Originally published by Karen on August 19, 2022.
Learning the terms used in fitness will help you feel more confident as you begin your fitness journey. Many people feel awkward and out of place the first time they begin to exercise – whether with the help of a personal trainer or on their own. Not everyone has been exposed to the jargon used in fitness or knows that this language can greatly benefit them. We hear exercise talk in everyday life – TV, radio, friends talking, etc. But, there is a large group who has no idea what most exercise terms mean. I have worked with thousands over the years. The information can be overwhelming. But, like most big things, if you break it down into smaller pieces, it becomes less formidable.
Why Learning About Exercise Is So Important
Like playing board or card games, when you understand the rules and strategy, you win more. When you understand fitness terms better, you will have better workouts and see better results quicker. We all age in ways we will start to feel physically and mentally. No one can escape this. No one. You may already be starting to hear from your doctor, friends, media, or whomever, that you need to start exercising. If you feel uncomfortable with the lingo “exercise people” use, you will not be as successful.
Why is now the best time for you to begin a good exercise program? Now is always the best time to begin an exercise program. Your mind and body are either getting healthier or unhealthier. You are either growing or dying. There is no middle ground. And our bodies decline much more rapidly as we age. Unless we take good care of our bodies, we will decline faster. In many cases, exercises like strength training can even help reverse some of the decline.
Strength Training
One of the most effective ways to take better care of our bodies and stay as healthy as we can is through strength training. Cardiovascular exercise is excellent and typically where most people begin. But, putting extra pressure on your whole skeletal system improves your stability, mobility, longevity, mental acuity, blood sugar, and resting metabolism. (And a few more that I haven’t mentioned.) All of these aspects are important in feeling good and maintaining your independence.
You are just starting your fitness journey—wanting to do something to tone up, get stronger, help your bones, and be healthier. Strength training, weight training, resistance training, and circuit training are terms used to describe exercises meant to improve your muscle fitness.
It’s been quite a while since I’ve felt overwhelmed in a fitness environment, but I can easily put myself in your shoes. Exercise machines are intimidating to many—sometimes just looking at them! Some of the people exercising in these places can be intimidating. But, they have no reason to be. We all started out as beginners. When you see a person who looks like a fitness superstar, always remember that they weren’t born that way. They had to learn too.
You will feel more comfortable and confident when you learn the terms used in fitness and the basic principles of how to exercise to reach your desired outcome. When you are following your tailored exercise program, you will see and feel faster improvements.
