Nishaana
Sports performance terms.
Speed, power, agility and the athletic qualities that transfer to sport.
32 terms defined
Acceleration
How quickly you can increase speed from a standstill.
Agility
The ability to change direction quickly and efficiently.
Athleticism
The overall combination of strength, speed, power, and coordination.
Bounding
Exaggerated running leaps that build power and stride.
Broad Jump
A horizontal jump for distance that tests explosive power.
Change of Direction
The ability to decelerate and quickly move a different way.
Combine Testing
Standardized athletic tests used to evaluate performance.
Contrast Training
Pairing a heavy lift with an explosive move to boost power.
Deceleration
The ability to slow and control the body to prevent injury.
Depth Jump
Stepping off a box and immediately rebounding into a jump.
Explosiveness
The capacity to generate maximal force in minimal time.
Functional Training
Training movements that carry over to real-life or sport activities.
Medicine Ball Throw
An explosive throw used to train and test power.
Movement Pattern
A fundamental motion like squatting, hinging, pushing, or pulling.
Olympic Weightlifting
The sport of the snatch and clean and jerk, used to build power.
Plyometrics
Jump-based training that uses the stretch-shortening cycle to build power.
Post-Activation Potentiation
A temporary performance boost after a heavy contraction.
Power
The ability to produce force quickly, combining strength and speed.
Power Output
The amount of power produced during an effort.
Rate of Force Development
How quickly a muscle can build up force.
Reaction Time
How fast you respond to a stimulus.
Reactive Strength
How well you use the stretch reflex to rebound from impact.
Sled Pull
Dragging a weighted sled to build strength and conditioning.
Sled Push
Driving a weighted sled forward to build power and conditioning.
Speed
How fast you can move your body over a distance.
Speed Endurance
The ability to maintain near-maximal speed over repeated efforts.
Speed Ladder
A floor ladder used for footwork and agility drills.
Speed-Strength
Producing force quickly against light to moderate loads.
Sport-Specific Training
Training designed to mirror the demands of a particular sport.
Sprint Mechanics
The technical movement patterns that make sprinting efficient.
Strength-Speed
Moving heavier loads as fast as possible.
Vertical Jump
How high you can jump, a common test of lower-body power.
Common questions.
What does the sports performance glossary cover?
The Nishaana sports performance glossary defines 32 terms, including Acceleration, Agility, Athleticism. Each entry leads with a plain, one-sentence definition, then a worked example with real numbers so you can apply it in the gym.
Are these sports performance definitions free?
Yes. Every glossary definition is free and open — no signup, no paywall. When you are ready to apply a concept, Nishaana turns it into your actual training: it tracks it and auto-progresses your weights for you.
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