8 fitness terms you should know

The fitness sector is already a closed book, especially for many beginners. The confusion is exacerbated by countless often scientific-sounding or foreign-language terms that could not only fill entire books, but also do so in reality. To shed some light on the subject, we would like to use this article to introduce you to at least eight terms that are increasingly being used in the fitness community, especially in recent times.

 

HIIT
High Intensity Interval Training - HIIT for short - refers to a special type of cardio training that primarily focuses on high-intensity intervals instead of prolonged, even exertion. In practice, most HIIT training units are based on a ratio of two to one in favor of intensive exertion over short recovery phases. HIIT units typically last no longer than 15 to 20 minutes, but according to sports science findings, they have a significantly greater effect on metabolic activity and therefore fat burning than classic cardio training. For example, a HIIT interval consists of a 40-second sprint followed by a 20-second relaxed trotting phase. Alternatively, other exercises and sports are of course also suitable for carrying out HIIT units.

Tabata
The Tabata training was developed by a Japanese professor by the name of Tabata and is very similar in nature to High Intensity Interval Training. In the 1990s, Izumi Tabata discovered that athletes who performed intense exercise for more than four minutes had a significantly higher oxygen uptake than those who performed less intense exercise over a longer period of time. In contrast to HIIT, however, Tabata training is somewhat more specific. In practice, eight sets are performed, each consisting of 20 seconds of high-intensity exercise followed by 10 seconds of rest.

Cardio Fitness
The fitter you are, the more effectively your cardiovascular system works and is therefore able to circulate the blood in your body better, which also improves the supply of nutrients and oxygen to your body. The result is improved performance, as your muscles are not only supplied with the oxygen they need to burn nutrients, but also with the appropriate nutrients. In plain language, this means that cardiovascular fitness is also the performance-determining element in weight training.

VO2 Max
The VO2 Max value describes your body's maximum oxygen uptake. Strictly speaking, it is a measured value that describes the interaction between your heart, your lungs and your blood in terms of oxygen transport capacity. This ability has an enormous influence on your performance during training, as your muscles are reliant on oxygen for sustained performance. Even though your oxygen uptake capacity is largely determined by genetic factors and the associated muscle fiber composition, it can be effectively improved through targeted training. Nevertheless, this fact explains why some people will always be better at other sports than others. You can increase your VO2 max by up to 15 percent with appropriately intensive interval training.

EPOC
Behind the sports science term construct Excess Post Exercise Oxygen (EPOC) trivially speaking, the term afterburn effect is widely known in the fitness community. Strictly speaking, this effect describes the period in which your body is in a state of above-average metabolic activity after a hard workout. During this phase, your body is keen to do most of the regeneration work and replenish the depleted energy stores, which results in increased energy consumption.

Target heart rate
The target heart rate is an important variable in the field of sport, which you can use to structure your training and work towards specific goals. The background to this is the fact that the body has different mechanisms for generating energy, which primarily take place in different heart rate ranges. For example, if you train in a low heart rate range, the body can primarily use fat as an energy source with the help of oxygen. If you mainly want to improve your long-term endurance, you should therefore aim for a low to moderate target heart rate. If your heart rate is higher, your body will no longer be able to use fat as an energy source. Accordingly, the body draws its energy in higher heart rate ranges primarily from carbohydrates and energy-rich phosphates. So if you want to improve your running performance over short distances, for example, you should achieve intensive units in a higher heart rate range. You can also calculate your maximum heart rate using the following rule of thumb: 220 - age.

Plyometrics
Plyometrics are exercises that repeatedly expose your muscles to a rapid alternation of stretching and contraction within a short period of time. The most common exercises in this context include box jumps. The aim of these fitness exercises is to increase the explosiveness of power development in addition to neuromuscular coordination.

Electrolytes
In order for your muscles to contract optimally and then relax again, your body needs a balanced electrolyte balance. The collective term electrolytes covers micronutrients such as magnesium, sodium, chlorine and potassium, which are also of considerable relevance for numerous other metabolic processes. Unfortunately, the body excretes more of these micronutrients through sweat during training, which is why they should be supplied as part of a sports-oriented diet, especially on training days. Green vegetables and fruit are an excellent source of electrolytes.