Fitness4Her® Glossary
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Abdominal muscles – The group of muscles that surround the abdomen. The major muscles of this group include the rectus abdominus, external obliques, internal obliques, and the transversus abdominus. These muscles allow for spinal flexion, spinal extension and spinal rotation.
Aerobic activity – Any activity in which oxygen is used to perform a movement.
Anaerobic activity – Any activity in which oxygen is not required for a movement to be performed; usually short bursts of high energy movement.
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Biceps – The group of muscles on the front portion of the upper arm beginning at the shoulder and ending at the elbow.
Bilateral movement – A movement in which both limbs are performing the same exercise at the same time.
BMI ¬– Body Mass Index: an index that expresses adult weight in relation to height. It is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, or 704.5 times weight in pounds divided by height in inches squared. A body mass index of less than 25 is considered normal, and one of over 30 implies obesity.
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Calorie – A unit of energy-producing potential in food, equal to one large calorie. This energy, if not used is converted to fat and stored.
Carbohydrate – Certain compounds including sugars, starches and celluloses that supply energy to the body.
Carotid Pulse – A large artery on each side of the neck that supplies blood to the head.
Cellulite – Fatty deposits beneath the skin that give a lumpy or grainy appearance to the skin surface, especially on the thighs or buttocks.
Core muscles – The group of muscles that surround the torso; they run from the shoulder girdle through the abdomen and into the pelvic area.
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Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) – A physiological condition caused by exercise in which the muscles that were used feel sore approximately twelve hours post exercise.
Deltoids – The major muscles of the shoulder, there are three major deltoid muscles; the anterior deltoids which runs on the front portion of the shoulder, the medial deltoids which run on the top of the shoulders, and the posterior deltoids which run along the back of the shoulders.
Depression – A psychiatric disorder showing symptoms such as persistent feelings of hopelessness, dejection, poor concentration, lack of energy, inability to sleep, and, sometimes, suicidal tendencies.
Diabetes – Any of various diseases in which the body produces an excessive amount of urine. Some forms, such as diabetes mellitus are more chronic and include sugar in the blood and urine characterized by excessive hunger and thirst followed by unexplained weight loss.
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Edema – Swelling caused by excess fluid trapped in your body’s tissues. Although edema can affect any part of your body, it’s most commonly noticed in your hands, arms, feet and legs.
Empower – To give somebody a greater sense of confidence or self-esteem.
Endocrine – Any gland of the body that secretes hormones directly into the blood or lymph, e.g. the thyroid, pituitary, pineal, and adrenal glands.
Endorphins – A substance in the brain that attaches to the same cell receptors that morphine does. Endorphins are released when severe injury occurs, often abolishing all sensation of pain.
Endurance – The ability or power to bear prolonged exertion.
Engaged core – The action of tightening the abdominal muscles by drawing the navel inward towards the spine causing the waistline to narrow. The shoulders are rolled back opening the chest while at the same time they press down your back towards the hips. This action must be performed before and during all exercise in order to bring stability to the body and reduce the possibility of injury.
Estrogen – A steroid hormone, produced mainly in the ovaries, that stimulates estrus and the development of female secondary sexual characteristics.
Extension – The action of opening a joint.
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FDA – Food and Drug Administration.
Flexion – The action of closing a joint.
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Gluteals – The major muscles of the pelvic area which acts to move the legs in flexion and extension as well as lateral movements of the legs. There are three major gluteal muscles; the gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and the gluteus minimus.
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Heart rate – The number of times the heart beats in one minute.
Hormones – A chemical secreted by an endocrine gland or some nerve cells that regulates the function of a specific tissue or organ.
Hamstrings – The group of muscles that run along the back of the thighs. They are used to flex the knee joints.
Heart rate – The number of times the heart beats in one minute.
Hip extensors – The muscles used to extend the hips.
Hip flexors – The muscles used to flex the hips.
Hip hinge – The action of keeping the spine extended while flexing the hip joints.
Hormones – A chemical secreted by an endocrine gland or some nerve cells that regulates the function of a specific tissue or organ.
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Latisimus dorsi – Thick sheet like muscles that spread from the center of the middle back and waistline region and sweep out to the sides.
Libido – The sexual urge or instinct.
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Maximum heart rate – The maximum number of beats per minute the heart beats during a cardio respiratory activity. This number is age related.
Metabolism –The series of processes by which food is converted into the energy and products needed to sustain life.
Menopause – The time in a woman’s life when menstruation diminishes and ceases, usually between the ages of 45 and 50.
Muscles – A tissue that can undergo repeated contraction and relaxation, so that it is able to produce movement of body parts, maintain tension, or pump fluids within the body. There are three types: voluntary striped muscle, involuntary smooth muscle, and branched or heart muscle.
Modified plank position – the body’s position in prone with the spine fully extended (neither flexed nor hyper extended) palms on the ground, elbows fully extended knees on the ground.
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Nutrition – The process of absorbing nutrients from food and processing them in the body in order to keep healthy or to grow.
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Obesity – Having a body weight more than 20 percent greater than recommended for the relevant height and thus at risk from several serious illnesses, including diabetes and heart disease.
Osteoporosis – A disease in which the bone loses its density and thereby becomes brittle. Predominantly occurs in the older female population.
Overuse injury – A condition caused by repetitive overloading of a joint or muscle.
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Pectoral muscles – The major muscles found in the chest; they run from the shoulder girdle into the ribcage.
Pelvic area – The entire area of the pelvis; this is where the hip joints connect the legs to the pelvis and the spine connects to the pelvis. Sometimes referred to as the pelvic girdle, as this is where a lady’s girdle would fit.
Pilates – The program focuses on the core postural muscles which help keep the body balanced and which are essential to providing support for the spine. In particular, Pilates exercises teach awareness of breath and alignment of the spine, and aim to strengthen the deep torso muscles.
Plank position – The body’s position in prone with the spine in neutral extension (neither flexed nor hyper extended) and the palms on the ground, elbows fully extended, and the toes on the ground.
PMS – Pre-Menstrual Disorder, The effects of this disorder ranges from minimal discomfort to severe, disruptive behavioral and somatic changes.
Progesterone – A sex hormone produced in women, first by the corpus luteum of the ovary to prepare the womb for the fertilized ovum, and later by the placenta to maintain pregnancy.
Prone – When one’s abdomen is facing the ground.
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Quadriceps – The major muscles that run along the front of the thighs. They are used to extend the knees.
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Resistance training – A type of exercise in which an external resistant force acts against a joint’s range of motion.
Resting heart rate – The number of beats per minute (BPM) the heart beats at rest.
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Saturated Fat – A fat in which the carbon atoms are fully hydrogenated, found in animal products. A diet heavy in saturated fat is thought to raise cholesterol in the bloodstream.
Sedentary –Tending to sit most of the time and getting little exercise.
Serotonin –A chemical derived from the amino acid tryptophan and widely distributed in tissues. It acts as a neurotransmitter, constricts blood vessels at injury sites, and may affect emotional states.
Sexy –Appealing, sometimes sexually, because of being new, interesting, or trendy
Sodium – a soft silver white metallic element that reacts readily with other substances and is essential to the body’s fluid balance. Use: catalyst, tracer, in chemical processes.
Spine – The bony mass that runs down the center of the back encompassing the spinal cord. These bones are called vertebrae and are categorized as cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae and lumbar vertebrae.
Superwoman Syndrome –a woman who succeeds in combining several roles such as worker, wife, mother, and homemaker with apparent ease.
Supine – When one’s back is facing the ground.
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Target Heart Rate – The optimal beats per minute at which one performs aerobic activity for the greatest benefit for improving cardio respiratory function as well as improved resting heart rate. This is an age related number.
Tendon – an inelastic cord or band of tough white fibrous connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone or other part.
Testosterone – A male steroid hormone produced in the testicles and responsible for the development of secondary sex characteristics. Use: produced synthetically for treatment of androgen deficiency.
Tranverse Abdominal – This muscle is the deepest of the 6 ab muscles. It can have a tremendous effect on body posture. You cannot touch this muscle from the outside. It wraps around the torso, creating an effect similar to a back support belt.
Triceps – The group of muscles that run along the back of the upper arm from the shoulder to the elbow. These muscles act to extend the elbow.
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Unilateral movement – A movement in which only one limb is performing the exercise.
Unsaturated Fat – Fats with a high proportion of fatty acid molecules with double bonds, that create less cholesterol in the body than saturated fats and are regarded as more healthy in the diet
USDA– United States Department of Agriculture
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Vertebrae ¬– a bone of the spinal column, typically consisting of a thick body, a bony arch enclosing a hole for the spinal cord, and stubby projections that connect with adjacent bones.
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