Top 10 Gym Terms You Need To Know

August 8, 2015 - 2 min read

You might hear some new terms and words when you first join a gym. Don’t be intimidated – here are some of the most common words you’ll hear.

You’re pumping up a sweat at the gym and someone asks you if they can work in, but how on earth do you answer? Read on to find out about this and more gym terms!

DOMS: Otherwise known as delayed onset muscle soreness, you will know this as the aching agony from a really good workout.
Rep: The number of times you complete a full exercise. For example, one rep for a bicep curl is lifting the weight and then lowering it.
Sets: The number of reps you do. For example, 10 reps completed 3 times is sets.
Supersets: A superset is performed when a chain of exercises are completed one after the other without resting. Preferably not to be carried out during peak hours.
Drop Set: This technique involves performing a set to failure (see below) and then dropping your weight for the next attempt.
Maxing Out: Maxing out is referring to the maximum weight you can lift. Similar is working to failure, which is when you cannot complete a full rep.
Working In: If a gym is busy, two people may use the same equipment at the same time, using the other person’s use of the equipment as a rest time. Someone may ask to work in with you if the gym is busy.
Spotting: A spotter is someone who stands within close range to ensure you can complete an exercise. Often used in heavy weight lifts and squats.
HIIT: HIIT also known as high intensity interval training, is when you combine a high-intensity exercise such a sprinting with a low-intensity exercise like walking. For example, you may sprint for 60 seconds and walk for 20 seconds. This is similar to Tabata, which consists of 8 rounds of 20-seconds-on, high-intensity exercises with 10-second rest times in between.
Macros: The IIFYM (if it fits your macros) diet is popular among the health-conscious looking for a more relaxed approach. The gist of the diet is that you can eat anything you like, as long as the nutritional values of all your food for that day match your nutritional requirements for carbohydrates, protein and fats.

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