A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X Y Z |
A
Aerobic exercise: An activity where you breath harder but don't gasp or feel breathless. Literally, "with oxygen."
Anaerobic exercise: An intense or fast activity where you become breathless. Your body can't process oxygen fast enough for use. Literally, "without oxygen."
Asthma, exercised-induced: A constriction of the bronchial passages during exercise only that causes wheezing, coughing, labored breathing, and shortness of breath. Can usually be remedied by physician-prescribed inhalers. Not a reason to stop exercising!
B
Ballistic stretching: see Stretching, ballistic
Bicep muscle - The muscle in the front of your upper arm above the elbow. It has two heads (hence, "bi") that attach to different parts of your shoulder. Flexing makes you feel studly.
Biomechanics: A sub-discipline of kinesiology, biomechanics uses applications and mathematical methods of mechanics to figure out how and why the human body ("bio") moves the way it does.
Body fat: What is left when you subtract muscles (body lean),water, bones and vital organs. Usually expressed in a percent.
Burnout: When you've done too much exercise over time, or are bored. You don't feel like exercising. Also, see "overtraining."
C
Concentric contraction: A contraction where the muscle shortens, such as in a bicep curl. There is movement in the joint (here, elbow) so it is called a dynamic action.
Cooldown: A gradual slowing for a few minutes at the end of exercise. Lets your body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, etc., return to normal slowly and safely.
D
Deltoid: The muscle group of the shoulder. Three parts: front (anterior), side (medial), and rear (posterior). "Delts" for short.
E
Eccentric contraction: A contraction where the muscle lengthens, such as when you lower a weight in your hand but resist the lowering. A dynamic action because of joint movement. This kind of contraction -- for example in your quadricep muscle when you run downhill -- tends to cause the most post-exercise muscle soreness.
Electrolytes: Minerals such as sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium that keep your nerves firing and muscles reacting during activity. Lost in sweat, so replenish with sports drinks.
F
Flexibility: Being able to move easily for daily activity and exercise without tightness, soreness, or injury. A tight muscle is a weak muscle.
G
Glycogen: Energy stores in your muscles stoked by carbohydrates in your diet. Hitting the wall means you're empty.
H
Hamstring: A long group of three muscles in the back of your thigh that runs hip to knee. "Hams" for short.
Heart rate, ambient: Not really a technical term. Your heart rate during the day when you are going about day-to-day activities but not exercising.
Heart rate calculations: Standard formula is 220 – (your age) for men, 226 – (your age) for women. Error is 10-15 beats either way since heart rate maximums are genetically determined.
Heart rate, maximum (MHR): The fastest and hardest your heart muscle can theoretically beat (contract). Your personal red-line. Maximums drop slowly with age, but not as fast or as much if you are fit.
Heart rate, recovery: Your heart rate at a certain time after completion of exercise, usually a couple of minutes. A more fit person’s HR drops more quickly after exercise.
Heart rate, reserve: The difference between a person’s maximum heart rate and resting heart rate. Used to calculate a more accurate training (target) heart rate.
Heart rate, resting (RHR): The lowest your heart will beat when you are totally at rest (averages 60-80). A true resting heart rate is taken first thing in the morning, before you get out of bed, have caffeine and with an empty bladder. An upward shift from your normal RHR by 10-15 beats can indicate stress, illness, fatigue or overtraining. Lower if you are more fit.
Heart rate, target (THR): see Target Heart Rate.
Heart rate, target zones: Your THR may encompass a large range, but for different performance goals, you may focus on narrower zones within your target spectrum.
I
Intervals: Exercise that alternates high intensity ("work") with easy or light intensity ("recovery"). Used by performance athletes for speed and endurance.
Isokinetic contraction: A dynamic method of muscle training where the speed of movement is held constant by a training device. No matter whether you exert a little force or all-out force, speed stays the same. Often used in testing or physical therapy.
Isometric contraction: A muscular contraction where the associated joints don't move, for example if you have to hold a heavy object in one place by contracting your biceps. This is a static action because there is no movement.
Isotonic contraction: A dynamic muscular contraction used in common weight-training exercises where the muscle moves the limb through a range of motion while contracted. Normally called dynamic training or contractions.
J
Jog: A slow or very easy run. Often considered an insulting term by serious runners who just call it an easy run.
K
Kilometer: A metric measurement commonly used in athletic distances. Abbreviated Km or K. 1K equals 0.62 miles. Inversely, 1 mile equals 1.62 kilometers. 5K is 3.1 miles, while 10K (this is higher math) is 6.2 miles.
Kinesiology: The study of how and why human muscles move specifically during sports and structured physical activity.
L
Lactic acid: Some of the "waste" your body makes when you exercise hard (anaerobic) and you feel heavy or quivery. The body uses it to make more energy later.
Ligament: a flexible, non-elastic tissue that connects bone to bone. Commonly injured in ankle sprains.
M
Maximum heart rate: see Heart rate, maximum
MET (Metabolic Equivalent): Also used to calculate energy use. A resting metabolic rate is 1 Met. Moderate exercise (such as a brisk walk at 3.5-4 mph) uses about 5-6 times the resting metabolic rate, or 5-6 METs.
Muscle soreness: What happens when you do too much, too soon, too fast. Usually is worse on second day after the activity and goes away in 3-4 days.
N
Nutrition: Good daily nutrition means 55-65 percent carbohydrate, 20-30 percent fat, and 10-15 percent protein.
O
Overtraining: Doing so much exercise over time that your body can't recover. You feel weak, tired, and sore, but you don't want to stop working out. Also, see "burn-out."
P
Perceived exertion: A fancy way to say "how do you feel," i.e. how do you "perceive" your "effort?" Often measured on a 0-10 scale, with 0 being nothing and 10 being all-out activity.
Q
Quadricep: The group of four muscles in the front of the thigh that run hip to knee. "Quads" for short.
R
Race walk: A specific, speedy walking technique that must follow rules and is judged (when performed in competitions). An Olympic sport since 1908.
Recovery heart rate: see Heart rate, recovery
Resting heart rate: see Heart rate, resting
RICE: A common (and smart) prescription for treatment of exercise boo-boo’s, such as sprains and strains. Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. Always smart – once you know your injury is not in need of medical care.
S
Shin splints: A catch-all term for any pain in the front of the lower leg (shin). Usually means you just need to stretch and
strengthen your shin and calf.
Strain: an injury to muscles or tendons.
Stroke volume: The amount of blood pumped per contraction (stroke) of the heart.
Stretching, static: Lengthening of muscles and soft tissues by reaching to the point where you must stop and holding. Safest method. Hold for 10-30 seconds.
Stretching, ballistic: An unsafe stretching method not normally recommended that incorporates bouncing your body weight into a stretch. Can easily tear muscles.
Sprain: an injury to ligaments.
T
Target heart rate: Where most people do their exercise. Usually 60-80 percent of maximum heart rate for moderate activity.
Tendon: A flexible, non-elastic tissue that connects muscle to bone. Damaged in strains.
U
Urine: Should be pale and odorless. If it's bright yellow or pungent, you are dehydrated.
V
VO2 max: Also known as, "maximum oxygen consumption." the largest amount of oxygen your body can suck in and process. Highly trained endurance athletes have high VO2s.
W
Warmup: Opposite of cooldown. A gradual speeding up for a few minutes when you start an activity. Lets your body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, and muscles prepare.
X Y Z
Yoga: An Eastern-based exercise that can be meditative, strengthening, and promote flexibility. Many types available.
