Read on for our weight training glossary

Aerobic exercise is exercise that requires a high oxygen intake. Marathon running is a great example of an aerobic sport because the breath pumps lots of oxygen into the leg muscles.

When you bend your arm (bringing your hand towards your shoulder), the agonist muscle is the one that enables the arm to flex, in this case: the biceps*.

*Depending on the movement, each muscle can be agonist or antagonist. For example, with the opposite movement, if you stretch your arm, it is the triceps that flexes and enables the movement, so in this case the triceps is an agonist muscle. The biceps, however, is in extension so it is the antagonist muscle.

Unlike aerobic exercise, anaerobic exercise works the muscles without needing a high level of oxygen, like weight training exercises.They are intense but require controlled breathing.

Still using the example of bending your arm, the antagonist muscle is the one that extends when you make the movement, in this case the triceps*.

*Depending on the movement, each muscle can be agonist or antagonist. For example, with the opposite movement, if you stretch your arm, it is the triceps that flexes and enables the movement, so in this case the triceps is an agonist muscle. The biceps, however, is in extension so it is the antagonist muscle.

In weight training, balance means having well-proportioned muscles throughout the body. An aesthetic physique requires good muscular balance.

Barbell rowing is a back exercise. It is performed by standing firmly on your feet, then pulling a weight-loaded Olympic barbell towards your abdomen.

Bench presses are the basic exercise for building pecs. Lying flat on your back on a bench, lower an Olympic barbell loaded with weights down to your pectoral muscles then push it back up in a controlled manner.

Bench presses are the basic exercise for building pecs. Lying flat on your back on a bench, lower an Olympic barbell loaded with weights down to your pectoral muscles then push it back up in a controlled manner.

A bodybuilder is an athlete who does bodybuilding (see next definition).

The clue is in the name – bodybuilding is all about building up the body. It consists of developing muscles for purely aesthetic purposes.

This is the name given to a specific exercise performed on a machine to work the pectoral muscles. The movement is similar to the motion of a butterfly flapping its wings, hence the name.

Cardio training is ideal for working the cardiovascular and respiratory systems. It combines aerobics with endurance because it requires large amounts of oxygen to be pumped into the muscles over a certain length of time. Cardio training is excellent for improving heart tone and blood circulation.

Chin-ups are a popular exercise that are simple but effective for strengthening the back muscles. The idea is simple: hold on to a stationary bar and pull yourself up, with your hands placed in an underhand, or supinated, grip (see definition of supination).

Contrary to isolated exercises, compounds work more than one joint, and therefore several muscles. The bench press is a compound exercise because it uses both the shoulder and the elbow joints. The muscles used are the pecs, triceps and the front shoulder muscles.

Core exercises such as planking are popular for strengthening the abs and back muscles, and are easy to do at home. Using a foam mat if possible, position yourself face down to the floor and hold your body up by pressing on your toes and forearms. Keep your legs, pelvis and torso aligned for as long as possible. Repeat the exercise several times, making sure your abs and glutes are well contracted as this will make them stronger.

Crunches are the most common type of exercise for strengthening the abs. Lying on your back with your feet flat on the floor, move your upper body towards your legs while contracting your muscles.

Curls are the most common type of exercise for strengthening the biceps. They are easy to do. In a sitting or standing position, bend your elbow and raise your hand towards your shoulder. Curls can be done with dumbbells, a barbell and weights (held in both hands), or using a pulley.

Being cut means having well-defined muscles. They are visible, clearly ‘cut’ and surrounded by very little fat. You need to be fairly lean to look cut. This is the objective of the cutting stage (what is cutting? See the definition!).

Cutting is the opposite of bulking. After gaining mass during the bulking period, bodybuilders then start to cut. The aim of cutting is to burn as much fat as possible without losing any of the muscle, to obtain a visible muscle definition for a ‘cut’ look. Some bodybuilders may take it even further and continue to a shredding stage to make the muscles stand out even more.

The deadlift is one of the best all-round weight training exercises. Place a loaded Olympic barbell on the floor in front of you, then pick it up and lift it to knee height keeping your back straight and your abs engaged.

A deadlift consists of lifting a bar up off the ground.It is done by bending the legs and contracting the abdominal and lower back muscles. It is a great all-round exercise that works almost all the muscles of the body.

The decline bench press is similar to the standard bench press with one difference: the bench is tilted so that the head is lower than the legs. This variation is great for working the lower part of the pectoral muscles.

Doing dips is a great way to build up your triceps and, to a lesser extent, your pecs and front shoulder muscles. Hold onto two parallel bars with straight arms. Then, keeping your feet off the ground, bend and extend your arms.Your body weight alone will do a good job, or you can add a weights belt.

There are several types of morphologies, or body types, in bodybuilding. Ectomorphs are tall and slim and have a thin bone structure, so they find it harder to build muscle.

We contract our muscles naturally due to electrical impulses sent out by the brain. Electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) uses an electro-stimulator to contract muscles artificially by sending electrical shocks to one or more muscles. It is often used for rehabilitation patients, but is also popular among bodybuilders who want to keep building muscle beyond their workouts.

There are several types of morphologies, or body types, in bodybuilding.Endomorphs tend to have a stouter build. They are shorter than ectomorphs and have shorter limbs. They find it easier to gain weight and fat mass due to a slower metabolism. Endomorphs need to ensure that they stabilise their weight gain.

Let’s use a squat as an example. The extension is when you push or straighten up with the barbell on your shoulders. You are extending your muscles. The opposite of extension is flexion (see the definition of Flexion).

Staying with the squat example, the flexion is when you lower yourself with the bar on your shoulders. You contract your muscles to bring two parts of your body closer together. It is the opposite of extension.

A full-body workout is one that works the entire body.

You’ll often come across weight lifters taking gainers. A gainer is a dietary supplement made from natural, powdered ingredients and is used to boost energy intake. This type of top-up is popular among athletes who work out a lot, those who want to gain extra bulk, and among hard gainers (see definition) who find it difficult to put on weight.

A hard gainer is someone who finds it hard to gain weight (in muscle or fat) because they have an ectomorphic body type (tall and slim with thin bones).

Hypertrophy refers to the increase in muscle size after training. This is muscle growth.

This is a bench press variation with the head higher than the legs. The incline bench press gives the upper part of the pectoral muscles more of a workout.

An isolated exercise only involves one joint. Leg curls and leg extensions are both isolated exercises because they only work the knee joint.

An isometric exercise works the muscles without movement, i.e., no flexion or extension. It involves holding a position or a load of varying weight for a certain period of time. Planking is an example of an isometric exercise. The opposite is isotonic exercise.

Contrary to isometric exercise, isotonic exercise requires movement, such as flexion/extension. This is the most common type of strength training exercise.

Leg curls are an exercise that works the hamstring muscles. They can be done seated or lying down, depending on the machine, and involve bending your legs to work the muscle.

Leg extensions work the quadriceps. They are usually done in a seated position and consist of extending the legs to strengthen the muscle.

A leg press is a weights machine that is used to lift or push an adjustable load by extending your legs. It builds up the thighs. More broadly, a press can be any machine with a guided load.

Mass is a term you hear a lot in bodybuilding circles. It doesn’t mean muscle mass, but body volume, which also includes fat. Having lots of mass does not necessarily mean having a high level of muscle mass, as fat content also comes into play.

There are several types of morphologies, or body types, in bodybuilding. Mesomorphs have a naturally broad, muscular body and large bones. Mesomorphs are more likely to develop a large physique and not be prone to weight problems.

While the neck press works the back of the shoulders, the military press works the front of them. This exercise is done standing up, and in two stages. First, take the bar and lift it towards the top of your pecs. Next, push the bar up above your head. Release it and return to the initial position.

Want to work your shoulders, particularly the rear shoulder muscles? The neck press is ideal. Using a guided bar, sit down and lower the bar to the back of the neck with control, then push it back up.

This is the most commonly used barbell, especially for bench press or barbell rowing exercises (see the entry on barbell rowing). You’ll often see Olympic barbells at fitness and weight training gyms, although they don’t necessarily comply with official standards. In fact, the only thing they have in common is the size of the 50 mm weight discs used, which are compatible. There are specific weight, resistance and size criteria for Olympic bars used in competition.

This is the disc used on an Olympic barbell. It should have an inside diameter of 50 mm and its weight is strictly controlled for competitions. Most discs used in gyms and weights rooms tend to be called Olympic discs, although they do not necessarily meet competition specifications.

Want to bulk up your muscles? Overloading is a great way to achieve it, but only for experienced lifters. In strength training, overloading means gradually increasing the intensity of exercises. There are two ways to do it. Either you increase the number of exercises or reps, or you increase the amount of weight you lift. In both cases, the aim of overloading is to get your muscles used to working harder and ramp up both strength and volume.

Powerlifting is a strength sport similar to weightlifting, where the goal is to lift the maximum load across three movements: squat, bench press and deadlift.

When lifting yourself up to a stationary bar, for example, you can grip the bar in one of two ways: pronation or supination (see definition of Supination). If you hold the bar in a pronated, or overhand, grip, the back of the hand will be facing your face

Pull-ups consist of holding onto a stationary bar and pulling yourself up, with your hands placed in an overhand, or pronated, grip (see definition of Pronation).

The Roman chair is a typical gym go-to exercise. Place your back firmly against the backrest and press onto your forearms, then raise your knees towards your chest as if you were sitting in a chair. This exercise is great for working the lower abdominal muscles and requires strong arms to keep your body off the ground.

Pullovers are done lying on a bench, holding a dumbbell with both hands. Hold your arms straight up above your chest, then slowly lower the dumbbell over the top of your head before bringing it back over your chest. Pullover reps work the pectoral muscles and extend the rib cage.

Pumping iron is a derogatory term for weight training. The purpose of pumping iron purely is to build up big muscles.

The reason that push-ups are so popular is because they’re so practical: you can do them anywhere, with no equipment. They primarily work the pecs, but also the deltoids and triceps. To do a push-up, get into a plank position, facing the floor and holding yourself up on your toes with your feet together, and your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Without collapsing, bend your arms to lower yourself down, then push yourself back up again

The reason that push-ups are so popular is because they’re so practical: you can do them anywhere, with no equipment. They primarily work the pecs, but also the deltoids and triceps. To do a push-up, get into a plank position, facing the floor and holding yourself up on your toes with your feet together, and your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Without collapsing, bend your arms to lower yourself down, then push yourself back up again.

Short for repetitions. If you are doing push-ups, for example, you might do 4 sets of 20 reps. One rep is one push-up (from the starting position with your arms outstretched, lower yourself down then push back up).

Between each set of exercises, it is necessary to let the body rest for a rest period. Depending on your goal, this rest time may vary from 30 seconds to 2 minutes between two sets.

Weight training sessions are made up of several different exercises. For each exercise, you will do a specific number of sets. A set is the number of reps performed in each stint. For example, For example, if you’re doing squats to work your thighs, you might start with 4 sets of 12 reps of the movement.

Shrugs are an exercise to build up the trapezius muscles. Holding a dumbbell in each hand, shrug your shoulders to work the muscles.

Squats are great for building thigh muscles, especially the quadriceps. It is a simple and straightforward movement that can be done with or without placing a loaded barbell on your shoulders. Squat down by bending your legs in a controlled manner, then slowly push back up. Repeating this movement will help to build up your lower body muscles.

Stretching exercises are designed to loosen up the muscles after a workout. It is a vital step to avoid getting sore muscles, especially if you’re getting back into training.

Tired of your usual training routine? Switch to supersets! Supersets give you an intensive workout by doing two exercises in a row without resting in between. For example, start with a series of curls to work the biceps then go straight into a set of extensions to strengthen your triceps

Placing your hands in a supinated grip when doing pull-ups means they are the other way round to the pronated position. When you hold the bar in an underhand, or supinated, grip, the palms of your hands will be facing your face, or facing upwards in a biceps curl exercise, for example.

After a workout, your muscles are normally swollen. The muscles swell up due to the large influx of blood. The swelling is temporary and your muscles will settle down once the blood flow returns to normal.

If you spend time at the gym, then you’ll already have come across a weights tree. It is a weights rack with poles sticking out and is used for storing weight discs and sometimes bars.