Glossary

• Hammys

  This term refers to the hamstrings or the muscles in the back of your upper leg.

• Upright Rows

  This is a strength training exercise which targets your trapezius and deltoid muscles. It also hits your biceps and rhomboids.

  How to do them:

  1. Grab a barbell or a pair of dumbbells and stand upright with your feet shoulder-width apart. Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine.
  2. When using a barbell, hold on to the bar with an overhand grip and place it in front of your hips. On an exhale, pull the bar up to shoulder level. At this point, your upper arms and forearms should be parallel to your shoulders. Employ the same grip and lifting technique with the dumbbells.
  3. Pause for a second or two before returning to the starting position.
  4. Repeat to the desired number of repetitions.

• Chasing the Pump

  This is a bodybuilding phrase which means increasing your muscle pumps during your strength training workout. When you chase the pump, your veins pop out and your muscles become engorged with blood.

  Typically, you can increase your muscle pumps when you consume nitric oxide (N.O.) prior to your workout. This compound increases vasodilation, which, in turn, regulates blood pressure levels and facilitates nutrient uptake. Good vasodilators include l-citrulline, beetroot juice, and 70 percent dark chocolate.

• Inverted Rows

  The inverted row is a bodyweight exercise which targets your back, biceps, and forearms. It also strengthens your grip.

  How to do it:

  1. Set a barbell bar around waist height on a power rack/cage or Smith machine.
  2. Position yourself under the bar and hold on to it with an overhand grip, arms shoulder-width apart. Plant the edge of your heels firmly on the ground. At this point, your body has formed a 30-degree angle while holding on to the bar. Refrain from locking out your elbow.
  3. On an exhale, pull yourself up until your chest is within inches of the bar. Pause for a second or two before returning to the starting position.
  4. Repeat to the desired number of repetitions.

• Pec Fly

  As the name implies, this is a strength training exercise which targets your pectoral (chest) muscles. As such, the pec fly is also known as the chest fly. Aside from the chest muscles, this movement also targets the triceps and shoulders to a lesser degree. Lifters typically do this exercise using dumbbells or a cable machine.

• Front Squats

  This is a variation of the traditional barbell squats. Instead of placing the bar on your shoulder blades, you lift the bar off a squat rack and then place it on your deltoids. You then cross your arms out in front of your chest whilst holding on to the bar.

  Front squats have the following benefits:

  • Increased core strength
  • Less stress on lower back
  • Increased muscle mass in quads
  • More flexibility

• Posterior Chain

  These are the muscles on the body’s backside which run from the back of the head to the heels. It includes your:

  • Erector spinae muscles
  • Rotator cuff muscles
  • Lats
  • Glutes
  • Hamstrings
  • Calves

  These muscles help you perform basic movements and activities like standing up, sitting down, jumping, and bending over to pick up something from the ground. A strong posterior chain lessens your chances of suffering from injuries, particularly back and knee injuries.

• Chin-Up

  The chin-up is a bodyweight exercise and pull-up version which strengthens the Latissimus dorsi and the biceps. To execute the movement, a lifter holds on to a chin-up bar with his palms facing him and his body fully extended. On an exhale, he pulls himself up until his chin clears the bar for one repetition.

• Hypertrophy

  This refers to the growth and increase in the size of muscle cells, which result in the growth and increase in the size of your muscles. Lifting free weights, training with exercise machines and resistance bands, and doing bodyweight exercises can all stimulate hypertrophy.

• Battle Rope

  A thick, heavy rope which one uses for a variety of exercises including battle rope waves, battle rope crossovers, shoulder circles, and snakes on the floor. These battle rope exercises work the entire body and complement just about any strength training programme.

  Battle rope training can help you build muscle mass, increase your endurance, lose excess weight, and tone your muscles.

• Hyperextensions

  Also known as back extensions, this exercise targets the lumbar area (lower back), and muscles included in the posterior chain such as hamstrings and glutes.

  To execute the movement, rest your lower body on an adjustable bench set to a 45-degree angle, cross your arms in front of your chest, then bend your upper body forward and lower it until you feel the tension in your lower back. You can increase the intensity by holding on to a barbell plate or strapping yourself onto the bench with a resistance band.

• Donkey Calf Raises

  This is a calf exercise which dates back to the Golden Era of Bodybuilding. To do the donkey calf raise, place your feet on a calf block or a pair of barbell plates. Lean over until your back is almost parallel to the ground and place your hands on a flat surface for support. Move your heels up and down to execute the movement.

  For increased resistance, you can utilise a barbell plate attached to a lifting belt or have a mate ride on your back, specifically on your hips, while you are performing the exercise.