30 essential fitness terms explained simply — no jargon, no BS.
The gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise training. This is the #1 principle...
The maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition with proper form. It's used to cal...
Total Daily Energy Expenditure — the total number of calories your body burns per day including your...
The number of calories your body burns at complete rest just to keep you alive — breathing, heartbea...
The increase in muscle cell size as a response to resistance training. Typically achieved through tr...
Consuming fewer calories than your body burns (TDEE), forcing it to use stored energy (fat) for fuel...
The three main nutrients your body needs in large amounts: protein (4 cal/g), carbohydrates (4 cal/g...
The biological process where your body builds new muscle protein to repair and grow muscle fibers da...
Exercises that work multiple muscle groups and joints simultaneously — like squats, deadlifts, bench...
Exercises that target a single muscle group through one joint — like bicep curls, leg extensions, an...
The number of repetitions performed in a set, which determines the primary training adaptation: 1-5 ...
A planned week of reduced training volume and/or intensity (typically 40-60% reduction) to allow you...
The systematic planning of training into phases (mesocycles) that vary volume, intensity, and exerci...
The total amount of work performed — calculated as sets × reps × weight. Research shows 10-20 hard s...
The conscious focus on contracting and feeling a specific muscle during an exercise. Research shows ...
The muscle pain and stiffness that appears 24-72 hours after intense or unfamiliar exercise. It's ca...
A condition where excessive training without adequate recovery leads to decreased performance, chron...
The process of simultaneously losing fat and building muscle. It's most effective for beginners, peo...
The strategic, gradual increase of calories (50-100 cal/week) after a cutting phase to restore metab...
Your body's natural response to prolonged calorie restriction — it becomes more efficient and burns ...
A mathematical formula used to estimate your one-rep max: 1RM = Weight × (1 + Reps/30). It's the ind...
Any exercise that uses resistance to build muscular strength, size, and endurance. Includes free wei...
The process of rest, nutrition, and sleep that allows your body to repair muscle damage and adapt to...
The reduction of body fat through a sustained calorie deficit combined with resistance training and ...
An essential macronutrient made of amino acids that builds and repairs muscle tissue. For muscle bui...
Performing two exercises back-to-back with no rest in between. Can target the same muscle (compound ...
A technique where you perform a set to failure, immediately reduce the weight by 20-30%, and continu...
A self-reported scale (typically 1-10) measuring how hard a set felt. RPE 7 = could do 3 more reps, ...
The total duration a muscle is under strain during a set. Slowing down the eccentric (lowering) phas...
An eating pattern that cycles between periods of eating and fasting. The most popular protocol is 16...