Movement

Gym Start-up Manual: 5 Fitness Terms You Should Know

Just entering the gym scene? Here are five fitness terms that everyone should know before starting their fitness journey. You can thank us later!

By Ameya Arora

12 Aug 2022

From treadmills, bicycles, weights, and mats, a gym offers all the tools you need to curate a personalised workout for you. With a suitable workout plan executed under the guidance of a qualified fitness trainer, anything is possible.If you haven’t signed up with a trainer and are unsure of how to choose a fitness trainer, read this.

Understandably, when you are a gym newbie, it can be intimidating to take a workout into your own hands for the first time. You may wonder how to use the gym equipment or whether your exercise form is correct. It is a different environment which can make you feel uncomfortable in your first few days. If you are unprepared, it might even rob you of your motivation to continue, and you don’t want that.

But, there is a way to make every gym session work for you. Just ask for help to make the most of your time at the gym. . Moreover, there are a bunch of fitness terms that people throw around in a gym, we can help you with those:

5 Fitness Terms That You Must Know

1. Compound Exercise

These exercises work multiple muscle groups at the same time, such as a squat which works the calves, glutes, and quadriceps together. Furthermore, if you perform two exercises at the same time, that also makes it a compound exercise. For example, performing a bicep curl while doing a lunge.

Compound exercises are a great way of making efficient use of your time as they target more areas . Different compound exercises include deadlift, reverse lunge with bicep curl, squat, and front lunge with twist.

2. Plyometrics

Plyometrics are intense and high-impact exercises, as they require maximum muscle effort in a limited time period. These exercises boost speed, endurance, and strength.

Also known as jump training, and include exercises like jumping, throwing,, and kicking, plyometrics workouts are suitable for trained athletes and people in their peak physical fitness. Plyometric exercises can also be undertaken by people wishing to improve their fitness. However, they should perform plyometric exercises under the supervision of a trainer who can show you how to exercise safely, without running the risk of injury.

3. Toning

We all have at least once come across someone with a ‘toned’ body, or someone who wishes to have a ‘toned’ body part. Toning indicates low levels of body fat and a lean shape of body, or defined muscles. It improves your posture, increases stamina, lowers the risk of disease, and improves overall quality of life.

4. AMRAP

AMRAP is used by gym trainers to indicate ‘as many reps (rounds) as possible’. It refers to doing as many repetitions of an exercise as possible in the given time. With the goal of minimising breathers, you are not allowed to take breaks in between until the timer runs out. Your trainer gives you a specific time duration to complete as many rounds as you can.

It can work with many types of exercises, including cardio and weight training. It is good for building muscle strength, burning fat and improving endurance.

5. Cool Down

Cool down exercises are those which are performed at the end of the workout to provide your relief from the strenuous exercises. A good cool down helps you relax, improves blood flow, lowers the risk of injury, and reduces stress in the muscles after an intense workout.

Cool down exercises are performed at a lower speed and intensity than the workouts. Different cool down exercises are slow jogging or walking, full body stretches, seated forward bend, shoulder stretch, spinal twist etc. You should breathe deeply while cooling down in order to properly deliver oxygen to your muscles and release tension.

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It is important to remember that if going to the gym is out of your comfort zone, give it time. It takes time to properly fit-in in the environment and get used to the strenuous fitness regimens. But don’t forget to enjoy the workout, the sweat, and compliment yourself as you do something great for your body, mind, and future self!