Glossary

• Punked

  When you punk someone, you embarrass and show him up at the gym. For example, when you lift more than a bloke who thinks he’s all that, you just punked him.

• Proximal

  This describes a bone or muscle which is near the centre of the body or where it’s attached. For instance, the biceps tendon attached to the shoulder joint is the proximal attachment.

• Protein Window

  The is the amount of time between your last rep and the consumption of a protein shake which helps keep catabolism in check.

• Protein Synthesis

  This refers to the process of making new protein for your muscles. When intense training breaks down muscle fibres, the need to build them arises. Proper nutrition, supplementation, and recovery result in a positive protein synthesis balance.

• Progressive Overload

  This entails increasing the resistance as a lifter gains strength during his training period. Experts believe placing extra tension and resistance on the muscles will help them grow down the track.

• Priming

  This term means “preparation for action.” Changing thought patterns which align with an individual’s training goals will boost performance. For instance, when an athlete prepares his mind on how he can maximise his reps, he will exceed expectations.

• Prepping

  Prepping is another term for preparing for a bodybuilding competition. When one preps, he lays out his training and nutrition plans for the weeks leading up to the contest.

• Pose Down

  This is the part of a bodybuilding competition where bodybuilders pose simultaneously, trying to outdo the others and making a final impression on the judges.

• Plyometric Training

  Also known as jump training, plyometrics incorporates various exercises of varying speed and force to help increase one’s power. Examples include box jumps, lateral skater jumps, squat jumps, and wall ball.

• Piston-Popping

  When you exert yourself during a tough training session to the extent the veins in your neck pop out, you’re piston-popping. Doing heavy sets on the barbell bench press, squats, and deadlifts will do this.

• Periodisation

  Periodisation refers to breaking down a long-term training program into smaller chunks or phases. Trainers typically make adjustments to the program during each phase to help the athlete progress.

• Pause Reps

  When you hold a lift for a second or two at some point of the movement, you’re doing pause reps. Experts believe doing this helps extend mechanical tension which stimulates muscle growth.