Have you ever read a fitness article and been completely stumped? All that exercise terminology zooming over the top of your head can be a confusing experience. I’ve been there.
Before I was a fitness professional, certain exercise terms bewildered me. It was like the writer was speaking a totally different language. If it wasn’t for the pictures and videos, I’d have drawn a blank.
Getting and keeping yourself in shape is tough enough without being confused with exercise jargon. Let The Balance Guy clear up your confusion by defining some exercise terms currently used in fitness magazines.
Examples include push-ups (where your chest muscles come together),chest fly’s and cable hip adduction.
Examples of this body movement include a lateral shoulder raise, dumbbell reverse fly and hip clam exercise
Movement examples include the up phase of a push-up or coming up from the bottom of a squat.
DOMS is a state of muscular pain and discomfort that can begin several hours after bout of intense exercise and can last for up to three days. DOMS is thought to be caused by micro tears in your muscles that need extra time to heal.
Movement examples include the lowering down portion of the squat or the arm coming down during a biceps curl.
It forms when the body breaks down carbohydrates to use for energy during times of low oxygen levels, like during your 12th set of triceps extensions or at the end of a long cardio training.
Exercise examples include front planks, side planks, and wall squats.
Isometric exercises are the ones we love to hate but they are good for you. Trust me, I’m a trainer.
Exercise examples include hip extensions, shoulder dislocations and spiderman with rotation. These double as excellent warm up drills.
Next time you read anything fitness, you’ll feel like a pro.
Shane McLean is an ACE Certified Personal Trainer in Dallas Texas. Moved here 12 years ago from Melbourne Australia. Specializing in stability core, strength and mobility programs. The four fundamentals to healthy skeletal health. Shane tailors training's to meet your strength, nutrition, injury management and mobility needs. His motto is "to improve one’s balance, strength and mobility no matter your age."