French Vocabulary for Fitness and Exercise

Whether you’re a fitness enthusiast planning a trip to a French-speaking country or just looking to expand your French vocabulary, knowing the right terms related to fitness and exercise can be incredibly useful. Here’s a comprehensive guide to French vocabulary for fitness and exercise, complete with definitions and examples.

La salle de sport – The gym. This is the place where you go to exercise, which may include various equipment and space for physical activities.
Je vais à la salle de sport tous les matins pour m’entraîner.

Le tapis de course – The treadmill. A popular machine found in gyms for running or walking while staying in one place.
Elle utilise le tapis de course pour améliorer son endurance.

Le vélo d’appartement – The stationary bike. This exercise equipment simulates cycling and is great for cardiovascular fitness.
Il passe trente minutes sur le vélo d’appartement chaque soir.

Les haltères – Dumbbells. These are small weights used for resistance training.
Elle fait des exercices avec des haltères pour renforcer ses bras.

Le banc de musculation – The weight bench. Equipment used for weight training exercises, typically involving lifting weights while lying down.
Il utilise le banc de musculation pour faire des presses à poitrine.

La musculation – Weight training. This refers to exercises that involve lifting weights to increase strength and muscle mass.
La musculation est une partie importante de son programme de fitness.

L’entraînement en circuit – Circuit training. A form of body conditioning using high-intensity aerobics.
L’entraînement en circuit est efficace pour brûler beaucoup de calories en peu de temps.

L’aérobic – Aerobics. A form of exercise that combines rhythmic aerobic exercise with stretching and strength training routines.
Ils participent à une classe d’aérobic chaque semaine pour rester en forme.

Le yoga – Yoga. A group of physical, mental, and spiritual practices which originated in ancient India.
Elle pratique le yoga tous les matins pour améliorer sa flexibilité et réduire le stress.

Le Pilates – Pilates. A physical fitness system developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates.
Le Pilates est recommandé pour améliorer la posture et la tonification musculaire.

L’échauffement – Warm-up. The activities performed to prepare the muscles for vigorous actions.
Il fait toujours un échauffement avant de commencer son entraînement.

L’étirement – Stretching. Techniques used to improve flexibility and decrease the risk of injuries.
Les étirements après l’exercice peuvent aider à prévenir les douleurs musculaires.

Le coach sportif – The personal trainer. A person who helps others achieve their fitness goals by providing personalized guidance.
Son coach sportif lui a conçu un programme sur mesure.

La fréquence cardiaque – Heart rate. The number of heartbeats per unit of time, usually per minute.
Il surveille sa fréquence cardiaque pendant l’exercice pour rester dans la zone cible.

Le jogging – Jogging. A form of trotting or running at a slow or leisurely pace.
Ils font du jogging tous les dimanches dans le parc.

Le spinning – Spinning. A high-intensity cycling workout on a stationary machine.
Le spinning est un excellent moyen de brûler des calories.

La natation – Swimming. The act of moving through water, usually as a form of exercise or recreation.
La natation est son activité préférée pour rester en forme.

Le match amical – Friendly match. A non-competitive game, often used in sports practice.
Ils organisent un match amical de basket-ball tous les vendredis.

Le tournoi – Tournament. A series of contests between a number of competitors, who compete for an overall prize.
Il participe à un tournoi de tennis local ce week-end.

La récupération – Recovery. The process of returning to a normal state of health, mind, or strength after exercise.
La récupération est essentielle pour éviter la fatigue et les blessures.

Le sommeil – Sleep. A naturally recurring state of mind and body characterized by altered consciousness.
Un bon sommeil est crucial pour une bonne récupération après l’entraînement.

Understanding these French vocabulary terms not only enhances your language skills but also helps you navigate fitness environments in French-speaking areas more effectively. Whether you’re discussing workout plans with a French-speaking friend or attending a fitness class in France, these words will surely come in handy.

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