Plain-English definitions of the terms used across personal training, strength & conditioning, and longevity-focused coaching — so you understand what each session is doing for your body and how progress is built over time.
Also known as: 1-2-1 PT, In-person coaching.
One-to-one coaching delivered in person, where the coach designs and supervises every session in real time. The coach observes movement, adjusts load and intensity to match the day, and provides immediate feedback. The single highest-touch format in coaching — and the most appropriate when technique, accountability, or recovery management need close oversight.
A coaching format that combines a small number of in-person sessions with an app-delivered programme and scheduled remote check-ins. Suits clients who want periodic technical oversight and accountability without booking weekly in-person time. Bridges the gap between full 1-2-1 PT and pure online coaching.
Programme design delivered through a coaching app, with weekly or fortnightly check-ins by message or video. Suits clients who already train with confidence and want intelligent, personalised programming plus accountability — without the in-person session cost or scheduling overhead.
Also known as: S&C.
A coaching discipline focused on developing strength, power, endurance, mobility, and recovery capacity. S&C differs from generic personal training in being assessment-led and structured around progressive periodised plans rather than session-by-session intuition. Originated in elite sport but now applied across general health and longevity contexts.
Source: www.nsca.com
The gradual, deliberate increase in the demand placed on the body over time — through load, volume, density, complexity, or range of motion — to drive continued adaptation. The single most important principle in strength training, but only effective when paired with adequate recovery between sessions.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Periodization, Phase-based training.
The planned organisation of training into phases of differing focus and intensity over weeks or months. Allows for systematic progression, peaking, and recovery. In practice this means training in deliberate blocks (general preparation → strength development → consolidation) rather than chasing the same workout every session.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Multi-joint exercise, Big lifts.
A multi-joint exercise that recruits several large muscle groups simultaneously — the squat, deadlift, bench press, overhead press, and row are the canonical examples. Compound lifts deliver the highest training stimulus per unit of time and form the backbone of most well-designed strength programmes.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Smaller, more isolated exercises that support the main compound lifts by addressing weak points, asymmetries, or muscle groups under-stimulated by the primary lifts. Examples include split squats, single-arm rows, glute bridges, and rear-delt raises. Accessory work is where most asymmetries get resolved.
Also known as: RPE, Borg scale (modified).
A 1–10 self-reported scale describing how hard a set felt: RPE 10 means no further reps were possible, RPE 7 means three reps were left in the tank. Lets a coach prescribe intensity in a way that auto-regulates to how the body actually performs on the day.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The dull, diffuse muscle ache that peaks 24–72 hours after unfamiliar or eccentric exercise. Caused by micro-damage and inflammation during repair. Mild DOMS is a normal training response; persistent or severe DOMS suggests load, volume, or recovery is mismatched to current capacity.
Source: www.nhs.uk
Active control over a joint's available range of motion — combining flexibility (passive range) with the strength to move within and at the end of that range. Different from flexibility alone: a mobile joint is both supple and controllable. Targeted mobility work is part of every well-built training plan.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: ROM.
The measurable degree to which a joint can move in a given direction. Reduced ROM is an early indicator of impending soft-tissue dysfunction or overuse; restoring ROM is one of the most-tracked outcomes of remedial strength work and a routine target of mobility programming.
The relative proportions of fat mass, lean tissue, bone, and water in the body. A more meaningful health and performance marker than scale weight alone — two clients at the same weight can carry very different proportions of muscle and fat. Tracked over weeks rather than days.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The growth of muscle tissue in response to resistance training. Driven by mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and adequate protein and recovery. Most strength programmes contain a hypertrophy phase as part of the periodised plan; targeted hypertrophy work also supports body-composition and joint-stability goals.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Also known as: Maximal oxygen uptake, Aerobic capacity.
The maximum rate at which the body can take in, transport, and use oxygen during intense exercise (ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹). One of the strongest predictors of cardiovascular health and all-cause longevity. VO2 max can be improved at any age with structured aerobic training.
Source: www.nhs.uk
The set of physiological processes — sleep, parasympathetic activity, glycogen replenishment, tissue repair — that allow the body to adapt to the previous training stimulus. Recovery is where adaptation happens; it is not optional. Sleep duration, stress load, nutrition quality, and active recovery work are the inputs.
Source: www.nhs.uk
The body's current ability to tolerate and absorb training stress without breaking down. Capacity is built slowly through consistent exposure and recovery; load and volume should track capacity, not exceed it. The phrase "load is earned" captures this — progression follows demonstrated readiness, not impatience.
The standard of health, comfort, and happiness an individual experiences day-to-day and across the lifespan. Strength training, sleep, and nutrition are the foundational levers — three full-body strength sessions a week, a protein- and fibre-rich diet, and 7–9 hours of sleep return the highest investment for most people.
Source: en.wikipedia.org