1. Concentric Contraction

What it means: The shortening of a muscle. This contraction shortens the muscle to generate enough tension to move the load or object.

What it looks like: The most obvious example of a concentric contraction is a bicep curl. The bicep muscle shortens as you lift the weight toward to the body.

The concentric piece of a deadlift is bringing the weight from the ground to the hips. For a pull up, it is pulling the body closer to the bar.

2. Eccentric Contraction

What it means: The lengthening of a muscle. In exercise, it is the “lowering” or “lengthening” phase of an exercise.

What it looks like: Let’s take a romainian deadlift, an easily recognizable eccentric movement. As we lower the load and hinge over, we are performing the eccentric piece of the exercise. In pull ups, the eccentric motion would be during the lowering phase. This is the same for the squat movement, too.

Eccentric-focused exercises are strenuous on our muscles, but help us build stronger ones. We can isolate an exercise to utilize only the eccentric motion.

For example, a good way to build up to your first pull-up is to do a ton of eccentric reps. Performing only the lowering phase, at a slow and controlled pace.

3. Isometric

What is means: A static position with no contractions.

What it looks like: The most recognizable isometric exercise is a plank. But can be found in most exercises, for example, the bottom of a squat.

4. Tempo

What it means: The rate of speed or motion of an activity. In the gym, it would be the rate of speed in which you perform a movement or exercise.

What it looks like: In your programming, you may see something like this: “@3010”. This is your tempo for the given exercise.

The four numbers refer to, in order: the lowering phase, the bottom position, return phase, and the top position, relatively. Another way you can explain the four positions is, eccentric, isometric, concentric, isometric.

For example: “Goblet Squat @3010; 8 x 3”. This means you will lower (squat) for 3 seconds, counted out as “one one thousand, two one thousand, etc. You will spend 0 seconds in the bottom position, come up in 1 second, and because you spend 0 in the top position, you will begin again.

If there is an “X”, such as (@30X0) it means “explode”. This means, you explode quickly, yet in control, out of the position.

If there is an “A”, such as (@21A1), it means “assisted”. This means you are assisted yourself back into the position. This is often used for push ups, pull-ups, and handstand variations.

5. RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion)

RPE is a tool used to gauge where one sits on an exertion scale during an exercise or overall training session.

The RPE scale is simple: 1-10, 1 being sitting on the couch watching Netflix, and 10 being the hardest thing you’ve ever done in your life.

This is important because it helps you and your coach know how challenging, or not challenging, something is for you.

RPE can also be written as percentages. You may see something like: “@60% or 80-90%” next to your workout in TrueCoach. This means you should perform whatever exercise at that level of exertion. 60% is getting the heart rate up without overexerting, you should be able to hold a conversation. 80-90% is breathing heavy, pushing up just below your limit and holding it.

Sharing your RPE in your results is helpful for you and your coaches.

6. AMRAP (As Many Rounds As Possible)

An AMRAP is a useful tool and something we use often. It’s an acronym that stands for, “As Many Rounds As Possible”.

What it looks like:

Example: 10 min AMRAP of: 10 air squats, 10 push ups, 10 pull ups.

This would mean in a 10 minute window, you will perform the 3 exercises listed over and over again, keeping track of your rounds: how many times you get through the 3 exercises in the 10 minutes.

7. EMOM (Every Minute On the Minute)

An EMOM is another useful tool in fitness and one we use often. EMOM is an acronym that stands for, “Every Minute On the Minute”.

What is looks like: EMOMS are very versatile and have many versions. The most simple is one exercise, every minute.

Example 1:

EMOM x 5 minutes of 10 burpees

This would mean that every minute on the minute, for 5 minutes, you perform 10 burpees. Once you’ve completed the 10 burpees in each minute you have the rest of the minute to rest. You will start another set of 10 burpees when the next minute begins until the 5 minutes is up.

Multiple exercises can be used in EMOM style programming as well.

Example 2:

EMOM x 15 minutes

Minute 1: 10 kettlebell swings

Minute 2: 8 push ups

Minute 3: 6 ring rows

This would mean that for 15 minutes, every minute on the minute, you would cycle through the above exercises. 15 minutes of 3 different designated minutes would equate to 5 rounds total.

The “minute” can also be 2 minutes (E2MOM) where you would perform whatever exercise(s) every 2 minutes, resting the rest of the time. Or it could be Every 90 seconds, performing the exercise(s) every 90 seconds and resting the rest of the time.

8. MAP (Maximal Aerobic Power)

MAP (Maximal Aerobic Power) – Aerobic meaning, requiring oxygen. Aerobic exercise is intended to improve the efficiency of the body’s cardiovascular system.

At Noble Clay, you may also hear us refer to aerobic work as “sustain” work and write it in programs as MAP progressions of 10-1. This means, aerobic exercise should be performed as something you can sustain over a given period of time.

9. ROMWOD

ROMWOD stands for Range Of Motion Workout Of the Day. It is a program we use to cool down and stretch post-workout, or sometimes, on rest days to stay active, move, and care for the body.

The login and password will be provided for you in your Truecoach profile.

10. Sets and Reps

What it looks like: In your Truecoach programming, you may see something like this “10 x 3” or “4 x 5”. These are your sets and reps.

A “rep” or repetition refers to one performance of an exercise.

A “set” refers to the amount of times you will perform the given reps.

For example: “3 x 10; Goblet squat” you will perform 3 sets of 10 reps. Reps are written first, x, then sets.

 

There are plenty more terms to add to your gym vocabulary but these will get you off to a good start.

Happy training!

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