Coffee Break Spanish: Spanish Gym Vocabulary – Words for Your Workout

Host: Pablo
Date: August 28, 2025
Podcast: Coffee Break Spanish (by Coffee Break Languages)

Episode Overview

In this special short episode between main podcast seasons, host Pablo shares essential Spanish vocabulary related to going to the gym. Drawing inspiration from his own recent gym session and the whiteboard full of exercise names, Pablo focuses on translating and explaining common workout terms, highlighting fun Spanish expressions, and demonstrating how to form basic gym-related sentences—perfect for Spanish learners aiming to talk about fitness routines.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introduction & Motivation for the Topic (00:48)

• Pablo kicks off by expressing his passion for sports and the gym ("A mi me encanta el deporte... y también ir al gimnasio").
• He was recently inspired by the English-listed exercises on his gym’s whiteboard and realized how different workout vocabulary can be between English and Spanish.

“I actually realized how different this vocabulary can be in English in comparison to Spanish. So I think this is a great opportunity to have a look at some gym related vocabulary.”
— Pablo (01:19)

2. Common Gym Vocabulary in Spanish (02:06–05:10)

• Warming up:

  • Calentar = to warm up
  • El calentamiento = the warm up

  "Lo primero de todo antes de hacer ejercicio es importante calentar." — Pablo (02:26)

• Exercise Names:

  • Pull ups: Dominadas

    "Pull ups in Spanish are called dominadas. Maybe they are called like that because you need to dominate the bar..." — Pablo (02:52)

  • Push ups / Press ups: Flexiones
    • Named for "flexing" your arms.
  • Sit ups: Abdominales
    • Refers directly to the abdominal muscles.
  • Squats: Sentadillas
    • From “sentar” (to sit); the movement resembles sitting down.
  • Plank: Plancha

    "...una plancha is also an iron that you use to iron your clothes." — Pablo (04:11)

  • Lunges: Zancadas
    • A zancada is "a long step".
  • Weights: Pesas

3. Making Sentences with Gym Vocabulary (05:12–07:00)

• Using the verb hacer (to do):
  • Example: “Hoy hemos hecho abdominales.” (Today we have done sit ups.)

"There is one verb that is going to be your best friend if you want to describe your gym routines. And that is the verb hacer, to do."
— Pablo (05:23)

• Talking about muscle group days:
  • “Hoy toca pierna.” (Today is leg day.)
  • Tocar (to touch) is used idiomatically as "it’s [muscle group's] turn".
  • “Hoy toca espalda.” (Today is back day.)

    "Notice how we're using the verb tocar, which of course means to touch. But here it means more like today is leg day." (06:29)

4. Fun Spanish Gym Expressions (07:00–07:43)

• Six pack abs: Tener tableta
  • Literally means "to have a bar" (as in chocolate bar), referencing how toned abs resemble individual chocolate squares.

  "We actually say tener tableta... because when you have a six pack, you have the little squares like a chocolate bar. I've always found this expression very amusing in Spanish."
  — Pablo (07:17)

5. Recap & Practical Application (07:44–09:12)

• Summary of key vocabulary:

  • Calentar — to warm up
  • El calentamiento — the warm up
  • Dominadas — pull ups
  • Flexiones — push ups
  • Abdominales — sit ups
  • Sentadillas — squats
  • Plancha — plank
  • Zancadas — lunges
  • Pesas — weights

• Practice forming sentences:

  • “Hoy hago sentadillas.” (Today I'm doing squats.)
  • “Hoy toca pierna.” (Today it’s leg day.)
  • “Tener tableta” (To have a six pack.)

"I hope that you have enjoyed this gym introduction in Spanish and most importantly that I haven't exhausted you with all this vocabulary. And if you're not a fan of the gym, I hope at least I have motivated you to work on that all important muscle, the brain..."
— Pablo (09:00)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On vocabulary origins and connections:

  • “...sentadillas look similar to sentar or sentarse, to sit down, because that’s more or less what you’re doing.” (03:45)
  • “Plancha... is also an iron that you use to iron your clothes” (04:11)

• On gym motivation:

  • “If you’re not a fan of the gym, I hope at least I have motivated you to work on that all important muscle, the brain, and to practice some Spanish today.” (09:05)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:48 — Episode intro, Pablo’s gym inspiration
• 02:06 — Warm up vocabulary (calentar, calentamiento)
• 02:52 — Pull ups vs. push ups, other exercise names (dominadas, flexiones, abdominales, sentadillas, plancha, zancadas, pesas)
• 05:12 — Constructing sentences with hacer
• 06:23 — Muscle group days: “Hoy toca pierna” / “Hoy toca espalda”
• 07:17 — Fun expression: tener tableta for a six pack
• 07:44 — Recap of all key vocabulary and expressions
• 09:00–09:22 — Pablo’s encouragement to practice Spanish

Tone & Style

Pablo’s teaching style is warm, friendly, and engaging, encouraging learners to make connections between English and Spanish words and to have fun with language. He seamlessly mixes vocabulary explanations, personal anecdotes, and cultural notes, motivating listeners to practice Spanish both inside and outside the gym.

This episode is a must-listen for beginner and intermediate Spanish learners aiming to expand their conversational skills around fitness and everyday routines.