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Glossary
Fitness Equipment terms, explained
Short, plain definitions of the words you'll see on product pages and spec sheets. Each one links to a guide when there's more to know.
A
- Adjustable dumbbell
- A dumbbell that changes weight with a dial, pin or plates. Read the guide →
- Air rower
- A rowing machine using a fan, where resistance rises with effort. Read the guide →
B
- Bumper plate
- A full-diameter rubber or urethane plate designed to be dropped. Read the guide →
C
- CHP
- Continuous horsepower: the power a treadmill motor can sustain over time. Read the guide →
D
- Damper
- The vent on an air rower or bike that controls airflow to the fan and changes the feel. Read the guide →
J
- J-hooks
- The hooks that hold the barbell on a rack's uprights. Read the guide →
K
- Knurling
- The textured grip pattern on a barbell or dumbbell handle. Read the guide →
L
- Lifting platform
- Layered plywood and rubber that spreads the impact of dropped weights. Read the guide →
M
- Massage gun
- A hand-held percussive massager with adjustable speed and attachments. Read the guide →
O
- Olympic barbell
- A bar with 2-inch rotating sleeves. Men's bars weigh 20 kg and women's 15 kg. Read the guide →
P
- Power rack
- A four-post steel cage that holds a barbell for squats and presses and catches it on safeties if you fail a rep. Read the guide →
R
- Running deck
- The surface under a treadmill belt. Length and width decide how much room you have to stride. Read the guide →
S
- Squat stand
- Two uprights that hold the bar. Smaller than a rack but less protective when lifting alone. Read the guide →
- Stall mat
- A dense rubber mat, often 3/4 inch thick, widely used as home gym flooring. Read the guide →
W
- Westside hole spacing
- Tighter hole spacing, often 1 inch, through the bench and squat zone of a rack. Read the guide →