It's easy to step into a gym for the first time and feel somewhat intimidated. There are a bunch of people you don't know (many of which may be more fit than you), countless machines that look like torture devices, and a language being spoken that is oftentimes difficult to follow.

With regard to the last of those factors, I've started offering a virtual classroom here on that's fit that I call "Gym Lingo." Although much of what is covered may be old hat to some of you, others will benefit from this crash course on gym speak and will have you fitting in with the locals in no time.

(tri-sets, drop-sets, straight sets, etc.). This week, we'll learn about a few major muscle groups, including where they are located on the body, how to exercise them, and even their nicknames.

The bell has rung. Please find a seat ...

Pectorals. More commonly referred to as "pecs," these are the muscles that make up your chest (note: sometimes they are also simply referred to as chest). There are a variety of ways to work the various portions of your chest -- including the upper, lower, mid-region, inner, and outer areas. The most popular of chest exercises is the bench press, though you can also incorporate dumbell flyes, incline press, dumbell press, dips, pullovers, and decline press.

Deltoids. In everyday language, these are your shoulders. You'll typically hear people refer to them as "delts" in the gym. There are exercises designed to specifically work each of the three sections of your deltoids, but many people find that overhead pressing movements -- such as the military press -- to be the most effective at achieving overall delt development.

Quadriceps. These are the extremely large muscles found on the front of the thighs. "Quads," as they are called in gym parlance, are heavily involved in most pushing movements you make with your legs, which is why the squat and the leg press are the two most popular exercises for working this muscle.

Latisimus Dorsi. Your "lats" are the winged-shaped muscles found on your back. Well developed "lats" are what give the upper body a V-taper. Swimmers tend to have large "lats," as this muscle group is called upon greatly when performing several strokes. Apart from getting in the pool and swimming some laps, you can perform pull-ups, chin-ups, lat pull-downs, reverse-grip pull-downs, single-arm rows, and bent over rows to target these large back muscles.

Trapezius. These are the cord-like muscles that extend from the back of your neck down to your upper back. To target your "traps," you can perform an exercise known as the shrug (where you hold a barbell in your hands or dumbells in each hand and shrug your shoulders up toward your ears), as well as upright rows with either a barbell or dumbells.

There are several more major muscles that I could have covered, but I think that's enough for now. Hopefully this helps you the next (or first) time you go to the gym.

Class dismissed.