Health & Fitness Terms: What you need to know to get started!

For many people, getting started on a regular fitness program can be an intimidating endeavour. Gyms can be intimidating if you don’t how to use the machines and weights. Not knowing what goals to set and how to reach them can keep you from setting out in the first place. Another intimidating factor is fitness terminology. Understanding health and fitness talk can be the first step in walking the health and fitness walk. Here we’ll go through a number of basic health and fitness terms so you can start thinking about getting in shape for spring.

Reps, Sets & Supersetting

When it comes to training, reps are the first thing you need to know about. Reps (repetitions) are the number of times an exercise is performed. Think about a simple bicep curl. This is where you hold a pair of dumbbells at your sides with your palms facing forward. Then bend your elbows and curl the weights toward your shoulders, and slowly lower the weight back down. Completing this movement makes one rep.

The next step is doing a set. Reps should be done continuously without stopping. And once you’ve finished a group of, say, ten reps, now you’ve completed one set. Exercise routines commonly include a number of sets with a number of reps, focusing on a particular muscle or group of muscles.

Supersetting is a type of exercise routine designed for more advanced trainers in which multiple exercises, generally two, are combined with no rest in between. The main advantage of supersetting is crossing the muscle growth benefits of one exercise with another, therefore encouraging better growth. For beginners, supersetting should be done in consultation with an experienced trainer.

Strength & Cardiovascular Training

Transforming your body composition is about two basic elements: strength training and cardiovascular training. To alter the shape and composition of your body, you have to burn fat (excess stores of energy) and replace it with lean muscle mass.

Strength training is one way of achieving this goal. Strength training exercises are meant to decrease body fat while increasing lean muscle mass by encouraging more efficient calorie burning. Strength training is also very important for strengthening bones while improving flexibility and balance. When it comes to losing weight, many people make the mistake of avoiding strength training altogether. The most effective way to burn calories is a combination of strength and cardiovascular exercises.

Cardiovascular training is meant to strengthen the heart and blood vessels, which encourages the muscles to burn fuel more efficiently. Cardiovascular training improves circulation and allows more blood to reach the muscles faster. By doing so, cardiovascular training increases the gains experienced through strength training. So, as you can imagine, it is important to develop a fitness regimen that includes both strength and cardiovascular training.

We recommend: Strength & Cardio Equipment

Weight-Bearing Exercise

Weight-bearing exercise is a fundamental aspect of optimal fitness. Our bones are strengthened by bearing weight, which is done by either supporting your own weight or lifting weight. Weight-bearing exercises help to strengthen your bones, limit bone loss, and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones weak and brittle, affecting at least 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men during their lifetime. Regular weight-bearing exercises, like skiing, jogging, walking, running, and weight lifting of all types, are a great way to maintain a healthy body

Body Mass Index

In order to healthily transform your body composition, an important factor to consider is your body mass index (BMI). Every person’s body is different, meaning every person has an optimal body weight. BMI is a calculation that determines your weight status. It is used to asses your level of health and fitness, measuring your body shape based on weight and height. Determining whether you are overweight, underweight, or at a healthy weight,is critical to understanding what type of exercise program is best for you.

We recommend: Accufitness Fat Track Digital Body Fat Caliper, Sequoia Fitness Body Mass Calculator

Maximum Heat Rate

After you’ve analysed your BMI and have an idea about what type of fitness program you need, another important aspect is your maximum heart rate. Some people refer to it as their target heart rate, a method of determining your optimal level of intensity during training. Lactic acid builds up in your muscles during training. Once your body reaches its maximum heart rate, lactic acid build up begins to outpace your body’s ability to break it down. This means that if you train harder than your maximum heart rate, you are actually overworking your body and limiting development.

We recommend: Sportline Heart Rate Pedometer

Cross Training

If you’re just getting into health and fitness, cross training is a relatively new type of exercise program that many people enjoy. Rather than focusing on a particular weight loss or fitness exercise, cross trainers strive to use a range of muscles during training instead of focusing on specific muscles. Cross training helps to limit injury. It’s also a great way to keep exercise interesting and keep your body out of its comfort zone. Some of the most popular cross training exercises are swimming, running, and cycling.

The first steps toward improving health and fitness are the hardest for many people. But once you’ve gone through a few days or weeks of regular training you’ll know it was worth the trouble. Your energy, self-esteem, health, and wellbeing will all improve. So don’t let inaction get the better of you. Start today!

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