1RM: 1 rep max
AMRAP: As many reps as possible (with good form). Often performed as a test to determine max strength.
BACK OFF SET: A lighter set performed after a top set to help accumulate volume and/or technique practice on a lift.
CONCENTRIC: The contracting (“positive”) aspect of the lift.
DOUBLE: A two rep set.
ECCENTRIC: The lowering (“negative”) aspect of the lift.
EFFORT: How hard you are pushing the set relative to failure. Measured with RPE and/or %1RM.
FREQUENCY: How often you directly train a given muscle or lift every seven days.
HYPERTROPHY: The growth of (muscle) tissue.
INTENSITY: Effort and load.
INTENSITY BRACKETS: When using %1RM to determine load, intensity brackets give the trainee a range of weights to use. For example, 80-85% would be an intensity bracket indicating that you will pick a weight between 80% and 85% of your 1RM, depending on how strong you feel that day. LOAD: The weight of the external resistance.
PERIODIZATION: The organization of training over time.
POWERBUILDING: The combination of bodybuilding and powerlifting training styles; simultaneously training for size and strength.
POWERLIFTS: Squat, bench press and deadlift.
PR: Personal record. Hitting either an amount of weight you’ve never hit before or a number of reps you’ve never hit before with good form.
PRIMARY EXERCISE: Main heavy compound movements that involve a large muscle mass (for example: squats, bench presses, deadlifts and overhead presses).
PROGRESSIVE OVERLOAD: The gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during exercise training. In training contexts, this generally involves progressively increasing some lifting parameter over time (usually increasing weight/reps or improving technique/mind-muscle connection).
ROM: Range of motion.
RPE: Rate of perceived exertion. A measure of how difficult a set was on a 1-10 scale, with 10 meaning muscular failure was achieved. An RPE of 9 means you could have gotten one more rep, an RPE of 8 means you could have gotten two more reps, etc.
SECONDARY MOVEMENTS: Compound exercises which involve less muscle mass (for example: cable rows, lunges, hip thrusts, pull-ups).
SINGLE: A one rep set.
TEMPO: The speed at which the lift occurs.
TERTIARY EXERCISE: Isolation movements involving only one joint and primarily targeting a single muscle – these are usually used to isolate a specific, smaller muscle or to generate metabolic stress (for example: hammer curls, tricep pressdowns, calf raises).
THE BIG 3: The powerlifts: squat, bench press and deadlift.
TOP SET: A single heavy and/or high-effort set performed before back off sets (always performed after a progressive warm-up).
TRIPLE: A three rep set.
VOLUME: Total amount of work performed. Usually approximated as tough working sets.