64 Important Fitness Terms You Need to Know

Getting started on your fitness journey can be exciting, but hearing terms like “HIIT,” “reps,” and “macros” might feel overwhelming. Don’t worry! This guide will break down some of the most common fitness terms so you can hit the gym or start your workouts with confidence.

Understanding key fitness terms can help you optimize your workouts and track your progress effectively and helps you to communicate effectively with trainers or gym-goers.

Glossary of Fitness Terms

1RM (One Repetition Maximum) – The maximum weight a person can lift for a single repetition of a given exercise, often used to measure strength levels and track progress.

Active Recovery – Low-intensity exercise performed on rest days to promote blood circulation, reduce soreness, and improve mobility without causing excessive fatigue.

Aerobic Exercise – Cardiovascular-based exercise that uses oxygen as the primary energy source, including activities like running, swimming, and cycling.

Anaerobic Exercise – High-intensity exercise that does not rely on oxygen, such as sprinting or weightlifting, primarily using stored energy sources like glycogen.

Anaerobic Threshold – The point during exercise where lactic acid builds up faster than the body can clear it, leading to fatigue and decreased performance.

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) – The number of calories the body needs to maintain basic physiological functions like breathing and circulation while at rest.

Beats Per Minute (BPM) – The number of heartbeats per minute, used to measure heart rate and exercise intensity.

Body Mass Index (BMI) – A numerical measurement based on height and weight to categorize individuals into underweight, normal weight, overweight, or obese categories.

Conditioning – Training that enhances overall physical performance, endurance, and strength, often involving cardiovascular and muscular endurance exercises.

Core – The group of muscles around the abdomen, lower back, hips, and pelvis that provide stability and strength for movement and balance.

Endurance – The ability to sustain physical activity for extended periods, improving stamina and overall fitness levels.

Form – Proper technique used during exercise to prevent injuries and maximize effectiveness.

Functional Training – Exercises that mimic real-life movements to improve strength, balance, and coordination for daily activities or sports.

Gains – Slang for noticeable progress in strength, muscle size, or fitness levels achieved through consistent training and nutrition.

Gym Rat – A person who spends a significant amount of time in the gym, often dedicated to fitness and training.

Maximal Heart Rate – The highest number of beats per minute the heart can reach during intense physical activity, estimated as 220 minus age.

Newbie – A beginner in fitness or weight training, often learning proper techniques and workout routines.

Overtraining – A condition caused by excessive exercise without adequate rest, leading to fatigue, decreased performance, and risk of injury.

PB (Personal Best) / PR (Personal Record) – The highest level of performance achieved in a specific exercise, such as the heaviest weight lifted or fastest time.

Plateau – A phase where progress stalls despite continuous training, often requiring changes in routine to overcome.

Rest Day – A scheduled day without intense exercise to allow muscles to recover and grow.

Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) – The number of calories burned at rest to sustain bodily functions, slightly higher than BMR.

Stamina – The ability to sustain prolonged physical or mental effort, often improved through consistent training.

Target Heart Rate – The optimal heart rate range during exercise to achieve specific fitness goals, calculated as a percentage of maximal heart rate.

Tempo – The speed at which a movement is performed, affecting muscle activation and workout intensity.

VO2 Max – The maximum amount of oxygen the body can use during intense exercise, indicating aerobic fitness levels.

Weekend Warrior – A person who exercises intensely on weekends but is relatively inactive during the week.

Anabolic – The process of muscle growth and repair, stimulated by strength training and proper nutrition.

Catabolic – The breakdown of muscle tissue, often occurring due to excessive training, lack of nutrients, or stress.

Compound Exercises – Movements that engage multiple muscle groups simultaneously, such as squats, deadlifts, and bench presses.

Concentric Muscle Contraction – The shortening phase of a muscle contraction, like lifting a weight during a bicep curl.

Drop Set – A technique where weight is reduced after muscle failure to continue the exercise for additional reps.

Eccentric Contraction – The lengthening phase of a muscle contraction, often associated with controlling weight lowering.

Eccentric Muscle Contraction – A type of muscle activation that occurs when a muscle lengthens under tension, like lowering a dumbbell.

Failure – The point in an exercise where no more repetitions can be performed with proper form.

Functional Moves – Exercises that replicate natural movements to improve strength, coordination, and flexibility.

Half Rep – Performing only part of the range of motion of an exercise to target a specific muscle phase.

Hypertrophy – The process of muscle growth due to resistance training and progressive overload.

Isolation Exercises – Movements targeting a single muscle group, such as bicep curls or leg extensions.

Progressive Overload – Gradually increasing the weight, reps, or intensity of exercises to promote muscle growth and strength.

Pump – The temporary swelling of muscles due to increased blood flow during intense training.

Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) – A scale from 1-10 used to measure workout intensity based on effort level.

Rep – A single execution of an exercise movement.

Resistance – The force applied against muscles in strength training, such as weights, resistance bands, or bodyweight.

ROM (Range of Motion) – The full movement potential of a joint during an exercise.

Set – A group of consecutive repetitions of an exercise.

Spotting – Assisting someone during weightlifting to ensure safety and help with form.

Superset – Performing two exercises back-to-back without rest.

TUT (Time Under Tension) – The total duration a muscle is under strain during a set, affecting growth and endurance.

AMRAP (As Many Repetitions As Possible) – A workout style focusing on completing as many reps as possible within a set time.

Burnout Set – Performing an exercise to complete muscle exhaustion.

Circuit – A sequence of exercises performed in succession with minimal rest.

Dynamic Set – A strength training method using varying rep speeds or resistance.

Dynamic Warm-Up – Movements that prepare the body for exercise by increasing mobility and heart rate.

HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) – Short bursts of intense activity alternated with rest periods.

Incline – A workout setting or exercise angle that increases difficulty and targets different muscles.

Lactate Threshold – The point at which lactic acid accumulates faster than it can be removed.

Lactic Acid – A byproduct of anaerobic exercise contributing to muscle fatigue.

Plyometrics – Explosive movements, like jump squats or box jumps, to improve power and speed.

Post Workout – The recovery phase after exercise, focusing on nutrition and stretching.

Tabata – A high-intensity workout consisting of 20 seconds of effort followed by 10 seconds of rest.

Cooldown – A series of low-intensity exercises and stretching to lower heart rate and prevent stiffness.

Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) – Muscle soreness occurring 24-48 hours after intense exercise due to microtears in muscle fibers.

Warm-Up – Light activities before a workout to increase blood flow, mobility, and reduce injury risk.