by Therese Iknoian

You run, you walk, you cycle, you hike. And occasionally you think about lifting some weights to round out your fitness program. But gyms can be pretty intimidating places.

Still, cardiovascular exercise for your heart and lungs needs to be filled out with resistance exercise for muscle strength, says the American College of Sports Medicine. Some amount of muscle strength can help you avoid injury during other sports and, recent research shows, might stave off osteoporosis, or a weakening of the bones typical in women. The sports organization has recommended a minimum of two weekly strength sessions, each including 8 to 10 exercises of 8 to 10 repetitions each, targeting different muscle groups.

So, the question is, how do you sidle into that weight pit and feel confident next to Arnold reincarnate? Being able to walk into a club's weight room and workout with confidence is a learned skill that needs instruction and practice. As with any sport, there are unspoken rules and customs, and a whole new vocabulary.

First, some basic terms:

• Incline bench -- the one that's tilted up so you're leaning backwards with your head toward the ceiling on the pad and not lying flat.

• Decline bench -- hangs your head below your hips.

• Curlbar -- the one that looks like someone got mad and bent it. It's crooked so curls better isolate the bicep or tricep muscles (see the exercise lingo column if those muscle groups areconfusing).

• Dumb bells (no, not what you think) -- the individual weights bars that are short so you hold one in each hand.

• Bar bells -- the long weight bars that you hold with both hands, like when doing bench presses.

• Plates -- the large iron weights that slip on and off the end of the bar so you can choose what's best for you.

© 1999 Therese Iknoian; All Rights Reserved