Bodybuilding Glossary

Diuretics: Drugs used to remove excess water from the body. There are two versions: the drug version (can only be prescribed by a physician), and the herbal version. Excessive use of the drug version has as side effects muscle cramps and harsh arrhythmia. The herbal version, while safer than the drug version, can lead to potassium loss and excessive use puts stress on the kidneys.

Dumbbell: A short-handled barbell 10-12 inches long that can be carried in one hand. Dumbbells allow for flexibility in the execution of a movement and for full range of motion.

Eccentric Movement: Portion of the movement where the muscle elongates. This happens as you lower the weight back to the starting position. This portion of the movement should be performed slowly and deliberately.

Endorphins: Hormones that make us feel good and happy. The production of these hormones is stimulated by exercise.

Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs): Fats that have anti-catabolic, anti-lypolitic and antioxidant properties. These fats affect the good cholesterol in a positive way. In addition, these fats aid in the muscle-building, fat-loss process. The Omega 3 Fatty Acids found in fats such as fish oils and flaxseed oil are a good source of EFAs.

Estrogen: Female hormone that regulates and sustains female sexual development and reproductive function. An excess of this hormone appears to be related to heart disease and cancer. In addition, when this hormone is in excess, it causes fat gain and water retention. Estrogen deficits, on the other hand, include memory problems, trouble finding words, inability to pay attention, mood swings and irritability. By helping to balance the levels of this hormone, exercise helps reduce the risk of these diseases and conditions.

Exercise Volume: The amount of work performed in an exercise session defined by the product resulting from the amount of weight lifted, multiplied by the number of sets and multiplied by the number of repetitions. For example, if you had a workout that consisted of 10 sets of dumbbell curls, and for each set you used 30 pounds and performed 10 repetitions, then your biceps routine volume equals 10x10x30=3000 pounds. Too much volume leads to overtraining.

Fats: Macronutrient needed by the body in order to manufacture hormones and sustain cell metabolism. All the cells in the body have some fat in them. Hormones are manufactured from fats. Also, fats lubricate your joints. If you eliminate the fat from your diet, your hormonal production will go down and a whole array of chemical reactions will be interrupted. There are three types of fats: saturated, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.

Fat Soluble Vitamins: Vitamins that get stored in fat that if taken in excessive amounts will become toxic. They include vitamins A, D, E, and K.

Giant Set: Giant Sets are 4 exercises done one after the other with no rest in between sets. Again, there are two ways to implement this. You can either use 4 exercises for the same muscle group or perform 2 pairs of opposing muscle group exercises. For the purposes of this manual, whenever we do Giant Sets, we will perform two pairs of opposing muscle group exercises with no rest. The exception is when we do Abs in which we will alternate between lower abs and upper abs.

Growth Hormone: Hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that aids in fat loss and muscle building.

Hormones: Fats similar to, and usually synthesized from, cholesterol, starting with Acetyl-CoA, moving through squalene, past lanosterol, into cholesterol, and, in the gonads and adrenal cortex, back to a number of steroid hormones. Because they stimulate cell growth, either by changing the internal structure or increasing the rate of proliferation, they are often called anabolic steroids.

Hypertrophy: Scientific term for describing an increase in muscle mass and strength caused by the stimulation of the muscles.

Note: This glossary is an excerpt from my book The Hardgainer's Bodybuilding Handbook