This page gives you a list of terms frequently used by bodybuilders, weight lifters and athletes. There are simple explinations of what they actually mean and how they apply to bodybuilding.
Anabolic (Anabolism)
Anabolism in relation to bodybuilding refers to the natural process that occurs in your body when new muscle mass is being built, whilst energy is being used for fuel. Many anabolic processes use ATP as fuel (adenosine triphosphate). This is why creatine is such an important supplement to take when trying to build new muscle. As anabolism needs energy to happen it is important that a the body has plenty of energy to achieve this result (i.e. eat more)
Calorie
A calorie is a unit of meausre. It measures the energy needed to increase the temperature of 1 litre of water by 1 degree celcius. In relation to food, all food contains calories, but not all calories are created equal. For example:
Protein = 4Kcal/gram
Carbohydrate = 4Kcal/gram
Fat = 9Kcal/gram
Alcohol = 7Kcal/gram
Catabolic (Catabolism)
Catabolism is the opposite to anabolism. It refers to the procces in your body where molecules are broken doen to release energy, for example fat or proteins. When dieting this is the process that breaks down stored fat reserves to gain energy. Catabolism only happens when there is a lack of enrgy available, therefore a calorie deficit is needed (i.e. eat less)
Overload
Overload is a technique used in the pursuit of gaining muscle. Overload training is usually only attempted when bulking due to the nature of the training regime. New muscle will not grow unless it is put under more stress each time you workout. For example if you bench press 80kg for 10 reps/3sets in week one, the same in week two, the same in week three and the same in week four your muscle will not grow at all. This is because you muscle can already accommodate the load it is lifting.
You can overload in several ways:
Rep overload – performing more repetitions at the same weight
Weight overload – lifting a heavier weight
Set overload – performing more sets than last time
Intensity overload – performing the same reps and set at the same weight, but in a shorter amount of time, therefore more intense.
Rep and weight overload are the most popular and give best results in muscle mass gains.
Due to the extra work your muscle has performed it will then grow new muscle so that it can accommodate that load more easily next time. However when overloading you keep putting the muscle under new stress and it should continue to grow providing it is getting all the nutrients it needs.
Repetition (rep) (reps)
A repetition is one full movement of the exercise that is being performed. For example on rep for a bench press is when the bar is held with extended arms, goes down to the chest and is pushed back up again to the starting position.
Set
A set is the total amount of repetitions that one can perform in one attempt, so if the bench press can be performed for 10 repetitions, then that is called at set of 10 reps.
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