Do you speak exercise?

Below are a few terms that we have all read on fitness sites and heard by our trainers and peers in the gym. Hopefully once we can understand the language, our bodies will begin to speak it...

Positive (Concentric) – This is the shortening of a muscle during repetition of an exercise. Example: When your arm bends during a Biceps Curl.

Negative (Eccentric) – This is the lengthening of a muscle during repetition of an exercise. Example: When your arm straightens during a Biceps Curl. The eccentric muscle action results in the greatest amount of micro-trauma, yielding DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness which can last 24-28 hours.

Sticking Point – This is the point of a set where you find it very difficult to complete the full repetition. Typically towards the end of your set, it is recommended that your exhale as you complete the repetition, avoid holding your breath.

Warm Up – A warm up is put in place to prepare the muscular system as well as nervous system for the upcoming activity. This is an important activity as this will ensure proper deep muscle temperature, recruitment pattern, active Range of Motion (ROM) and hopefully decrease, not prevent, the chance of injury. 

Stay tuned for future blogs that will go into greater detail regarding various forms of warm up including General and Sport Specific.

Sets – The number of “blocks” or segments where a given amount of repetitions are performed. Example: 2 sets of 10 repetitions. This means you performed 10 repetitions straight through, either rested or performed another exercise, and then returned for your 2^nd block of 10 repetitions.

Repetition – The amount of times a movement is performed in a given set. Example: 10 repetitions in a set of Biceps Curl means you curled a weight 10 times before stopping.