Fitness Glossary

Exercise that involves or improves oxygen consumption by the body. Aerobic means “with oxygen” and refers to the use of oxygen in the body’s metabolic or energy-generating process. This includes the treadmill and stationary bicycle. Also referred to cardiovascular exercise and aerobic activities.

Acute or chronic inflammation of a joint, often accompanied by pain and structural changes and having diverse causes, as infection, metabolic disturbances, injury, or others.

The dying or death, normally referring to a gland or organ.

The pressure of the blood against the inner walls of the blood vessels, varying in different parts of the body during different phases of contraction of the heart and under different conditions of health, exertion, etc.

Enzymes found on your arteries which when activated by heat and exercise feed your muscle to burn fat.

A common disorder of the wrist and hand characterized by pain, tingling and muscular weakness, caused by pressure on the median nerve in the wrist area and often associated with trauma, rheumatoid arthritis or edema of pregnancy.

Any of a class of extracellular proteins abundant in humans in the skin, bone, cartilage, tendon and teeth, forming strong insoluble fibers and serving as connective tissue between cells.

Substances produced by the brain that have painkilling and tranquillizing effects on the body that are released at times of extreme body stress.

Bodily or mental exertion, esp. for the sake of training or improvement of health.

Good health or physical condition, especially as the result of exercise and proper nutrition.

An awareness of the abnormal beating of the heart, whether it is too slow, too fast, irregular or at its normal frequency.

A devotional exercise of continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation.

A nerve cell that conducts impulses to a muscle, gland, or other effector.

A tissue composed of cells or fibers, the contraction of which produces movement in the body.

Your memory for motor skills. As called motor memory.

A condition of age-related loss of muscle mass. Also called muscle loss.

An increase in body weight either from muscle mass, fat deposits, or excess fluids such as water.

The reduction of the total body weight from loss of fluid, body fat or adipose tissue and/or lean mass, namely bone mineral deposits, muscle, tendon and other connective tissue.

Any of the methods or disciplines prescribed, esp. a series of postures and breathing exercises practiced to achieve control of the body and mind, tranquility, etc.