Essential French Vocabulary: Sports, At the Gym & Working Out

We know how hard it can be to make sense of all those settings on the exercise bike, even more so when you are learning French. How mindboggling it is to change the stroke rate on the rower? It’s tricky how words can fail you when you try to tell your personal trainer to turn off the treadmill (“Arrêtez! Arrêtez!”). So, to make your regular/random visits to the gym that little bit easier we’ve pulled together a few choice words and phrases. Enjoy your vocabulary workout.

La Salle de Sport – Gym
Enrolment – l’inscription
Reception – l’accueil
Women only gym – un club dedié aux femmes/100% feminine
Trial offer – une invitation/offre découverte
Opening times – les horaires
Session – une séance
Members – les abonnés

Men’s/women’s changing rooms – les vestiaires hommes/femmes
Trainer – un coach/professeur
Exercise bike – vélo elliptique
Treadmill – un tapis roulant/de course
Rowing machine – un rameur
Studio – la salle des cours collectifs
Weights area – la salle de musculation
Weight bench – un banc de musculation
Weights – les haltères
Cardio theatre – la salle cardio

Classes – les cours
Bums and tums – les abdos-fessiers
Personal training – les cours particuliers
Dance – la danse
Swimming – la natation

The body – le corps
Flat stomach – un ventre plat
Health – la santé
Lose weight – perdre du poids
Shape – la forme
Figure – la silhouette
Slimming – minceur
Tone up – tonifier

Kit – vêtement/matériel fitness
Mat – un tapis/une natte de sol
Exercise ball – un ballon
Water bottle – un bidon sportif
Sports bag – un sac de sport
Vest – un débardeur
Leggings – un legging
Tracksuit – un survêtement
Trainers/shoes – les baskets

Photo by Tassilo111