February 20, 2026
Gym Glossary: 30 Terms Every Lifter Should Know
From reps and sets to RPE, drop sets, and periodization — key strength training terms explained with examples.
ResearchTL;DR: 30 key strength training terms — from basics (reps, sets) to advanced (RPE, drop sets, periodization). Tables, examples, and how they all connect — so you feel confident in the gym and when talking to a coach.
Basic Terms
| Term | What It Means | Example |
|---|
| Rep (Repetition) | One complete exercise movement: lift + lower | 1 bicep curl up and down = 1 rep |
| Set | A series of reps performed without rest | 10 reps in a row = 1 set |
| Working Weight | The weight used for your main sets | "My working weight on bench is 80 kg" |
| 1RM (One-Rep Max) | The maximum weight you can lift once | If you bench 100 kg for 1 rep — that's your 1RM |
| Rest Period | Pause between sets | 90 seconds between squat sets |
| Warm-up | Light sets before working sets to prepare muscles and joints | 2 sets with an empty bar before bench press |
| Cool-down | Stretching or light cardio after training | 5–10 min of stretching at the end |
Exercise Types
| Term | What It Means | Examples |
|---|
| Compound | Uses 2+ joints and multiple muscle groups | Squat, bench press, deadlift, pull-ups |
| Isolation | Targets one muscle group, 1 joint | Leg extensions, bicep curls, flyes |
| Concentric Phase | Muscle shortening phase — the "lift" | Pushing the bar up in bench press |
| Eccentric Phase | Muscle lengthening phase — the "lower" | Lowering the bar in bench press |
| Negatives | Emphasizing slow eccentric phase (3–5 sec) | Slow lowering on pull-ups |
Intensity & Effort
| Term | What It Means |
|---|
| RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) | Subjective effort rating from 1 to 10. RPE 7 = 3 reps left, RPE 10 = failure |
| RIR (Reps in Reserve) | How many more reps you could have done. RIR 2 = could do 2 more, but stopped |
| Failure | Can't complete another rep with proper form. RPE 10 = RIR 0 |
| Progressive Overload | Gradually increasing the stimulus: +2.5 kg to the bar or +1 rep each week |
RPE Scale in Detail
| RPE | RIR | How It Feels | When to Use |
|---|
| 6 | 4+ | Easy, warming up | Warm-up sets |
| 7 | 3 | Moderate, full control | First working sets |
| 8 | 2 | Hard, but still in control | Main working sets |
| 9 | 1 | Very hard, form starting to break | Last set if you want to push it |
| 10 | 0 | Failure — can't do more | Testing 1RM, rarely |
Intensity Techniques
| Term | What It Means | Example |
|---|
| Superset | 2 exercises back-to-back without rest | Dumbbell press → Flyes, then rest |
| Tri-set | 3 exercises back-to-back without rest | Press → Flyes → Push-ups, then rest |
| Giant Set | 4+ exercises back-to-back without rest | Usually targeting one muscle group |
| Drop Set | Set to failure → reduce weight → continue without rest | 40 kg × 8 → 30 kg × 6 → 20 kg × 10 |
| Rest-Pause | Set to failure → 10–15 sec pause → a few more reps | 8 reps → 15 sec → 3 reps → 15 sec → 2 reps |
| Cluster Sets | Set broken into mini-series with 15–30 sec pauses | 2 reps → 20 sec → 2 reps → 20 sec → 2 reps |
| Forced Reps | After failure, a partner helps you do 2–3 more reps | Partner assists slightly on bench press |
| Cheating | Using body momentum to get past the sticking point | Slight swing on bicep curls (use with caution!) |
Training Programming
| Term | What It Means | Example |
|---|
| Volume | Total working sets per muscle group per week | 12 sets for chest per week |
| Frequency | How many times per week a muscle group is trained | Chest 2×/week |
| Split | How muscle groups are distributed across training days | Push/Pull/Legs, Upper/Lower, Full-body |
| Periodization | Planned variation of load across weeks/months | 3 weeks ramp up → 1 week deload |
| Deload | A week with reduced volume/weight for recovery | Every 4–6 weeks: −40% of working weights |
| Time Under Tension (TUT) | Total time the muscle is under load during a set | 10 reps × 4 sec = 40 sec TUT |
How a Workout Fits Together
Here's how all these terms connect in a single session:
- Warm-up — 2 light sets of a compound exercise
- Compound exercise — 3 sets × 8 reps, RPE 8, 120 sec rest
- Superset — Exercise A (12 reps) → Exercise B (12 reps) → 90 sec rest. Repeat 3 times
- Isolation with drop set — 15 kg × 10 → 10 kg × 8 → 5 kg × 12
- Cool-down — stretching 5–10 min
How This Connects to Spodi
Spodi supports all the formats described above:
- Supersets, tri-sets, and giant sets — group exercises into linked combos
- Sections (warm-up, main work, cool-down) — structure your workout
- 7 exercise types — weight×reps, bodyweight, duration, distance, and more
- Set notes — write "drop set", "rest-pause", "negatives 4 sec"
- Rest timer — 60/90/120 sec presets right on Dynamic Island
Sources
