Fitness Glossary

Progressive Overload

The gradual increase of stress placed on the body during exercise training through load, reps, or sets.

1RM (One Rep Max)

The maximum amount of weight you can lift for a single repetition with controlled form.

TDEE

Total Daily Energy Expenditure: the total calories your body burns per day across rest and activity.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)

The number of calories your body uses at rest to maintain vital physiological functions.

Hypertrophy

The increase in muscle fiber cross-sectional area in response to resistance training and nutrition.

Calorie Deficit

Consuming fewer calories than your TDEE so the body draws on stored energy reserves.

Macros (Macronutrients)

The three primary energy-yielding nutrients: protein (4 kcal/g), carbohydrates (4 kcal/g), and fat (9 kcal/g).

Protein Synthesis

The biological process by which cells build new muscle proteins to repair and remodel tissue.

Compound Exercises

Multi-joint movements that train several muscle groups simultaneously, such as squats, presses, and rows.

Isolation Exercises

Single-joint exercises that target one primary muscle group, such as bicep curls or lateral raises.

Rep Ranges

The repetition bracket chosen for a set to organize mechanical tension, volume, and fatigue.

Deload Week

A planned week of reduced training volume or intensity to dissipate cumulative fatigue.

Periodization

The structured organization of training into blocks that vary volume, intensity, and exercise focus.

Training Volume

Total work performed, commonly tracked as hard working sets per muscle group per week.

Mind-Muscle Connection

Internal focus on contracting a target muscle through a controlled range of motion.

DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)

Temporary muscular soreness and stiffness appearing 24 to 72 hours after novel or eccentric training.

Overtraining Syndrome

Chronic performance decline and fatigue caused by sustained training stress without sufficient recovery.

Body Recomposition

Reducing body fat while maintaining or increasing lean muscle mass through resistance training and protein intake.

Reverse Dieting

Gradually increasing calorie intake after a fat-loss phase toward maintenance energy expenditure.

Metabolic Adaptation

Reductions in resting and non-exercise energy expenditure during prolonged calorie restriction.

Epley Formula

Submaximal 1RM estimation equation: 1RM = Weight × (1 + Reps / 30).

Strength Training

Resistance exercise using barbells, dumbbells, machines, cables, or bodyweight to build muscular strength.

Recovery

Sleep, nutrition, and inter-session rest that allow muscular and nervous system adaptation.

Fat Loss

Reducing adipose tissue while preserving lean muscle mass through resistance training and adequate protein.

Protein

Essential macronutrient composed of amino acids required for muscle repair and enzyme function.

Superset

Performing two exercises back-to-back with minimal rest between them to save session time.

Drop Set

Extending a set near fatigue by immediately reducing load by 20% to 30% and continuing repetitions.

RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)

A 1 to 10 effort scale estimating how many repetitions remained in reserve at the end of a set.

Time Under Tension

Total duration a muscle works against resistance during a set, shaped by repetition tempo.

Intermittent Fasting

An eating schedule that organizes daily calorie intake into a defined eating window.