Strength training glossary

Subjective 1–10 scale to measure the intensity of a lifting set. RPE 8 means you had roughly 2 reps in reserve before muscular failure.

RPE 6 = 4 reps in reserve · RPE 8 = 2 reps in reserve · RPE 10 = failure

How many reps you could still have done before hitting failure. Inverse of RPE: RIR 2 = RPE 8.

The fundamental principle of lifting: for a muscle to keep growing, the stimulus must gradually increase over time (loads, reps, sets, frequency, etc.).

Muscle-mass growth caused by chronic training stress + adequate nutrition. Two main types: myofibrillar (contractile) and sarcoplasmic (cellular volume).

Structured planning of a training program across weeks/months, alternating volume, intensity and recovery to maximize progress and prevent overtraining.

Training block of 3 to 6 weeks with a specific goal (accumulation, intensification, peaking, or deload). A macrocycle is composed of several mesocycles.

Deliberately lighter week (-40 to -50% volume, loads maintained) programmed after 3–5 accumulation weeks. Enables super-compensation.

Minimum number of weekly sets per muscle group to trigger a hypertrophy response. Roughly 8–10 sets/muscle/week for most.

Volume above which hypertrophy returns start diminishing without adding meaningful gains. Roughly 12–18 sets/muscle/week.

Ceiling above which recovery becomes impossible without deload. Varies by lifter and lift.

Maximum load one can lift for a single repetition with correct form. Reference for strength progression and periodization.

Formula normalizing strength across body weight and sex — lets you compare a 100 kg lifter to a 60 kg one on the same reference scale. Used in ForgeSport for the strength constellation.

Measure of lean mass normalized by height. Reference for the max muscle mass reachable naturally (~25 FFMI for men, ~21 for women).

Total daily calorie needs = basal metabolic rate + activity + thermic effect of food. Basis for calibrating a caloric surplus or deficit.

State where daily intake exceeds TDEE. Required to build muscle. Typical target for mass building: +200 to +400 kcal/day.

State where daily intake is below TDEE. Required to lose fat. Typical target for cutting: -300 to -500 kcal/day.

Macronutrients: protein, carbs, fats. Different targets depending on the goal (mass building, cutting, maintenance).

Multi-joint exercise involving multiple muscle groups (squat, bench, deadlift, pull-up, overhead press). Core of any efficient strength program.

Single-joint exercise targeting one muscle group (curl, leg extension, leg curl). Complementary to compounds for hypertrophy.

Prescribed cadence for a rep (e.g. 3-1-1-0 = 3s eccentric, 1s pause, 1s concentric, 0s top). Modulates time under tension and hypertrophy stimulus.

Two exercises performed back-to-back without rest between them. Saves time and can boost hypertrophy stimulus.

After reaching failure, immediately reduce the load and continue. Advanced technique to increase intensity without adding sessions.

Session that trains every major muscle group. Ideal for beginners or 3-day-per-week schedules.

Split alternating upper-body and lower-body sessions. Popular structure for 4 sessions per week.

Split organized around 3 movement patterns: push (chest, shoulders, triceps), pull (back, biceps), legs. Common for 5–6 sessions per week.

Natural loss of muscle mass with age (3–8% per decade after 30). Strength training reverses it fully at any age.