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| Bodybuilding Dictionary of Terms:
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Go to: S-Z Terms
Masculinization: General
term used to describe the host of side effects experienced by
female users of anabolic steroids. Common effects include deepening
of the voice, facial hair growth, and clitoral enlargement.
Mass: The relative size of each
muscle group, or of the entire physique. As long as you also have a
high degree of muscularity and good balance of physical
proportions, muscle mass is a highly prized quality among
competitive bodybuilders.
Megadosing: The practice of
taking athletic drugs and supplements in dosages far beyond those
needed to obtain a desired effect.
Mesomorph: The mesomorph body
type has a medium sized bone structure, and makes gains in muscle
mass much more quickly than the other two types. He responds
quickly to planned exercise and to dietary discipline
Metabolic Optimizer:
General term used to describe any supplement that boosts an
athlete’s recovery system. Most metabolic optimizers contain
a substance that is reputed to offer some degree of performance
enhancement.
Metabolism: The sum total of
all biochemical reactions that take place in the human body.
Metabolism can be divided into anabolism and catabolism, the sum
total which determines whether an individual gains or loses
weight.
Mineral: A naturally occurring
inorganic element used for the regulation of metabolism.
Muscle Contraction:
Any of five types of movement caused by muscular work. See:
Isometric Contraction, Concentric Contraction,
Eccentric Contraction, Isotonic Contraction, and
Isokinetic Contraction.
Muscle Atrophy: See Atrophy
Muscle Dismorphia:
Muscle Dismorphia is a newly diagnosed disorder characterized by a
prolonged period of almost continuous eating, resulting in
hypertrophy of the limbs and interrupted by bodybuilding training
in the gym. Those who suffer from muscle dismorphia always see
their body as being too small, no matter how much weight they can,
or how large their muscles become. The sufferer lives in a constant
fear of being too small.
Muscle Hypertrophy: See Hypertrophy
Muscularity: An alternative
term for definition or cuts.
Myofibril: An individual
muscle fiber formed by muscle cells being attached end to end.
Nautilus: A brand of exercise
machin in common use in large gyms. Used when bodybuilders want to
add variety to their workouts. For example, doing front squats on a
Nautilus squat machine as oppsed to free weight squats for a
workout.
Negative (Rep): The
downward half of a repetition, also known as the eccentric
contraction. By placing resistance on the negative half of the
movement, you can induce a high degree of muscular hypertrophy.
Nitrogen: A gaseous,
nonmetallic element. Nitrogen is a component of all proteins.
Nitrogen is essential to the synthesis of proteins the body must
have, particularly nitrogen - containing compounds or amino acids
derived directly or indirectly from plant food. The process of
protein metabolism accounts for nitrogen balance. When protein
catabolism exceeds protein anabolism, a negative nitrogen balance
exists in the body. When protein anabolism exceeds protein
catabolism, a positive nitrogen balance exists in the body.
NPC: The National Physique
Committee, Inc., which administers men's and women's amateur
bodybuilding competitions in the United States. THe NPC National
Champions in each weight class are annually sent abroad to compete
in the IFBB World Championships.
Nutrition: The applied science
of eating for greater health, fitness, and muscular gains. Through
correct application of nutritional practices you can selectively
add muscle mass to your physique, or lose body fat, revealing your
full genetic potential, and achieving a very self gratifying
goal.
Olympian: A term reserved for
use when regerring only to a bodybuilder who has competed in the
Mr. Olympia or Ms. Olympia competitions. Not to be confused with
the more common meaning of the term, which refers to those athletes
who have competed in the Olympic games.
Olympic Barbell: A
special type of barbell used in weight - lifting and power -
lifting competitions, but also used by bodybuilders in heavy basic
exercises such as bench press, squat and deadlifting (the three
basic powerlifting movements, which can also be incorporated into
bodybuilding). Each bar weighs 45 lbs (20 kg). The collars used in
powerlifting and weightlifting weigh 5.5 lbs (2.5 kg). Collars at
your gym may vary in weight, however.
Olympic Lifting: The type
of weight lifting contested at the Olympic Games every four years,
as well as at national and international competitions each year.
The two lifts (the snatch and the clean - and - jerk) are contested
in a wide variety of weight classes.
Overload: The amount
of weight that you force a muscle to use that is over and above its
normal strength ability. Applying an overload to a muscle forces it
to increase in hypertrophy.
Overtraining: Chronically
exceeding the body's recovery ability by doing too lengthy and . or
too frequent workouts. Chronic overtraining can lead to injuries,
infectious illness and worse: a cessation or even regression in
gains of a muscle mass, tone, and strength.
Ovo-vegetarian: A diet
excluding all meat and dairy products except eggs.
Passive Stretch: A partner
assists you in moving joints through their ranges of motion. You
can achieve a greater range of motion passively than you can
statically. However, because you are not controlling the movement,
there is a greater risk of injury. Passive stretching is a valuable
technique but should only be used by experienced people who
thoroughly understand the technique. There must also be good
communication between the people performing and receiving the
passive stretches.
Peak: The absolute Zenith of
competitive condition achieved by a bodybuilder. To peak out
optimally for a bodybuilding show, you must intelligently combine
bodybuilding training, aerobic workouts, diet, mental conditioning,
tanning, and a large number of other preparatory factors.
Peaking: See Peak
Pesco-vegetarian: A
diet including dairy products, eggs and fish, but excluding fowl
and red meat.
Placebo Effect:
Pharmacological term used to describe the effects produced by an
intert (inactive) substance. Often called “mind over
matter”, the placebo effect is used to explain the positive
actions of many supplements which are in many cases nothing more
than nutrients.
Plantar Flexion: Moving
the top of the foot away from the shin, that is, pointing the toes
down, as in heel raises.
Plates: The flat discs placed on
the ends of the barbell and dumbbell bars to increase the weight of
the apparatus. Although some plates are made from vinyl - covered
concrete, the best and most durable plates are manufactured from
metal.
Pose: Each individual stance that a
bodybuilder does onstage in order to highlight his or her muscular
development.
Posedown: A forth round of
judging conducted at the evening show in which the top six
competitors are compared in their own choices of poses for a few,
final, vital placing points.
Posing Routine: The well -
choreographed series of individual poses a bodybuilder presents to
his or her choice of music in the public presentation (Round Three)
of the NPC / IFBB judging system. In this posing routine the
competitor can choose individual poses, as opposed to the required
poses done in the manadatory round at the prejudging, and thereby
camouflaging weak points and emphasizing particularly well -
developed areas.
Positive Nitrogen
Balance: Biochemical state where nitrogen levels are
sufficiently high enough to allow protein synthesis to occur.
Positive nitrogen balance is one of the conditions accelerated by
the use of anabolic steroids.
Posterior: Used to describe
the position of a structure when it is behind another comparable
structure, as the posterior (or rear) head of the deltoid.
Poundage: The amount of weight
that you use in an exercise, whether that weight is on a barbell,
dumbbell, or exercise machine.
Power: In bodybuilding and power
lifting, this is strength, of the ability to use very heavy
poundages on all basic movements. In a sports context, power is the
ability to move heavy weights explosively.
Power Lifting: A second
form of competitive weight lifting (not contested at the Olympics,
however) featuring three lifts: the squat, the bench press, and the
deadlift. Power lifting is contested both nationally and
internationally in a wide variety of weight and age classes for
both men and women.
Power Rack: A power rack is a
safety apparatus that has two thick adjustable steel pins that the
barbell rests upon. Bodybuilders and powerlifters use the power
rack to perform squats, shrugs, deadlifts and presses.
Pre-Exhaustion: A
technique used primarily on torso-muscle groups (chest, back,
shoulders) which makes the weaker arm muscles temporarily stronger
than normal, so basic exercises like bench press, lat machine
pulldowns, and standing barbell presses can be pushed far past the
point at which a bodybuilder would fail to continue a set. Preex
involves supersetting an isolation exercise for a particular torso
muscle (for example, flat bench flyes for the pecotral muscles)
with a basic movement (for example, bench presses) for the same
muscle.
Pre-judging: Judging of the
first two rounds of the IFBB judging system during a morning or
afternoon session separate from the evening public presenation at
which Round Three is judged.
Progression: The act of
gradually adding the amount of resistance that you use in each
exercise. Without consistent progression in your workouts, you
won't overload your muscles sufficiently to promote optimum
increases in hypertrophy.
Pronation: You pronate your
hand when you turn the palm down.
Proprioceptive
Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF): PNF techniques are used
to improve strength and flexibility. The technique attempts to use
reflexes initiated by muscle and joint receptors to cause greater
training effects. The most popular PNF stretching technique is the
contract - relax stretching method. The muscle is actively
contracted before it is stretched. Static stretching is generally
preferred over PNF.
Protein: General term used to
describe molecules composed of specific sequences of amino acids.
Protein is the body’s primary building material and while
small amounts can be manufactured, most must be consumed in the
diet.
Protein Drinks: Another
option to maintain your total protein intake for the day is to take
the product in liquid form. The most common are protein drinks
available in small bottles, generally 500 ml or less. They are
moderately priced and conveniently sized, making them very easy to
drink whether at home or at the gym.
Protein Metabolism:
The processes whereby protein foodstuffs are used by the body to
make tissue proteins, together with the processes of breakdown of
tissue proteins in the production of energy. Food proteins are
first broken down into amino acids, then absorbed into the
bloodstream, and finally used in body cells to form new proteins.
Amino acids in excess of the body’s needs may be converted by
the liver enzymes into keto acids and urea. The keto acids may be
used as sources of energy via the Krebs citric acid cycle, or they
may be converted into glucose or fat for storage. Urea is excreted
in urine and sweat.
Pump: A commonly used bodybuilding
term is “the pump”. “The pump” occurs when
your muscles swell up beyond their normal size by a considerable
amount. Looking at yourself in the mirror, you will look bigger,
and likely show appear more vascular and defined as well as being
more confident in yourself. This pump is normally fast to achieve
and shouldn’t take much more than four sets. I find a really
good way to pump up is to do pushups until I reach failure, and
normally my chest will look bigger than ever. A good pump can be
felt and noticed throughout the entire workout if done properly.
Oxygen and nutrients will continually to be brought into the area
being exercised during intense weight training activity. Blood is
forced into the area being exercised but not drawn out. This extra
blood stays in there for some period, causing it to swell and
appear noticeably bigger. A reason why many people like to pump up
before they pose for a picture is to take advantage of this
difference in size which occurs. See also, Bodybuilder’s
High.
Pump Set: A high - rep set,
usually in the range of 15 to 20 repetitions, of a basic exercise
which is done after a peak weight has been handled in that
movement. Usually a pump set is the last one done on a particular
basic movement. A pump set is also sometimes called a down set.
Quality
Training: A type of workout used just prior to a
competition in which the lengths of rest intervals between sets are
progressively reduced to increase overall training intensity and to
help further define the physique.
Recovery Cycle: The
process between workouts during which the body flushes out fatigue
toxins, restores muscle glycogen, repairs itself, and increases in
hypertrophy. The length of this cycle varies from as little as 48
hours to as much as one full week, and perhaps more. Recovery is
enhanced by sufficient sleep and proper nutrition.
Rep: See Repetition
Repetition: This term, which
takes on the short form, rep, refers to a single rendition of an
exercise. For example, if your curl a barbell through the entire
range of motion once, you have completed one repetition (rep) of
the movement.
Resistance: The actual amount
of weight you are using in any exercise.
Rest Interval: The brief
pause lasting between 30 seconds to two minutes, and in some cases
even longer, which occurs between sets to allow your body to
partially recuperate prior to initiating the succeeding set.
Reverse Anorexia: See Muscle Dysmorphia
Ripped: See Cut
Roid Rage: Popular name given
to the uncontrolled outburst of anger and violence exhibited by
anabolic steroid users. Despite never being proven by the medical
community, the term is continuously exaggerated by the mainstream
media.
Rope: This attachment is used on a
cable machine, and is commonly used for exercises such as rope
pulls, or triceps pushdowns.
Routine: The term routine is
very broad, and encompasses virtually every aspect of what you do
in one weight lifting session, including the type of equipment you
use, the number of exercises, sets, and repetitions you perform;
the order in which you do the exercises; and how much rest you take
between sets. You can change the factors within your routine to
change your results.
Go to: S-Z Terms
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