Glossary

• Forced Reps

  When you’re performing more reps with the help of a spotter due to fatigue or too much weight, you’re doing forced reps. It’s not uncommon to do this for challenging exercises such as the bench press.

• Flexion

  Flexion refers to bending your arm or leg. When you do that, you bring the bones which form that specific joint closer together.

• Fixed Resistance

  These are lifting exercises with the same amount of weight throughout the full range of motion. One can do these exercises on weight machines. Alternatively, he can use free weights or resistance bands.

• Fat-Free Mass

  This is your total body composition – including your organs, muscles, bones, connective tissue, and water – minus the fat or adipose tissues. Improved fat-free mass helps boost your strength and metabolism levels.

• Fasted Training

  As the term implies, this means you train without eating beforehand. Those who do fasted training typically do it first thing in the morning. However, studies reveal it has no concrete benefit other than reduced caloric consumption.

• Fast-Twitch Muscle Fibres

  Fast-twitch muscle fibres are a type of skeletal muscle fibre which help boost movements that require quick and powerful bursts such as strength training and running.

• Externally Rotate

  When you’re rotating your arms and legs away from the centre of your body, you’re doing external rotation. An example is rotating your upper arm in a clockwise direction.

• EPOC

  This is an acronym for “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.” Also known as the afterburn, it’s a state when you continue burning calories even after a tough training session.

• Endorphins

  These are chemicals/hormones which the body produces to keep stress and physical discomfort at bay and increase feelings of well-being.

• EMOM

  An acronym which means “every minute, on the minute.” Here, an individual performs a specific number of reps at the beginning of every minute.

• Electrolytes

  This substance, an ion, conducts electricity when it breaks down in water. The body’s electrolyte balance diminishes when sweating. On that note, they have to be replenished. Common examples of electrolytes are sodium, potassium, and calcium.

• Ego Lifting

  When an arrogant lifter tries to impress others at the gym by lifting an insane amount of weight, he’s ego lifting. Many ego lifters have poor form. Either that or they’re setting themselves up for a serious injury.