Masheen

Glossary

The words a program assumes you know, each in one plain sentence and one drawing.

The basics

The words every plan assumes you know.

Range of motion Range of motion is how far a joint moves during a rep, from the start position to the end.

A full rep uses all of it; a partial rep uses part. A 2021 meta-analysis of 16 studies found full range of motion gave greater gains in strength and in lower-limb muscle size than partial range.

Rep Repetition A rep is one complete movement of an exercise: the weight travels down and back up once, or up and back down once.

Reps are counted inside a set: you do them one after another without resting. A movement that covers only part of the way is a partial rep, not a full one.

Sets and reps

The kinds of set, and the ways sets are put together.

Rest-pause set A rest-pause set is one set stretched by very short rests, so you can keep lifting the same weight for a few more reps.

You lift to failure, rest a few seconds, lift again for what you can, and repeat. A drop set takes weight off the bar instead; rest-pause keeps it. A 6-week study of 18 trained people found similar strength gains from rest-pause sets and ordinary sets.

Effort

How hard a set was, in numbers.

Lifts and their short names

What the letters in a program stand for.

RDL Romanian deadlift RDL stands for Romanian deadlift, a deadlift variation that starts standing instead of from the floor.

With knees only slightly bent, you push your hips back and lower the bar down your legs, then stand up again; the plates do not touch the floor between reps. It works the hamstrings and glutes, and in the app it is a separate exercise from the deadlift.

Numbers and scores

The figures lifters quote, and what each one measures.