This installment of the bodybuilding glossary moves through the letters G and H, and it’s one of the richest sections so far. You’ll find anatomy basics like the gastrocnemius and hamstrings, hormones such as growth hormone (HGH), and classic training concepts like hypertrophy, the hip hinge, and German Volume Training. There’s also a good mix of specific exercises worth knowing by name — the goblet squat, hack squat, hip thrust, hang clean, and hyperextension among them — along with a few terms that come up constantly in gym conversation but rarely get properly explained, like grip strength, glycemic index, and homeostasis. Browse the full list below, or use the navigation links to jump straight to a specific term.
- Gastrocnemius
- The larger of the two calf muscles, extending from just above the knee down to the Achilles tendon. The gastrocnemius gives the calf its visible diamond shape and is most active during movements like jumping and standing calf raises. → Gastrocnemius muscle: functional anatomy guide
- Genetics
- The study of how biological traits and characteristics are passed from one generation to the next. In bodybuilding, genetics refers to the inherited potential each individual has for building muscle, losing fat, and developing a particular physique — a major factor athletes cannot change but can train around. → Key genetic factors for successful bodybuilding
- German Volume Training (GVT)
- A high-volume training method built around performing 10 sets of 10 repetitions for a single exercise per muscle group, typically with a moderate weight and short rest periods. GVT is known for producing significant muscle growth, but also for being extremely demanding on recovery. → German volume training: 10 sets of 10 reps
- GH
- Short for growth hormone — see the full entry under “Growth hormone (GH)” below.
- Giant sets
- An advanced training technique in which four or more exercises are performed back-to-back with minimal rest. Giant sets most often target a single muscle group from multiple angles, though some lifters use them to combine exercises for several different muscle groups in one block. → Exploring giant sets: benefits, drawbacks & their role in hypertrophy
- Ginkgo biloba
- An herbal preparation made from the leaves of the ginkgo tree, traditionally used to support circulatory and cardiovascular health. Evidence for its benefits in an athletic or bodybuilding context is limited.
- Gloves
- Short for weight-lifting gloves — padded gloves worn during training to protect the palms from calluses and improve grip comfort on barbells and dumbbells. Their use is largely a matter of personal preference, since they can also slightly reduce direct bar feel. → Weight training gloves: are they worth it?
- Glutamine
- A naturally occurring amino acid that is also widely sold as a dietary supplement among weightlifters and bodybuilders, often marketed for recovery and immune support. Evidence for significant muscle-building benefit from glutamine supplementation in trained individuals is mixed. → L-glutamine supplement for bodybuilding: benefits, uses & dosage
- Gluteal
- An anatomical term relating to the buttocks, as in “gluteal muscles” — the gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus. → The most common glute training mistakes
- Glutes
- A common slang term for the gluteal muscles — see the full entry under “Gluteal” above. → Muscles of the gluteal region
- Glycemic index (GI)
- A ranking system that scores carbohydrate-containing foods based on how quickly they raise blood sugar levels after eating, on a scale relative to pure glucose. High-GI foods cause a fast spike, while low-GI foods are digested and absorbed more gradually. → Glycemic index and bodybuilding: the complete guide
- Glycemic load
- A measure that combines a food’s glycemic index with the actual amount of carbohydrate in a typical serving, giving a more practical picture of its real effect on blood sugar than glycemic index alone. → Glycemic index and bodybuilding: the complete guide
- Glycogen
- The storage form of carbohydrate in the body, held primarily in the muscles and liver. Glycogen is the body’s preferred fuel source during moderate-to-high intensity exercise, and depleted glycogen stores are a major contributor to training fatigue.
- Goblet squat
- A squat variation performed while holding a dumbbell or kettlebell vertically against the chest. The front-loaded position naturally encourages an upright torso and good squat depth, making it a popular choice for teaching squat technique to beginners. → Goblet squat: complete exercise guide
- Good morning
- A hip-hinge exercise performed with a barbell across the upper back, bending forward at the hips with a slight knee bend before returning upright. The good morning heavily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, and is considered one of the more technically demanding posterior-chain exercises. → Barbell good morning: the most demanding hip hinge
- Gravity boots
- Specialized boots fitted with an attachment device that allows the user to hang upside down from an overhead bar, used for spinal decompression and certain inverted core or stretching exercises.
- Grip strength
- The force a person’s hand and forearm muscles can exert when gripping an object. Grip strength is a limiting factor in many pulling exercises such as deadlifts and rows, and is often trained directly with tools like fat-grip bars or grippers. → The importance of grip strength in weight training
- Grip width
- The distance between the hands on a bar during an exercise. Adjusting grip width — for example, using a wide versus close grip on the bench press or pull-up bar — shifts emphasis between different muscles and changes the leverage and range of motion of the lift.
- Growth hormone (GH)
- An anabolic hormone, produced by the pituitary gland, that stimulates fat metabolism and promotes tissue growth, including muscle hypertrophy. Growth hormone is also available as a prescription drug and is sometimes misused by athletes seeking its muscle-building and recovery effects. → Human growth hormone: complete guide
- Guarana
- A plant native to the Amazon basin whose seeds contain a significant concentration of caffeine. Guarana extract is a common ingredient in pre-workout and fat-burner supplements as a stimulant source.
- Gym
- Although the term can apply to almost any exercise venue, for bodybuilders “the gym” typically refers specifically to a weight-training facility equipped with free weights and resistance machines. → Home gym vs. gym membership: the pros & cons
- Gynecomastia
- A condition characterized by swelling or enlargement of breast tissue in males. It can occur naturally during puberty, but in a bodybuilding context the term most often refers to the condition triggered by anabolic steroid use, where excess testosterone is converted into estrogen, stimulating breast tissue growth. → Steroid-induced gynecomastia: causes, symptoms, prevention & treatment
- Hack squat
- A squat variation performed on a fixed-path machine that supports the back at an angle, allowing the lifter to focus on knee extension and quad development with less demand on balance and core stabilization than a free squat. → Hack squat: proper form, muscles worked & machine guide
- Half rep
- A repetition performed through only part of an exercise’s full range of motion, rather than completing the movement from full stretch to full contraction. Half reps, also called partial reps, are sometimes used deliberately to overload a specific portion of a lift or to keep training going once full-range reps are no longer possible. → Utilizing partial repetitions in strength training
- Hammer curl
- A biceps curl variation performed with a neutral, palms-facing-in grip, resembling the motion of swinging a hammer. The hammer curl places more emphasis on the brachialis and forearm muscles compared with a standard curl. → Standing hammer curl: complete exercise guide
- Hamstring curl
- Also called a leg curl — an isolation exercise that bends the knee against resistance to target the hamstrings, performed lying, seated, standing, or on a cable machine depending on the equipment available. → Lying leg curl: complete guide to hamstring isolation
- Hamstrings
- The muscle group located on the back of the upper leg, made up of the biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and semimembranosus. The hamstrings are primarily responsible for bending the knee and extending the hip, and are sometimes described as the “biceps of the leg.” → The ultimate hamstring exercise guide
- Hang clean
- An Olympic-lift variation in which the barbell starts from a hanging position around knee or hip height, rather than from the floor, and is explosively pulled up and caught on the shoulders in a front-squat position. The hang clean builds explosive power through the hips and legs. → The hang clean pull: step-by-step instructions
- Heart rate
- The number of times the heart beats within a specific length of time, typically expressed in beats per minute (BPM). Heart rate is commonly used to gauge exercise intensity, particularly during cardio training. → How to calculate your target heart rate range
- Heavy duty training
- A high-intensity, low-volume training philosophy popularized by bodybuilder Mike Mentzer, built around taking a small number of sets to absolute muscular failure rather than performing high training volume. Heavy duty training emphasizes longer recovery periods between workouts. → Mike Mentzer training routine: the heavy duty program explained
- Hex bar (trap bar)
- A hexagonal or diamond-shaped barbell that the lifter stands inside of, rather than in front of, allowing a more upright torso position during deadlifts. The hex bar, also called a trap bar, is often considered a lower-back-friendly alternative to a conventional straight-bar deadlift. → Trap bar deadlift (hex bar deadlift): a safer alternative
- HGH
- An abbreviation for human growth hormone — see the full entry under “Growth hormone (GH)” above. → Human growth hormone: complete guide
- High-rep training
- Training performed using a relatively high number of repetitions per set, often defined as roughly 15 or more. High-rep training is commonly used to build muscular endurance and metabolic stress, and is a frequent feature of cutting-phase or conditioning-focused programs.
- HIIT
- An abbreviation for high-intensity interval training, a cardio method alternating short bursts of maximal-effort exercise with periods of lower-intensity recovery. HIIT is popular for its time efficiency and its strong afterburn (EPOC) effect compared with steady-state cardio. → High-intensity interval training (HIIT)
- Hip hinge
- A fundamental movement pattern in which the hips bend backward while the spine stays neutral and the knees remain only slightly bent, as seen in the deadlift, good morning, and Romanian deadlift. Mastering the hip hinge is considered essential for safely lifting heavy weight from the floor. → Romanian deadlift: the ultimate hip hinge for hamstrings & glutes
- Hip thrust
- An exercise performed by driving the hips upward against a loaded barbell while the upper back rests on a bench, strongly targeting the glutes through a full range of hip extension. The hip thrust is widely regarded as one of the most effective glute-building exercises available. → Barbell hip thrust: proper form, muscles worked & variations
- HMB
- An abbreviation for beta-hydroxy beta-methylbutyrate, a metabolite of the amino acid leucine sold as a supplement marketed to reduce muscle breakdown and support recovery, particularly in untrained individuals or during periods of intense training. → HMB (hydroxymethylbutyrate) supplement guide
- Homeostasis
- The body’s tendency to maintain a stable internal environment — including body temperature, blood sugar, and fluid balance — despite changes in external conditions. Exercise temporarily disrupts homeostasis, and the body’s adaptation back toward balance is part of what drives training adaptations over time.
- Hormone
- A chemical substance produced by one part of the body, particularly the endocrine glands, that travels through the bloodstream to act on another part of the body. Hormones such as testosterone, cortisol, insulin, and growth hormone all play significant roles in muscle growth, fat storage, and recovery. → Cortisol hormone: complete guide
- Hyperextension
- An exercise, typically performed on a Roman chair or 45-degree bench, in which the hips are extended against gravity or light resistance to target the lower back (erector spinae), glutes, and hamstrings. Often used as a posterior-chain strengthening or injury-prevention exercise. → 45-degree back extension (hyperextension)
- Hypertrophy
- The scientific term for an increase in the size of muscle tissue, generally resulting from progressive resistance training combined with adequate nutrition and recovery. Hypertrophy is the primary physiological goal of most bodybuilding training. → Muscle hypertrophy: how do muscles grow?
