Fitness Terms

Cool Down

-Lowering of body temperature following vigorous exercise. The practice of cooling down after exercise involves slowing down your level of activity gradually.

Set

A basic unit of a workout containing the number of times (repetitions) a specific exercise is done (e.g. do 3 sets of 5 repetitions with 100 pounds). Sit and reach test- A common fitness test that determines flexibility (of the hamstrings and lower back)

cardiovascular system

A complex system consisting of the heart and blood vessels; transports nutrients, oxygen, and enzymes throughout the body and regulates temperature, water levels of cells, and acidity levels of body components.

Static Stretching

A low force, high-duration stretch where the muscle is held at the greatest possible length for up to 30 seconds.

Core

A muscle group comprised of the abdominals, lower back, obliques, and hips.

Obesity

A weight disorder generally defined as an accumulation of fat beyond that considered normal for a person based on age, sex, and body type.

Aerobic exercise

Any rhythmic activity that increases the body's need for oxygen by using large muscle groups continuously for at least 10 minutes. The term aerobic means "with oxygen."

plyometric training

Exercises that enable a muscle to reach maximal force production in as short a time as possible. For example, jumping from a 3 st. stool to the ground and immediately springing back up to another stool.

Cardiorespiratory fitness

Measure of the heart's ability to pump oxygen-rich blood to the muscles. Also called cardiovascular or aerobic fitness

Body Mass Index (BMI)

Measure of the relationship between height and weight; calculated by dividing weight in kilograms by height in centimeters squared.

DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness)

Muscle soreness or discomfort that appears 12 to 48 hours after exercise. It is most likely due to microscopic tears in the muscle tissue, and it usually requires a couple of days for the repair and rebuilding process to be completed. The muscle tissue grows back stronger, leading to increased muscle mass and strength.

anaerobic exercise

Short lasting, high intensity activity, where the demand for oxygen from the exercise exceeds the oxygen supply Body composition- Amount of fat vs. lean muscle tissue in the human body

Circuit Training

Takes the participant through a series of exercise stations (which could also include strength training), with relatively brief rest intervals between each station. The purpose is to keep the heart rate elevated near the aerobic level without dropping off. The number of stations may range from 4 to 10

Muscular Strength

The ability of the muscle to generate the maximum amount of force

Muscular Endurance

The ability of the muscle to perform repetitive contractions over a prolonged period of time

Speed

The ability to perform a movement or cover a distance in a short time.

Physical fitness

The ability to perform regular to vigorous physical activity without great fatigue

Agility

The ability to quickly change the position of the body and to control the body's movements.

One-Rep Max

The amount of weight/resistance that can be lifted or moved once, but not twice; a common measure of strength.

Flexibility

The measure of the range of motion, or the amount of movement possible, at a particular joint

Repetition

The number of times an exercise is repeated within a single exercise "set."

Strength Training

The process of exercising with progressively heavier resistance for the purpose of strengthening ihe musculoskeletal system

target heart rate

The recommended range is 60-85% of your maximum heart rate. It represents a pace that ensures you are training aerobically and can reasonably be maintained

Lean Mass

Total weight of your muscle, bone, and all other body organs. (Everything in the body besides fat.

Dynamic Stretching

is defined as "actively moving a joint through the range of motion required for a sport."