This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

Does Gym Talk Confuse You? Here's What Those Buzzwords Really Mean

Let's cut to the chase.

You're walking into a gym class for the first time and you hear those dreaded three words: lengthen your spine.

Gyms can be a confusing place. Among all the squat racks, barbells, pulleys and dumbbells (not to mention the deafening tunes), you'd be forgiven for not knowing which way is up.

And then there are the personal trainers and instructors. While we know that they can offer vital advice -- like the difference between a barbell and a dumbbell, for instance -- sometimes it feels like they are speaking their own language.

The above video is here to offer you a few useful translations to start you on your journey towards understanding.

'Draw your shoulder blades back' can be understood more simply as squeezing and pulling your shoulders back, while 'spread the floor' translates to not collapsing your shoulders whilst performing a plank or push-up.

Is my core 'on'?
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Is my core 'on'?

And then there's the age-old goodie: engage your core. In simpler terms, this means bracing your abdominal and back muscles to stabilise your spine.

We have unpacked everything you need to know about your core here.

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