Read HypertrophyHypertrophy is the growth of muscle.Read Isolation exerciseAn isolation exercise moves one joint and targets one muscle, like a leg extension, curl or lateral raise.Read Muscle soreness (DOMS)DOMS is the stiffness and soreness you can feel one to three days after training, especially after new exercises or a break.Read One-rep max (1RM)Your one-rep max is the heaviest weight you can lift once with good form.Read Range of motionRange of motion is how far a joint moves during a rep, from the stretched position to the shortened one.Read Rate of perceived exertion (RPE)RPE is a score from 1 to 10 for how hard a set felt.Read RepA rep, short for repetition, is one full movement of an exercise, such as lowering and lifting the bar once in a squat.Read Rep rangeA rep range is the span of reps you aim for in each set of an exercise, such as 8 to 12.Read Reps in reserve (RIR)Reps in reserve is how many more reps you could have done when you stopped a set.Read Rest between setsRest between sets is the break you take before the next set.Read SetA set is a group of reps done in a row before you rest.Read SupersetA superset is two exercises done back to back with little or no rest, often for different muscles, such as a row and a press.Read TempoTempo is how fast you lift and lower the weight in each rep.Read Training at long muscle lengthsTraining at long muscle lengths means loading a muscle most when it is stretched, as in the bottom of a Romanian deadlift or an incline curl.Read Training to failureTraining to failure means doing reps until you cannot complete another one with good form.Read Warm-up setA warm-up set is a lighter set before your working sets, to practise the movement and prepare your body for heavier weights.Read
Planning 12
How training is organised over weeks.
DeloadA deload is a planned lighter week with fewer sets or less weight, to let fatigue drop before you train hard again.Read Double progressionDouble progression is a way to progress in two steps: add reps at the same weight until you hit the top of your rep range, then add weight and start again at the bottom.Read Full body workoutA full body workout trains all major muscle groups in one session, usually two or three times a week.Read Linear progressionLinear progression means adding a fixed amount of weight every session, such as 2.5 kg on the squat each workout.Read PlateauA plateau is a period where a lift or your body weight stops changing, even though you keep training.Read Progressive overloadProgressive overload means asking a little more of your muscles over time, by adding weight, reps or sets, so they keep a reason to adapt.Read Push/pull/legs (PPL)Push/pull/legs splits training into pushing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps), pulling muscles (back, biceps) and legs.Read Training blockA training block is a stretch of several weeks with one focus, usually ending in a lighter week before the next block starts.Read Training frequencyTraining frequency is how often you train a muscle or do a lift each week.Read Training splitA training split is how you divide your muscles or lifts over the days of your week.Read Training volumeTraining volume is how much work you do, most usefully counted as hard sets per muscle per week.Read Upper/lower splitAn upper/lower split alternates upper-body days and lower-body days, often four sessions a week.Read
Food 10
Calories, protein and the rest of your plate.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR)Your basal metabolic rate is the energy your body uses at complete rest.Read Body recompositionBody recomposition means building muscle and losing fat at the same time, while your weight stays about the same.Read Calorie deficitA calorie deficit means eating less than you burn, so you lose weight.Read Calorie floorA calorie floor is a minimum daily intake that a plan never goes below.Read Calorie surplusA calorie surplus means eating more than you burn, so you gain weight.Read Carb cyclingCarb cycling means eating more carbohydrates on training days and fewer on rest days, while the weekly total stays the same.Read Lean bulkA lean bulk is a period of eating a small surplus to build muscle while keeping fat gain low.Read MacrosMacros are the three nutrients that provide energy: protein (4 kcal per gram), carbohydrates (4 kcal per gram) and fat (9 kcal per gram).Read Maintenance caloriesMaintenance calories is the amount you can eat per day without gaining or losing weight.Read Protein intakeFor people who lift and want to build muscle, research points to about 1.6 to 2.2 g of protein per kg of body weight per day.Read
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