Gym Lingo

When you start working out in a gym, it can feel like a whole new world.

First, all that equipment is so overwhelming! What it is? What does it do? How do I use it? Some of it is obvious, like the treadmill, the bikes, but the weight machines...meh, kind of confusing to me. If I don't know how to use it, I typically stay away from it.

Then, there's the gym etiquette. For example, my gym doesn't allow cell phones. There is actually a sticker on the cardio equipment that specifically says, if you use a cell phone on the machine, you will have your membership revoked! There's other signs around too, like wipe down the gym equipment after using it, don't drop weights, wear sneakers, etc. Things that should be common sense, but sometimes aren't.

Finally, there's gym lingo. This one is all new to me. I only started working with my trainer one month ago, so I'm slowly learning the ways of the gym world. I know what a 'set' is, I know what a 'rep' is, and that's kind of it. So yesterday when someone asked me if they could "work in" with me, I had no clue what that meant.

The woman that asked me was very nice and when I said I didn't know what it meant, she kindly told me. So while I'm resting after a set, that would be her chance to use that machine. Then when she's resting after I set, I go use it again...pretty much like taking turns. She was very friendly and was happy to explain it, thank goodness, cause I was feeling pretty dumb for not knowing!

That got me thinking...what other gym words don't I know? Well, there's a list...I googled it. In case you run into the same problem that I did, here's a little help:

Spot: When someone assists another person with an exercise.

Rep: Short for repetitions. This is how many times you do a single exercise in a row.

Set: One set refers to a group of repetitions done without stopping.

Super Set: Refers to a combination of complimentary exercises done back to back in one “super set” with little to no rest.

Resistance Training: Any exercise using resistance, like weight or elastic bands.

Quads: Quadriceps (front of thighs).

Hams: Hamstrings (back of thighs).

Glutes: A much nicer way to say “butt”.