The training stack. Stimulus, recovery, adaptation. The concepts and modalities that move every other system: zone 2, hypertrophy, VO2 max, supercompensation, deload, and the practices that translate effort into durable physiological change.
Training, indexed.
1RM
One-rep max. Maximum weight for a single repetition with full ROM.
Active Recovery
Low-intensity work between hard sessions to clear metabolites and accelerate the return to baseline.
AMRAP
As many reps (or rounds) as possible. A conditioning and capacity protocol.
Anaerobic Threshold
The intensity at which anaerobic energy production dominates. The upper edge of sustainable steady-state.
Autoregulation
Adjusting training intensity and volume daily based on readiness.
Balance Training
Proprioception and stability work. The neural reserve that decouples falls from age.
Bilateral training
Both limbs simultaneously. Higher absolute load capacity.
Block periodization
Focused phases (accumulation, transmutation, realization).
Block Periodization
Concentrated training blocks focused on a single quality at a time. Modern alternative to traditional linear periodization.
Calisthenics
Bodyweight resistance training.
Cluster sets
Short intra-set rest to accumulate high-quality volume.
Cluster Sets
Sets broken into mini-sets with short intra-set rest. More total volume at the same intensity.
Compound movement
Multi-joint exercise. Squat, deadlift, bench, press, row.
Concentric phase
Muscle-shortening contraction. Explosive intent for strength.
Conjugate method
Westside-style rotation of max effort and dynamic effort.
Cooper Test
12-minute run for distance. A field test for estimating VO2 max without lab equipment.
Deload
Planned volume or intensity reduction. Fatigue clearance without detraining.
Deload
Reduced-volume or intensity week. Allows accumulated fatigue to dissipate.
DEXA
Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Gold standard for body composition.
DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)
24-72 hour post-training muscle soreness. A marker of unfamiliar stimulus, not training quality.
Drop sets
Successive weight reductions with no rest.
Dynamic Stretching
Active movement through range. The pre-training prep that static stretching is not.
Eccentric Load
The lowering phase of a repetition. Where hypertrophy and tendon adaptation actually happen.
Eccentric phase
Muscle-lengthening contraction. 2-3 second controlled descent standard.
EMOM
Every Minute On the Minute. A density and pacing protocol with built-in rest.
Fascia
The body's connective-tissue net. Affects movement quality, recovery, and pain in ways isolated-muscle thinking misses.
Fast Twitch Muscle
Type II fibers. Power, speed, sprinting. The first thing sarcopenia takes.
FTP (Functional Threshold Power)
Cycling's working-definition of lactate threshold. The watts you can hold for 60 minutes.
Functional Strength
Strength that transfers to life. Carrying, pulling, hinging, lifting overhead.
Giant sets
Three or more exercises in a row.
Grip Strength
The single best one-metric predictor of all-cause mortality. Free to measure.
HIIT
High-intensity interval training. Repeated bouts above lactate threshold.
Hip Hinge
The fundamental movement pattern of folding at the hips. The foundation of deadlift, RDL, and posterior-chain training.
HRV
Heart rate variability. Higher HRV indicates greater parasympathetic tone.
Hypertrophy
Increase in muscle cross-sectional area. The goal of physique training.
Isolation movement
Single-joint exercise. Curl, extension, fly.
Isometric hold
Static contraction. Position-specific strength.
Isometric training
Static holds against immovable resistance.
Kettlebell training
Ballistic and grind-based kettlebell work.
Kinetic Chain
Coordinated force transmission across joints. Why a strong glute fixes a 'bad' shoulder.
Lactate Threshold
Two inflection points on the lactate curve. LT1 and LT2.
Lactic Threshold
The intensity where lactate starts to accumulate faster than it clears. The sweet spot for conditioning.
Lean Mass
Non-fat tissue. Muscle, bone, organ. The metabolic and longevity reserve.
Linear periodization
Progressive change in one variable over weeks. Classical strength template.
Mechanical Tension
Tension placed on a muscle through resistance. Primary driver of hypertrophy.
Mechanical tension
Primary driver of hypertrophy. Load through full range.
Metabolic stress
Secondary hypertrophy signal. High-rep, short-rest work.
Mitochondrial Density
The number and quality of mitochondria within muscle and other cells.
Mobility
Controlled range of motion. Flexibility plus stability plus strength at end-range.
Muscle damage
Third hypertrophy signal. Debate on necessity ongoing.
Muscle Mass
Skeletal muscle tissue. The single most malleable longevity input.
Occlusion training (BFR)
Blood flow restriction with light loads. Hypertrophy signal at 30% 1RM.
Olympic lifting
Snatch and clean and jerk. Explosive full-body sport.
Overreaching (functional)
Short-term high volume beyond recovery. Adaptive rebound with proper deload.
Overtraining syndrome
Persistent maladaptation. Weeks to months to recover.
Plyometrics
Reactive stretch-shortening cycle drills. Jump training.
Polarized Training
80 percent Z2, 20 percent Z5. Minimize Z3 and Z4.
Posterior Chain
Muscles on the back of the body. Hamstrings, glutes, erectors, back.
Powerlifting
Squat, bench, deadlift. Competition sport with 1RM total.
Progressive overload
Gradual increase in training stimulus. Foundational hypertrophy principle.
Progressive Overload
Gradual increase in training stress over time.
Pyramid training
Rising weight, falling reps. Traditional strength template.
Rep tempo
Explicit contraction speed per phase. 3-1-1-0 style notation.
Rest-pause sets
Brief rest within a set to squeeze extra reps.
Resting Heart Rate (RHR)
Morning supine heart rate. A daily readout of fitness, recovery, and acute stress load.
Reverse pyramid
Heaviest first, then reduce. Post-warmup top-set methodology.
RIR
Reps in reserve. How many additional reps you could perform.
RIR (reps in reserve)
Reps left before failure at end of set. Autoregulation tool.
ROM (Range of Motion)
The arc of movement at a joint. Both training quality and what tendons and joints adapt to.
RPE
Rate of perceived exertion. Subjective scale, typically 1 to 10.
RPE (rate of perceived exertion)
1-10 subjective effort scale. Anchored to reps in reserve.
Sleep Architecture
The structure of sleep across REM, deep, and light stages.
Strongman training
Odd-object heavy lifting. Yoke, farmer, atlas stone.
Supercompensation
After recovery, performance temporarily exceeds the pre-stress baseline.
Supersets
Two exercises back-to-back. Antagonistic pairings preserve strength.
Time under tension
Total loaded contraction duration. Secondary to load and volume.
Time Under Tension (TUT)
Total seconds a muscle is loaded during a set. A driver of hypertrophy beyond sets and reps alone.
Training frequency
Sessions per muscle group per week. 2 x week hits most hypertrophy targets.
Training to failure
Sets ended at momentary muscular failure. Higher fatigue cost, similar hypertrophy.
Undulating periodization
Daily or weekly rotation of intensity and volume.
Unilateral Strength
One-sided strength training. Exposes and corrects asymmetries; trains stability with strength.
Unilateral training
One limb at a time. Asymmetry correction, core demand.
VO2 Max
The single best predictor of all-cause mortality past age 50. Trainable at any age.
VO2 Sub-Max
Submaximal oxygen consumption testing. A field-friendly alternative to true VO2 max testing.
Volume load
Sets x reps x weight. Weekly total dose.
Z2 Threshold
The aerobic intensity at which mitochondrial efficiency is maximally trainable.
Zone 1
Recovery-pace effort. Roughly 50 to 60 percent of max heart rate.
Zone 3
Tempo. Above LT1, below LT2. Sustainable for 30 to 60 minutes.
Zone 4
Threshold. At or near lactate threshold. Sustainable 15 to 30 minutes.
Zone 5
Maximal aerobic and anaerobic. Above lactate threshold. Short intervals.