Exercise & Fitness Glossary
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| Abdominals | |
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Group of muscles in the front of the torso between the chest and pelvis. | |
| Abductor | |
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Hip muscle used to pull your legs apart. | |
| AC | |
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Alternating current: Power source where voltage changes magnitude and direction. Gym-quality equipment often uses AC instead of DC. | |
| Adductor | |
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Muscles in the inner thigh used to pull your legs together. | |
| Aerobic | |
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Long-term exercise that uses oxygen, carbohydrates, and fat for energy. | |
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| Air resistance | |
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Type of exercise bike that requires a user to pedal against air produced by a fan. | |
| Anaerobic | |
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Short-term, high-intensity exercise that uses carbohydrates for energy, but not oxygen. | |
| Barbell | |
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Weights attached to a long bar. | |
| Belt | |
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Moving track portion of a treadmill where a person runs, walks, or jogs. | |
| Bench | |
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Long seat or platform. | |
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| Bicep | |
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Muscle running along the inside of the upper arm. | |
| Body fat | |
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Percentage of body mass that's not composed of muscle, water, bones, or organs. | |
| Body Mass Index (BMI) | |
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Body weight to height ratio. | |
| Burnout | |
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Boredom with exercise. | |
| Calorie | |
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Amount of heat it takes to raise the temperature of one kilogram of water by one degree Celsius. | |
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| Cardiovascular equipment | |
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Exercise equipment designed to raise a person's heart rate with aerobic activity. | |
| Computer-controlled resistance | |
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Friction-free resistance adjustment on an exercise bike. | |
| Conditioning equipment | |
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Exercises that train your muscles to react a certain way. For example, yoga, pilates, and inversion machines. | |
| Continuous duty horsepower | |
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Maximum horsepower equipment can sustain over a long period of time. | |
| Cool-down | |
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Low-impact activity used to transition from high-impact exercise to the end of a workout. | |
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| Cross-training | |
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Training method that uses a variety of exercises to work different muscle groups. | |
| Crossbar | |
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Bar that a person can hold for support or balance while exercising. | |
| Crutch | |
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Forked support on a bench that holds a barbell. | |
| Current-limiting | |
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Feature that prevents too much electrical current from running through equipment. | |
| Cylinder-driven resistance | |
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Cylinders use air or hydraulic fluid to provide resistance. You can adjust resistance by turning a knob. | |
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| DC | |
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Direct Current: Power source where electricity flows in one direction. | |
| Deck | |
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Stationary platform on either side of a treadmill belt. | |
| Declined bench | |
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Simple bench set up at a declined angle. | |
| Dehydration | |
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Depletion of body fluids. | |
| Deltoid | |
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Three-part muscle group around the top of the shoulders. | |
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| Dependent steps | |
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Linked steps on a stepper or stair machine. When you step on one step, the other moves. | |
| Dietary supplement | |
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Pill or food that completes a person's daily nutritional requirements. | |
| Direct tension | |
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Method of adjusting resistance by manually turning a knob or adjusting a lever. | |
| Drive train | |
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Mechanical system that transfers power or torque from one place to another. | |
| Dual action | |
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Type of exercise bike that has movable arms. | |
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| Dual direction | |
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Elliptical machine that allows forward and backward motion. | |
| Dumbbell | |
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Weight attached to a short bar that can be lifted with one hand. | |
| Electrolytes | |
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Type of television that uses lenses and mirrors to magnify an image and project it onto the back of a translucent screen. | |
| Elliptical machine | |
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Cardiovascular exercise machine where users stand upright and create a gliding motion that mimics stepping, walking, and skiing. | |
| Ergo handlebar | |
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Handlebars shaped and positioned for comfort. | |
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| Ergonomic | |
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Designed to comfortably fit the human body. | |
| Exercise ball | |
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Inflatable ball that can support the weight of a body, often used to improve balance. | |
| Exercise intensity | |
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How hard a body works during physical activity. | |
| Exercise mat | |
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Mat made of a thin material that stays in one place on a floor without permanently attaching itself. | |
| Flat bench | |
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Simple horizontal bench, often with a crutch to support a barbell. | |
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| Flexibility | |
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Range of motion around a joint. | |
| Flywheel | |
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Wheel that stores energy and helps control speed in some fitness equipment. | |
| Footprint | |
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Amount of floor space a piece of exercise equipment takes up. | |
| Free weights | |
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Weights such as dumbbells and barbells that are not attached or tethered to a machine. | |
| Glider | |
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Type of dual action elliptical machine. | |
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| Glutes | |
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Three-part muscle group around the buttocks and hips. | |
| Hamstring | |
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Group of three muscles on the back of the thigh. | |
| Heart rate | |
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Number of times a heart beats in a certain period of time. | |
| Heart rate monitor | |
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Device that measures heart rate. | |
| High-impact | |
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Actions that put a lot of force or strain on your body. | |
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| Home gym | |
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Exercise equipment that can have one or more station containing a seat or bench. A station can have resistance bands, a cable and pulley system used with a weight stack, or parallel bars. | |
| Horsepower (HP) | |
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Term coined by James Watt to describe power provided by a horse. Horsepower is measured at 33,000 foot-pounds of work per minute. | |
| Inclined bench | |
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Simple bench set up at an inclined angle. | |
| Independent steps | |
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Steps on a stepper or stair machine that are not attached to each other. When a person puts weight on one step the other step does not move. | |
| Intermittent duty horsepower | |
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Maximum horsepower a machine can sustain over a short period of time. | |
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| Interval training | |
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Workout where a person alternates between short periods of high-impact and low-impact exercise. | |
| Inversion machine | |
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Equipment that supports a person and allows them to move as they hang upside down or at an inverted angle. | |
| Isometrics | |
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Exercises that work opposing muscle groups to increase tone without shortening the muscles. | |
| Low-impact | |
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Exercise that does not put a lot of force or strain on your body. | |
| Magnetic resistance | |
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Computer-controlled change in resistance on cardiovascular equipment. | |
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| Microfibre | |
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Lightweight and breathable cloth made of polyester or nylon used in a lot of sports clothing. | |
| Motor | |
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Device that turns electrical energy into mechanical energy. | |
| MPH | |
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Miles Per Hour: Measurement of speed that indicates the distance a person can travel over the course of one hour. | |
| Pacer | |
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Equipment setting that allows you to set distance and time goals so that you can pace yourself or race against the clock. | |
| Parallel bar dips | |
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Equipment with two parallel bars that allow you to raise and lower yourself to work your chest and triceps. | |
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| Peak performance horsepower | |
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Maximum available horsepower. | |
| Pedometer | |
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Device that calculates how many steps a person takes. | |
| Pilates | |
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Exercise system developed by Joseph Pilates that uses controlled movement to improve muscle tone, flexibility, strength, and range of motion. | |
| Preacher curl bench | |
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Type of bench that has a raised arm support so you can work lower bicep muscles with free weights. | |
| Quadriceps | |
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Group of four muscles in the front of the thigh. | |
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| Recovery heart rate | |
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Amount of time it takes for your heart rate to return to where it was before you began a workout. | |
| Recumbent bike | |
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Type of exercise bike with a chair-like reclined seat. | |
| Resistance | |
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Opposing force. | |
| Resistance band | |
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Band with elasticity that creates resistance when stretched or pulled. | |
| Resting heart rate | |
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Number of times the heart beats while a person is at rest. | |
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| Rower | |
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Exercise equipment where a user rows as if on a boat. | |
| Safety clip | |
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Key attached to an exerciser's clothing and equipment. When it is pulled, the equipment stops to prevent injury to the exerciser. | |
| Self-powered alternator | |
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Feature that powers cardiovascular equipment without plugging into an external power source. | |
| Shock absorber | |
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Material designed to absorb or cushion impact. | |
| Ski machine | |
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Cardiovascular exercise machine that lets a user recreate a skiing motion. | |
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| Spinning | |
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Exercise class where people are instructed to use a stationary bike in a way that mimics outdoor cycling conditions. | |
| Split-level console | |
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Display used on some exercise equipment that has one area to adjust settings and a separate area to track progress during a workout. | |
| Stair climber | |
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Exercise equipment that allows a user to step in a climbing motion. | |
| Stepper | |
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Exercise equipment that allows a user to step in a walking motion or in a lateral motion. | |
| Strength training | |
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Exercises designed to increase muscle, build strength, and maintain bone mass. | |
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| Target heart rate | |
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Optimum heart rate for aerobic fitness determined by the American College of Sports Medicine. | |
| Torque | |
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Amount of twist required to set a piece of equipment into motion. | |
| Total body workout | |
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Exercise routine that works all of the body's major muscle groups at once. | |
| Trampoline | |
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Nylon web supported by springs on a metal frame. | |
| Treadmill | |
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Exercise equipment that requires a person to walk, jog, or run on a moving belt. | |
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| Triceps | |
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Muscles on the back of the upper arms. | |
| Warm-up | |
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Slow exercise at the beginning of a workout that raises your body temperature and prepare your heart and muscles for activity. | |
| Watt | |
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Measurement of the power output for a piece of equipment. | |
| Weight lifting belt | |
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Belt that provides lower-back support. | |
| Weight plate | |
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The actual weight at the end of a barbell, dumbbell, or in a stack on a home gym. | |
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| Weight-bearing exercise | |
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Exercise where you support or lift weight, such as running. | |
| Yoga | |
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Type of exercise that uses breathing, stretching, and strength-building poses to improve flexibility and strength, and promote relaxation. | |
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