By Brett Cohen

Summer is nearing its end. The kids are back in school. It’s time to get back to you and head back to the gym.The gym can be an overwhelming place and the terms used in a gym can be like learning a foreign language.  Whether or not you

choose to use the services of a fitness professional or go it alone here is some basic terminology that can help you along with the process of fitness and maybe even help you define how you’d like to spend your time in the gym.  Having an understanding of some basic fitness terms can help you make sense of your workout.

• Resistance Training: Sometimes called weight training or strength training, it
is method of conditioning designed to increase muscle endurance, strength, size or power. It can include equipment such as: machines, free weight (barbells, dumbbells, kettlebells, cable machines), resistance bands, and your own body weight.

• Barbells: A barbell consists of a rigid bar ranging in length from 4 to 7 feet with either disc plates that are slid onto the ends to obtain the desired total weight (adjustable) or a (fixed) barbell where the weight is already welded to the bar.

• Dumbbells: A dumbbell is consists of a rigid bar about 14” long with disc plates that are slid onto the ends (adjustable) or (fixed) where the weight is already welded to the bar. Dumbbells can be used independently or in pairs or equal weight.

• Kettlebells: Much newer on the gym scene (at least in the U.S.) is the Kettlebell. This diverse tool developed in Russia in the 1700’s resembles a cannonball with a
handle. The advantage to using a kettlebell over dumbbells or barbells is do to its unique shape that allows it to be used to perform more ballistic exercises because the weight is often moving in a swinging pattern.

• Cables: Cables can also be classified as “free weights” because they allow for three
dimensional movement patterns, especially when standing up. The cables connect
to various handles on one end and to the weight stack on the other.  Cable pulleys that are adjustable can be fixed to any height allows for a variety of exercises and movements, often replicating those used in sport.

• Exercise: A movement using bodyweight or external resistance such as: dumbbells, barbells, cables or machines.

• Repetition: Also called a “rep”, this is one complete movement of an exercise. e.g. On the bench press for instance, lowering the bar towards the chest (the negative
portion of the rep) and pushing the bar up from the chest (the positive portion of the rep) counts as one repetition.

• Set: A group of repetitions of an exercise movement done consecutively, without rest, until a give number or momentary exhaustion is reached. If you performed 12
repetitions of that bench press before racking the bar, those repetitions together constitute a set. Typically, you can do a warmup set followed by several working sets with a more challenging weight.

• Resistance: The amount of weight/load used in each set of an exercise, or the force a muscle is required to work against. If you use a 200lb. barbell for the bench press, the resistance is 200lbs. As a general rule, the more weight/load you use for a given exercise, the fewer the reps you can do in good form and the longer the rest period between sets.

• Tempo or Rep Speed or Tempo: Your tempo is the speed at which you perform and exercise.  It is an important consideration when planning your workout because
different tempos elicit different response. You body will adapt to the training
conditions it is put under. With that said, if speed of movement is important
in your sport that speed of movement needs to be trained as the old adage, “Train slow, be slow” will apply.

• Combination Exercises: Two or more exercises linked together with a clear pause between each exercise or movement. e.g. Cable Backward lunge with horizontal
row.

• Strength Complex: A strength complex consists of several exercises or lifts pieced together in a chain. All the repetitions of one lift are completed before moving onto the next lift/exercise. The weakest or most challenging of the exercises is the limiting factor in determining the load selected for the entire complex. A strength complex is most often performed with dumbbells, kettlebells or a barbell.

That’s enough for now.. More to learn in part 2.

Brett Cohen is the founder of Integrated Training Systems a fitness & wellness company located in New York City. He holds a Bachelor Degree in Education, is a
C.H.E.K Institute Exercise Coach, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, and Golf Performance
Specialist, as well as National Academy of Sports Medicine Personal Trainer, and Titlelist Performance Institute Golf Fitness Instructor.

“Intelligent Exercise-Incredible Results”