The term “work out”, is a sort of vernacular to say “exercise”. It is, simply put, to do lots of exercise and exercise routines.
This is usually seen as cool among teens and adolescents, any older and it is mostly speculated for health-related reasons and longevity of mobility.
Everyone should work out once in a while as it does help make one better not only aesthetically but also health and fitness-wise.
So when you see these protein-chugging bulks of muscle walking by during conversation, what are the ways you could politely refer to them when speaking about them? What could you call them? How could you tell others you met one of them and feel either admiration or nausea? Join us further down to find out.
20 Words For Someone Who Works Out
In this article, we will be taking a look at 20 different ways to refer to. A person who works out and does all that.
These terms mostly define lovers of exercise, pump-aholics (people who love to pump iron), and enjoying themselves at the gym. With that, let’s dive in and see a few references for a person who works out.
- Fitness enthusiast
- Gym rat
- Gym buff
- Adonis
- Aphrodite
- Exercise addict
- Fitness fanatic
- Muscle head
- Gym goer
- Workout warrior
- Bodybuilder
- Fitness freak
- Trainee
- Sport nut
- Athlete
- Workout lover
- Exerciser
- Health devotee
- Palestrato
- Jock
Points to remember
- A neutral term for a person who goes to the gym regularly is a ‘gym goer’.
- A person who loves working out and is passionate about is a ‘workout lover’.
- A person who engages in compulsive exercise is an ‘exercise addict’.
We will look at the rest of these terms in detail, below:
1. Fitness enthusiast
When you talk about a fitness enthusiast, you are not talking about someone who visits the gym every week to lift weights. To a fitness enthusiast, it is more than that, it involves whole workout sessions, staying in shape, eating well, and living healthy.
A fitness enthusiast might visit the gym regularly but you will be able to tell some you see them that that is not all they do to have such a wonderful build. You can use this for both males and females and it is ideal in formal contexts.
2. Gym goer
This term is as simple as it says. A gym goer is a person who goes to the gym. It does not matter how seriously they take their workouts how buff they are or even how often they go. In fact, just having a gym membership certifies them enough as gym goers.
The gym goer is also very neutral and any of the people on the list can be gym goers. A person can be a gym goer regardless of how seriously or how often they work out.
3. Gym rat
A person who goes to the gym a lot and spends a lot of his or her time there is called a gym rat. A gym rat can spend all his or her time in the gym engaging in a regular or intense workout. They can be simple fitness exercises, or be bent on heavy weightlifting and the like.
The term gym rat is gender-neutral and has both negative and positive connotations. Its positive meaning can be used to tease people for their dedication to working out, or if you like, to the gym
4. Gym buff
A gym buff is a person who takes his or her workout very seriously. A gym buff does a lot of exercise ranging from simple to advanced, has his own gyming gear, this routine, and doesn’t joke with any of them.
Just like a gym rat, they spend a lot of time in the gym, and working out in general. They are very knowledgeable on fitness but the name has no negative connotation.
5. Exercise addict
An exercise addict is a person who engages in compulsive exercise. This form of exercise is excessive and very unhealthy.
An exercise addict usually has a very high goal he hopes to achieve. The process of attaining this goal through exercise is however so rigorous, that it is unhealthy.
Over time, the negative effects of this type of exercise begin to show and they are not pretty. If you know an exercise addict, help them seek help.
6. Fitness fanatic
A fitness fanatic is a person who not only lives working out and exercising but is passionate about it. They don’t just go through the motions every day at the gym, they put their mind and soul into it.
A fitness fanatic also knows about the techniques, the steps, the types of exercises, and every other thing involved. And, as passionate as they are, they never overdo it.
7. Fitness freak
Fitness freak is an informal or colloquial term for “fitness fanatic”. A fitness freak is keen on exercising just like the next workout lover but that is not where it ends. They exercise regularly, try to push their limits, and keep up with all there is about exercise.
A fitness freak is also very particular about nutrition as he is about his workout routine because he or she is keen on living a healthy life.
8. Muscle head
When you call a person a bodybuilder, you are saying that they are very interested in building their body only. That is, they are very keen on developing muscles and that’s all for them when it comes to physical fitness.
It is a derogatory term and people say it to mean someone who is into physical fitness but is not very smart. It is a stereotypical name for bodybuilders or buff guys.
9. Workout warrior
A workout warrior is someone who is very intense about workouts. To him or her, it is not just about being fit. They enter the gym with a record they want to set or break. They have fitness goals they want to achieve and are very serious about it.
Aside from that, a workout warrior is very disciplined, and most times they are very hard on themselves because they are preparing for something that requires a lot of training such as a competition or a marathon.
10. Workout lover
A workout lover is a person who enjoys working out. They do not just work out because they have to but because they enjoy the difficulty, the process, and everything that comes with it. They work out because it is a way to relieve stress and refresh themselves.
Workout lovers are the type of people who have blogs on exercises and encourage others to do the same. They would try to get others to exercise with them and they are forever stretching. Sounds like someone you know right?
11. Bodybuilder
This term explains itself. A bodybuilder is a buff fellow who enjoys working out. Some people are very buff and they have muscles everywhere yet they exercise. Those people are bodybuilders.
While you might think that things are getting out of hand, they have goals they want to reach, and they keep working out.
At the same time, people whose sole reason for working out is to get buff can be called bodybuilders because with their dedication, in a few months, they will be ripped.
12. Trainee
You know that whenever you hear the word trainee, it is about a newbie in a field. In this case, it’s not much different. A trainee is a person who is new to exercising and working out. They exercise in preparation for other activities.
For example, an athlete is a person who is engaged in other sports. If someone is a trainee, aspiring to be a professional athlete then, you will see them working out a lot to build themselves for the path that they have chosen.
13. Sport nut
A sports nut is a person who works out a lot because of sports. What I mean is, that you can call a person a sports nut if they work out to be fit enough to play a sport that they love. However, they do not stop there.
They also follow and watch the sport obsessively, and engage in every part of the game. While they do work out, they are more interested in the sport than they are in working out.
14. Athlete
Although the term athlete is more into the sports section, if the person in question who loves to work out is an athlete, then you should just call them an athlete. It doesn’t make the workout less.
Athletes always prepare for training with a workout session, and they do not joke with it. They are thorough about it, getting their body prepared for the real deal.
15. Exerciser
An exerciser is a person who works out regularly. They do some workouts and they like to mix up depending on what their goal is. An exerciser does all of those exercises to stay fit and in shape.
To an exerciser, it is not about going to the gym every single day. They can workout at home and do exercises such as walking, swimming, running, jogging, and so on.
An exerciser is a term perfect for use by anyone anywhere. It is neutral and does not disclose anything about who the person exercises or the reason for doing so.
16. Health devotees
A health devotee is not all about workouts. In fact, as much as they ensure they are fit and prioritize their workout routine as much as the next person, the goal is their health.
A health devotee is keen on maintaining a healthy lifestyle which includes stress management, proper sleep, good nutrition, and a nice workout as often as it suits him best. A leath devotee does not joke with his workout but not because he wants to buff or he wants to run a marathon.
17. Jock
We usually call those high schoolers who play football jocks but what if I told you it had another meaning. This term is not just for football players. A jock is a male who is athletically inclined and is very keen on physical fitness.
A jock can be athletically inclined but not necessarily in football only. They engage in a lot of physical activities that build their bodies for the sports that they are into.
18. Palestrato
If you want to sound fancy, you can call a gym goer Palestrato. This is an Italian word for a gym goer and a person who loves working out. It is, however, not a real word. It is coined from ‘palestra’.
This term is here because, in Italy, people are very particular about how they look. You see them gyming regularly to stay fit and look built and attractive. Hence its place on this list.
19. Adonis
The title Adonis can be used on males to compliment them on their attractiveness and physique as a result of their working out. This word is from Greek mythology, where a figure Adonis was known and is the epitome of beauty.
Adonis is loved by Aphrodite, the female goddess of love and beauty, and if I didn’t say it before, he is a mortal. Telling someone who loves to work out that he is an Adonis will tell him that his efforts are paying off.
20. Aphrodite
Just like Adonis, Aphrodite is a compliment to a female who loves to work out and is in great shape. Adrophite is a goddess from Greek mythology and she is known for her beauty.
Just like Adonis, though the name has nothing in particular to do with working out, it is a good compliment for someone who works out
