Essential glossary to understand your training

The world of training is full of technical terms that can be confusing if you're not familiar with them. This glossary is designed as a practical guide to help you get started, review what you already know, or reinforce your knowledge. Understanding this vocabulary will help you get more out of every session.

Basic concepts

• Repetition : Performing an exercise completely once.

• Set : A group of repetitions performed without pause.

• Maximum effort : The heaviest load you can move in a single attempt.

• Cardio : Exercises that increase heart rate and improve lung capacity.

• Strength training : Work that seeks to develop musculature and increase load capacity.

• Flexibility : The ability to move joints through their full range of motion.

Types of training

• HIIT (High-Intensity Interval Training) : Alternating intense exercises with short breaks.

• Suspension training : Use of straps such as multipoint anchor straps to work on strength and balance.

• Plyometric training : Fast and explosive movements to gain power.

• Periodization : Planning training in blocks or cycles with different objectives.

• Closed chain : Exercises where hands or feet remain in fixed contact with the ground or surface.

Physiological factors and performance

• Endurance : The body's ability to sustain physical exertion for a longer period of time.

• Fat burning zone : Heart rate range where the body uses a higher proportion of fat as energy.

• VO2 max : Measure of maximum oxygen consumption during exertion.

• Maximum heart rate : The maximum number of heartbeats per minute according to your age and condition.

• Anaerobic threshold : The point at which the body can no longer eliminate lactic acid as quickly as it produces it.

• Recovery time : The period the body needs to return to an optimal state after training.

Assessments and progress monitoring

• Lean mass : All body weight that is not fat (muscle, bone, water...).

• BMI (Body Mass Index) : A calculation that relates weight and height as a general reference for health.

• Cooper Test : Evaluates aerobic endurance by measuring the distance you cover in 12 minutes.

• Flexibility test : Measures the range of motion in one or more joints.

• Muscle strength test : Determines how much force a specific muscle group can apply.

• Body composition test : Calculates the percentage of fat and fat-free mass in the body.

• Resting oxygen consumption : Indicates the energy expenditure at rest, related to metabolism.

A guide always at hand

This glossary isn't just a list; it's a reference you can easily find whenever you need it. Saving it or keeping it handy can help you make better training decisions, choose your goals wisely, and better understand your progress. Knowledge is also a form of training.