Glossary

1RM method—The process of determining the maximum amount of weight that a lifter can lift for one repetition in an exercise.

absolute strength—A comparative expression of strength based on actual load lifted.

aerobic—In the presence of oxygen.

aerobic capacity—A measurement of physical fitness based on maximum oxygen uptake.

aerobic energy system—The metabolic pathway that requires oxygen for the production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP).

aerobic exercise—Exercise during which muscle cells receive enough oxygen to continue at a steady state. Some examples are walking, biking, running, swimming, and cross-country skiing.

all-or-none law—A muscle fiber that is stimulated by the brain will contract maximally or not at all; a stimulus of insufficient intensity will not elicit a contraction.

alternated grip—A grip in which one hand is supinated and the other hand is pronated so that both thumbs point in the same direction; also called a mixed grip.

amino acids—Nitrogen-containing compounds that form the building blocks of protein.

anabolic effects—Tissue building that is conducive to the constructive process of metabolism.

anabolic steroid—Testosterone, or a substance resembling it, which stimulates body growth anabolically.

anaerobic—In the absence of oxygen.

anaerobic exercise—Exercise during which the energy needed is provided without the need to use inspired oxygen. Examples include weightlifting and the 100-meter sprint.

androgenic effect—The masculinizing properties of a substance.

assume—To get into a stable body position before performing an exercise.

atrophy—A decrease in the cross-sectional size of a muscle fiber due to lack of use, disease, or starvation.

barbell—A piece of free-weight equipment that is used in two-arm exercises; a long bar on which weight plates may be placed on both ends.

basal metabolic rate (BMR)—The amount of energy, expressed in calories, that the body requires to carry on its normal functions at rest.

bench press bench—A bench with uprights where a barbell is racked or held.

bodybuilding—A sport that involves weight training to develop muscle hypertrophy.

body composition—The quantification of the body’s components, especially fat and muscle. It can be measured by various methods, such as skinfold calipers, girth measurement, impedance, or underwater (hydrostatic) weighing.

calorie—The measure of the amount of energy released from food or expended in metabolism.

cambered bar—A bar that has the same characteristics as a standard or an Olympic barbell except that its curves create natural places to grasp the bar to place an isolated training stress on certain muscle groups during an exercise; also called an EZ-curl bar.

carbohydrate (CHO)—A group of chemical compounds composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Examples include sugars, starches, and cellulose. It is a basic foodstuff that contains approximately 4 calories per gram.

cardiac muscle—A type of striated (involuntary) muscle tissue located only in the heart.

cardiorespiratory fitness—The efficiency of the heart and lungs to deliver oxygen to the working muscles.

circuit training—A variation of interval training that uses some type of external resistance and timed work and rest periods.

closed grip—A grip in which the fingers and the thumbs are wrapped (closed) around the bar.

coefficient—A number that represents a certain percent of a lifter’s body weight.

collar—The part of a barbell or dumbbell that keeps weight plates from sliding toward the hands.

common grip—A grip in which the hands are placed at roughly shoulder-width, equidistant from the weight plates.

compound set—A set in which two exercises that work the same muscle group are performed consecutively without resting between them. For example, a compound set for the chest would be a set of the bench press exercise followed immediately by a set of the dumbbell chest fly exercise; often misnamed as superset.

concentric muscular action—A type of muscular action characterized by tension being developed as the muscle is shortening (e.g., the upward phase of a biceps curl).

conditioning—A process of improving the capacity of the body to produce energy and do work.

cool-down—The period in which an individual performs light or mild exercise immediately after completing a training session. Its primary purpose is to gradually return to a resting state.

core—The central section of the body that includes the low back, torso, and abdominal muscles.

core exercise—An exercise that trains the low back, torso, or abdominal muscles.

delayed-onset muscle soreness—The effect of becoming sore 24 to 48 hours after a strenuous training session.

dumbbell—A piece of weight training equipment typically used to perform single-arm exercises, consisting of a short bar with weight plates on each end.

dynamic—Exercise involving movement; its opposite is static.

dynamic muscle action—Involves movement and consists of concentric, eccentric, or both types of muscle activity.

eccentric muscular action—A muscular action in which there is tension in the muscle, but the muscle lengthens rather than shortens. An example is the lowering phase of the biceps curl exercise where the biceps muscles lengthen even though there is tension in the muscle. Eccentric muscle actions are associated with the muscle soreness commonly experienced in weight training.

ergogenic aid—A substance used to enhance performance.

essential body fat—The fat stored in the bone marrow as well as in the heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, muscles, and lipid-rich tissues throughout the central nervous system. A minimum value of 3 percent for males and 12 percent in females is needed for normal physiological functioning.

exercise prescription—An exercise program based on present fitness levels and desired goals or outcomes.

extension—A movement occurring at a joint that increases its angle. The downward movement of the triceps pushdown is an example of elbow extension.

EZ-curl bar—A bar that has the same characteristics as a standard or an Olympic barbell except that its curves create natural places to grasp the bar to place an isolated training stress on certain muscle groups during an exercise; also called a cambered bar.

false grip—A grip on a bar in which the thumbs do not wrap around the bar; also called an open grip.

fast-twitch muscle fiber—A type of skeletal muscle fiber that is highly recruited during explosive muscular activities such as sprinting, shot putting, and competitive weightlifting.

fat—A basic foodstuff that contains approximately 9 calories per gram and should constitute 25 to 30 percent of the diet. In the body, it is essentially nonmetabolically active tissue.

fixed-resistance machine—A machine that features a pre-set pulley design often by pulling or pushing on a handle attached to a cable–pulley arrangement. Sometimes a chain or flat belt is used in place of the cable.

flat-back—An upper and lower position of the back (spine) that is not rounded or hunched over.

flexibility—The ability of a joint to move through its available range of motion.

flexion—A movement occurring at a joint that decreases its angle. The upward movement of the biceps curl is an example of elbow flexion.

free weight—A type of weight training equipment that allows nonrestrictive effect on joint movement (in contrast to a machine that creates a predetermined movement pattern).

frequency—The number of training sessions in a given time period; for example, three times a week.

gynecomastia—Male breast enlargement as a side effect of taking anabolic steroids.

handoff—An assist by a spotter to move a bar off its supports for the lifter.

hang—A body position where a barbell is hanging from the hands at a mid-thigh, partially-squatting position.

hormone—A chemical substance secreted by an endocrine gland that has a specific effect on activities of other cells, tissues, and organs.

hydrostatic weighing—A method of body composition assessment that uses underwater weighing to determine the density of the body so that the percentage of body fat can be calculated. Generally accepted as one of the most accurate methods of determining body composition; also called underwater weighing.

hyperplasia—An increase in muscle size due to muscle fibers splitting and forming separate fibers.

hypertension—High blood pressure.

hypertrophy—An increase in the cross-sectional area of the muscle. More simply stated, an increase in muscle size.

hyperventilation—Excessive ventilation of the lungs due to increased depth and frequency of breathing, usually resulting in the elimination of carbon dioxide. Accompanying symptoms include low blood pressure and dizziness.

intensity—The relative stress level that an exercise stimulus places on the body.

ischemia—A condition in which the supply of oxygen to working tissues is reduced.

isokinetic—A type of muscular activity in which movements occur at a constant velocity as controlled by an ergometer. The term describes only a concentric muscle action.

isometric contraction—A type of muscular activity in which there is tension in the muscle but it does not shorten (there is no movement); also called a static contraction.

isotonic—Implies a dynamic event in which the muscle generates the same amount of force through the entire movement. Such a condition occurs infrequently, if at all, in human performance; therefore, the word should not be employed to describe human exercise performance. In loose terms, however, it is used to describe dynamic free-weight exercises.

knurling—The rough area on a barbell that helps a lifter to keep a better grip on the bar.

lean body weight—Body weight minus fat weight; also called nonfat or fat-free weight.

ligament—Dense connective tissue that attaches the articulating surfaces of bones together.

light-to-heavy pyramid training—A training method in which each succeeding set in a group of sets becomes heavier.

linear—A periodization model where the intensity is consistently increased and the volume is reduced over time.

load—The amount of weight lifted.

lock—A mechanism placed on a bar outside of the weight plates to hold the plates on the bar.

macrocycle—A time period or cycle of training within a periodized training program that typically lasts from one month up to four years for Olympic athletes; the common length is one year.

mesocycle—A time period within a periodized training program that typically lasts several weeks to several months; the common length is one month. Two or more mesocycles make up one macrocycle.

metabolism—The sum total of the chemical changes or reactions occurring in the body.

microcycle—A time period or cycle of training within a periodized training program that is part of a mesocycle that typically lasts one to four weeks; the common length is one week. Two or more microcycles make up one mesocycle.

microtrauma—The result of muscle tissue becoming torn down from a strenuous training session.

mixed grip—A grip on a bar that involves having one hand in an underhand grip and the other in an overhand grip; also called an alternated grip.

motor unit—An individual motor nerve and all the muscle fibers it innervates (stimulates).

multijoint exercise (MJE)—An exercise that trains larger muscles and involves two or more joints changing angles as the exercise is performed. In this book, the advanced MJEs are the bench press, machine chest press, standing press, seated press, lunge, leg press, back squat, hang clean, and push press.

multiple sets—Performing more than one set of an exercise (after a rest period) before moving to a different exercise.

multiple sets–same load training—A training method in which each set in a group of sets uses the same load.

muscle-bound—A term that has been used to describe people who weight train as having limited joint flexibility, which can be due to a lack of muscle activity or to chronic use of poor lifting and stretching methods. The term is inappropriate to describe those who practice sound weight training techniques and proper stretching exercises.

muscle balance—Training a muscle group’s opposing muscle group to create balanced strength and muscular symmetry.

muscle group—In this book, seven muscle groups are named: chest, shoulders, back, triceps, biceps, core, and legs.

muscular endurance—The capacity of a muscle to repeatedly contract over a period of time without undue fatigue.

muscular strength—The capacity of a muscle to exert maximally one time.

negative work—A form of exercise that is more appropriately called eccentric exercise in which a muscle lengthens rather than shortens when it is under tension.

neural-learning factor—Ability to recruit more fibers and select those that are most effective to lift a load or perform an exercise.

neural—Referring to the nervous system.

neuromuscular—Involving both the nervous and the muscular systems.

nutrition—The study of how carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water provide the energy, substances, and nutrients required to function during rest and exercise conditions.

Olympic bar—A bar approximately seven feet (2.1 m) long that has rotating sleeves on the ends to hold the weights. The diameter of the bar is about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the middle and 2 inches (5 cm) at the ends. It weighs 45 pounds (20.5 kg); with Olympic locks, typically 55 pounds (25 kg).

Olympic weightlifting—A form of competitive lifting that involves a contest of maximum strength levels in the clean and jerk exercise and the snatch exercise.

one-repetition maximum (1RM)—The resistance (load) with which a lifter can perform only one repetition using a maximum effort.

open grip—A grip on a bar in which the thumbs do not wrap around the bar; also called a false grip.

overhand grip—A grip on a bar in which the palms are pronated (face down) or away and with the knuckles up.

overload principle—Placing a stress on a muscle that is slightly greater than what the muscle is accustomed to so that, over time, the muscle adapts and then can tolerate that stress.

overtraining—A state of undue mental or physical fatigue (or both) brought about by excessive training that does not permit full recovery between training sessions.

oxygen uptake—The ability of the heart and lungs to take in and utilize oxygen that is commonly expressed in milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of body weight per minute (ml/kg/min).

percent body fat—The percentage of body weight that is comprised of fat. Recommended ranges are 14 to 18 percent for men and 22 to 26 percent for women.

periodization—A method of varying a training program that systematically schedules high-intensity and low-intensity training periods.

physical fitness—An ability to be physically actively that is determined by an individual’s level of cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition.

pivot point—The axle on which a cam of a variable-resistance machine rotates.

positive work—The action of a muscle during a concentric muscle action.

powerlifting—A competitive sport that involves demonstrating maximum strength levels in the back squat, bench press, and deadlift exercises.

power zone—The thigh and hip area of the body that include the largest muscles of the body: the quadriceps (front of the thigh), hamstrings (back of the thigh), and gluteals.

practice procedures—Activities that teach a lifter how to perform weight training exercises.

program design—The “workout recipe” of a well-conceived weight training program.

program design variables—The components of a well-conceived weight training program that include exercise selection, exercise arrangement, loads, repetitions, sets, rest period length, and training frequency.

progressive overload—Systematically applying overload over time.

pronated grip—Grasping a bar at mid-body height so that the palms face down and the thumbs face each other; also called an overhand grip.

prone—Lying face down; the opposite of supine.

protein—A food substance that contains approximately 4 calories per gram and provides amino acids that are essential for tissue growth and repair.

pyramid training—A method of multi-set training in which loads get progressively heavier (ascending pyramid) or lighter (descending pyramid).

quick-lift exercise—A weight training exercise characterized by explosive movements; examples include the power clean, snatch, and hang clean exercises.

range of motion (ROM)—The available movement range through which a body part rotates about a joint.

recruit—To use or call into action a muscle during or for an exercise.

recruitment—The activation of motor units by the neuromuscular system during muscular activity.

relative strength—A comparative measure of strength based on a variable such as total body weight or lean body weight.

repetition—Performing the movement phases of an exercise one time; often abbreviated as rep.

repetition maximum (RM)—The maximum load that can be lifted over a given number of repetitions before fatiguing. For example, a 10RM load is the maximum weight that can be lifted for 10 repetitions.

resistance training—Any method or form of exercise that requires a lifter to exert force against resistance.

rest period—The amount of time between two sets or two exercises.

selectorized—Machines that allow a lifter to choose or select a load on the weight stack by using an inserted pin or key.

set—The number of repetitions consecutively performed in an exercise without resting.

single-joint exercise (SJE)—An exercise that isolates one muscle and involves movement at only one joint as the exercise is performed. Examples include the biceps curl, triceps extension, and standing heel raise.

skeletal muscle—A type of muscle tissue that attaches to bone via tendons and responds to voluntary stimulation from the brain.

slow-twitch muscle fiber—A type of skeletal muscle fiber that has the ability to repeatedly work without undue fatigue. This type of muscle fiber is highly recruited for long distance running, swimming, and cycling events.

smooth muscle—A type of involuntary muscle tissue located in the eyes and in the walls of the stomach, intestines, bladder, uterus, and blood vessels.

specificity concept—Training the body in a specific manner for a specific outcome.

split program—A weight training program characterized by scheduling certain exercises (for example, upper-body or lower-body exercises) on separate, alternate days.

squat rack—Supports (sometimes called standards) that hold a barbell at shoulder height; typically used so that a lifter can position a bar on his or her back in preparation for the back squat exercise.

standard barbell—A bar that is 1 inch (2.5 cm) in diameter and typically weighs approximately 5 pounds (2.3 kg) per foot.

static stretch—Involves holding a static position by passively placing the muscles and connective tissues on stretch.

sticking point—The point in the range of motion of an exercise at which moving the weight or resistance is the most difficult.

strength plateau—A temporary leveling off of progress in a strength training program.

strength training—The use of resistance training to increase one’s ability to exert or resist force for the purpose of improving strength, athletic performance, or both. The training may use free weights, the lifter’s own body weight, machines, or other devices to attain this goal.

striated muscle—Skeletal muscle that possesses alternate light and dark bands, or striations. Except for the cardiac muscle, all striated muscles are voluntary.

superset set—A set in which two exercises that work opposing muscle groups are performed consecutively without resting between them. For example, a superset for the arms would be a set of the biceps curl exercise followed immediately by a set of the triceps pushdown exercise.

supinated grip—A grip on a bar in which the palms face upward and thumbs point in opposite directions; also called an underhand grip.

supine—Lying on the back, facing upward; the opposite of prone.

tendon—Dense connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.

testosterone—The principal male hormone that is produced by the testes and is responsible for male sex characteristics.

therapeutic index—The ratio between a steroid’s anabolic effects and its androgenic effects.

three-days-a-week program—Training on Mon day, Wednesday, and Friday; Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; or Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. In a three-days-a-week program, all exercises are performed each training day.

trial load—A load that is used to determine if the load is acceptable or correct to use in the actual training program.

two-for-two rule—A guideline indicating sufficient improvement in muscular fitness is achieved when a lifter is able to perform two or more repetitions above the intended or goal number in the last set on two consecutive training days.

underhand grip—A grip on a bar in which the palms face upward (supinated) while the thumbs face away from each other.

underwater weighing—A method of body composition assessment that weighs a person underwater to determine the density of the body so that the percentage of body fat can be calculated. Generally accepted as one of the most accurate methods of determining body composition; also called hydrostatic weighing.

undulating—A periodization model where the intensity and volume is varied day to day and from workout to workout; also called nonlinear.

Universal—A brand of resistance equipment.

variable-resistance machine—A weight machine that has a kidney-shaped wheel or cam that creates a more even stress on the muscles.

variation—Manipulating the frequency, intensity, duration, or mode of an exercise program to promote maximal improvements with minimal opportunities for overtraining, either mentally or physically.

vitamin—An organic material that acts as a catalyst for vital chemical (metabolic) reactions.

volume—The total work performed per exercise, session, or week. Volume is calculated as the total number of repetitions times the total amount of weight lifted or as the number of sets times the number of repetitions.

warm-up—A period in which an individual performs light or mild exercise immediately before a training session. Its primary purpose is to prepare the body for more intense exercise.

weight training—The use of resistance training to increase one’s ability to exert or resist force for the purpose of improving strength, muscular endurance, hypertrophy, athletic performance, or a combination of these goals. The training may use free weights, the lifter’s own body weight, machines, or other devices to attain this goal. In more recent years, this term has been replaced by strength training.

work in—Sharing a piece of equipment with other people by letting them use the equipment during the rest period between sets.