15 Phrasal Verbs You Need for Health & Fitness!

In English, we don't just exercise. We warm up, work out, and sometimes we feel like we're going to pass out. Phrasal verbs are everywhere when we talk about sports, fitness, and health. And you need to know them if you want to be fluent in English. In this video, you'll learn 15 super useful phrasal verbs so you can talk about exercise, healthy habits, and even those not so healthy moments. Make sure to download today's lesson PDF so you can review all the phrasal verbs and try the quiz to test yourself. Click on the link in the video description, enter your email address, and I'll send you that free download. All right, let's start with some phrasal verbs related to sports. I'll teach you each one in context in a sentence that we might really say. Number one, I like to work out in the early morning because that's when I have the most energy. Work out means exercise. It can also be used as a noun, as one word. For example, that was a great workout. I'm going to be sore tomorrow. Sore means your muscles are hurting. Number two, time to go to the gym. I need to work off the cheesecake I had last night. Work off is a special phrasal verb used to describe doing exercise to lose the weight or extra calories you gained by eating food. Number three, let's warm up with a short run. To warm up is to do light or easy exercise in preparation for more intense exercise later. It's important to warm up in order to avoid sports injuries. Number four, my daughter is going to try out for the school's most competitive soccer team. When you want to join a sports team, but the team doesn't accept everybody, then you need to try out for the team. This means demonstrate your abilities so that the team's manager or coach can evaluate you and decide if you are good enough to join the team. Number five, the football player passed out due to dehydration. To pass out is to lose consciousness or faint. You can also say black out. When a person who has passed out begins to wake up, you can use another phrasal verb coming around like I think he's coming around. Number six, the boxer threw a single punch and immediately knocked out his opponent. So, differently from pass out, which happens naturally, knockout means to hit somebody and make them lose consciousness. Number seven, he didn't finish the marathon. He gave up around the 20th mile. To give up is to stop doing something, to desist. Don't give up when it comes to learning English. My lessons are here to help you. Remember, you can download today's lesson PDF by clicking on the link in the video description. And I also have a course where you can learn 500 more phrasal verbs easily and naturally. Let's continue with some health related phrasal verbs. Number eight, I can't breathe. My nose is all stuffed up thanks to my allergies. If your nose is stuffed up, it means it is blocked and air can't pass through. The opposite of a stuffed up nose is a runny nose. That's when your nose is dripping liquid mucus. Number nine, I feel a little queasy. I think I'm going to throw up. Throw up means to vomit. The word queasy is another way to say nauseous when your stomach is agitated. Number 10. My ankle swelled up like a balloon when I sprained it. If a part of your body swells up, it means it gets bigger than normal because of fluid accumulating under the skin. Swelling indicates an injury or another health problem. That expression like a balloon emphasizes how big the swelling was. And the verb sprain refers to an injury of your tendons or ligaments. Those are the connections between your muscles and bones. Another way we could say this is my leg or my ankle or my uh face is swollen. Number 11. I'm overweight. The doctor says I need to cut down on fried foods. The phrasal verbs cut down on and cut back on mean to reduce. And we often use this for food and spending. Number 12. Don't get too close to me. I think I'm coming down with the cold. If you are coming down with a disease, it means you are starting to get sick. This phrasal verb is usually used with either a cold or the flu. If you are recovering from a disease, then we say you are getting over it. For example, I'll be back at work tomorrow. I've finally gotten over the stomach virus I had. Number 13, you'll need a prescription strength ointment to get rid of that rash. To get rid of something is to eliminate it. A rash is an unusual colored area on your skin which can be caused by allergy, disease, or infection. And an ointment is a medicated cream or lotion that helps your skin heal. If a medication is prescription strength, that means it is so strong you need a doctor's written permission to buy it. Number 14, she's in critical condition, but the doctors say she'll pull through. The phrasal verb pull through when used in this context of injury or illness means the person will survive. The person will continue living and will not die. This is usually used in relation to recovering from very serious life-threatening health problems. Number 15. Peter's father passed away last night. The funeral is on Wednesday. Passed away means died. This phrasal verb is an example of a euphemism, a word that is a little more indirect. It's used to avoid talking too directly about sensitive topics. Great job. You've just learned 15 useful phrasal verbs for sports and health, plus some vocabulary along the way. But don't stop here. I've put all of today's examples into a free lesson PDF you can download so you can review, practice, and remember them anytime. And if you want to go further, check out my phrasal verbs course. It's packed with hundreds more phrasal verbs taught in context with quizzes and practice exercises to help you really master them. So, click the links in the description to grab your free PDF and explore the course. Keep practicing and keep building your fluency, one phrasal verb at a time. See you in the next lesson. [Music]