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Keywords provided by the exam board that may be asked on the exam! Easy marks.
Actin
Thin protein filament found in the myofibril
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
The energy currency of the body. Found in all cells; when broken down it releases stored energy.
Aerobic
With oxygen.
Agility
Changing position quickly and with control without losing balance in response to a stimulus.
Agonist
Muscle primarily responsible for a given movement.
All-or-none law
Each muscle fibre within a motor unit either contracts or does not contract – there is no such thing as a partial contraction.
Anaeorbic capacity
The amount of energy obtained from anaerobic sources (creatine phosphate breakdown and anaerobic glycolysis) in a single bout of exercise. This is the greatest amount of energy that can be released from the anaerobic system.
Anaerobic power
The rate at which energy is produced. This is the fastest rate at which energy (ATP) can be produced anaerobically during an activity. If two athletes are equal in terms of movement economy, then the athlete with greatest anaerobic power will be the fastest.
Angular momentum
The amount of motion a body has during rotation. \n Angular momentum = angular velocity x moment of inertia
Angular velocity
The rate of movement in rotation.
Antagonist
A muscle that opposes an agonist for a given movement and prevents overstretching of the agonist.
Assisted training
Bungee running uses the recoil action of the bungee cord to pull you at a faster rate than you could achieve on the flat or in a voluntary sprint.
Balance
The ability to maintain your centre of mass over a base of support. There are two types: static and dynamic.
Ballistic stretching
The use of the momentum of a body or limb to force it beyond its normal range of motion.
Bernoulli effect
Relationship between velocity and pressure acting on an object as it moves through a fluid/air, for example a ball in flight.
Bradycardia
The reduction in resting heart rate that accompanies training. Resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute.
Centre of mass
The point where all the mass of a body is concentrated and the sum of all the moments of inertia of the body is zero.
Circuit training
Performing different exercises in a sequence at different exercise stations.
Concentric contractions
Contractions involving the muscle shortening while contracting, as happens in the bicep during the upward phase of a bicep curl, or in the tricep during the upward phase of a push-up.
Continuous training
Long-duration training where intensity remains constant throughout.
Coordination
The ability of the body to link movements together, either with other movements or in relation to an external object.
Cross training
Training in two or more sports in order to improve fitness and performance in a main sport.
Dehydration
The condition which occurs when the amount of water in the body falls below normal, disrupting the balances of sugars and salt (electrolytes) in the body.
Displacement
The shortest straight-line measurement between two points.
Eccentric contractions
Contractions involving the muscle lengthening while contracting (remember a muscle is not always relaxing while lengthening), e.g. the bicep brachii in the downward phase of the bicep curl or tricep brachii in the downward phase of the press-up.
Electrolytes
Ions (electrically charged particles) of salts such as sodium.
Electrolyte balance
The proportion/concentration of electrolytes within the fluids of the body.
Energy
The capacity to perform work.
Exercise economy
Energy required to maintain a constant velocity of movement. This is the ability to transfer energy into movement. For example, if two people are running at the same speed, one of them could be using less energy than the other because they are more economic.
Fartlek training
A long-duration activity where the intensity varies.
Fixator
A muscle which allows the prime mover to work more efficiently by stabilising the bone where the prime mover originates.
Flexibility
The range of movement available at a joint.
Frequency Intensity Time and Type (FITT)
This describes how often you train, how hard you train, how long you train for and which method of training you select.
Glycolysis
Process of breaking down glycogen into pyruvic acid, producing some (4) ATP.
Horizontal component
The horizontal motion of an object in parabolic flight.
Hydration
Being hydrated means the body has the correct amount of water in cells, tissues and organs to function correctly.
Hypertonic drinks
When the glucose osmolality of the drink is greater than blood.
Hypotonic drinks
When the glucose osmolality of the drink is lower than blood.
Individual needs
A successful training programme will meet individual needs, which are personal fitness needs based on age, gender, fitness level and the sport for which the person is training.
Interval training
Training with a work-to-rest ratio (W:R) that is repeated.
Isometric
The muscle stays the same length, e.g. when holding a weight in a static position.
Isotonic / dynamic
When the muscle is moving. Tension remains the same but the muscle length changes. Can be further divided into concentric and eccentric.
Isotonic drinks
When the glucose osmolality of the drink is the same as blood.
Karvonen’s Theory
A method of calculating target heart rate zone.
Target heart rate = (target heart rate range × %Intensity) + resting HR
Local muscular endurance
The ability of a muscle or specific group of muscles to sustain repeated contractions against a resistance for an extended period of time.
Magnus effect
The generation of a sideways force on a spinning object due to the pressure differences that develop as a result of velocity changes caused by the spinning object, e.g. a ‘curve’ on a served tennis ball.
Maximal aerobic fitness
The maximum volume of oxygen that can be utilised in one minute. This is the upper limit of the aerobic system (the person’s VO2 max).
Maximal strength
The maximum force that can be developed in a muscle or group of muscles during a single maximal contraction.
Maximal speed
Time taken to move a body (part or whole) through a movement over a pre-determined distance OR speed (distance divided by time). This is the fastest sprint speed attainable.
Moment of inertia
The resistance of a body to a change of state when rotating.
Motor neurones
Nerves that carry information from the central nervous system to the skeletal muscles.
Motor units
A motor neurone and the muscle fibres it controls.
Myofibril
Part of a muscle fibre. Contains sarcomeres and the contractile proteins actin and myosin.
Myoglobin
Protein found in the sarcoplasm. It has a high affinity for oxygen and helps transport oxygen from the capillary to the mitochondria.
Myosin
Thick protein filament found in the myofibril.
One repetition maximum, I RM
The maximum amount of weight an individual can lift in a single repetition for a given exercise.
Optimal loading
A rehabilitation programme to encourage faster recovery.
Overtraining
Where a person trains too much, too often or with too little time for recovery between training sessions, risking injury or illness or an imbalance between training and recovery.
Partial pressure
The pressure a gas exerts in a mixture of gases.
Periodisation
Dividing an overall training programme into parts/periods that are designed to achieve different goals.
Phosphocreatine (PC)
An energy-rich compound of creatine and phosphoric acid, found in muscle cells.
Plyometrics
A movement involving an eccentric contraction immediately before a concentric contraction.
Power
The rate at which force is produced.
Pressure gradient
When there is a difference in neighbouring or adjoining pressures.
Prime mover
The muscle that is directly responsible for creating the movement produced at a joint.
Progressive overload
The need to increase training demands on the body in order to encourage it to adapt further.
Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE)
A subjective rating (on the Borg Scale) of how hard the performer thinks their body is working based on their physical sensations during exercise, such as increased heart rate, breathing rate, sweating and muscle fatigue.
Reaction time
Time taken to make a decision.
Re-phosphorylisation
Resynthesis of phosphate to convert ADP back into Phosphocreatine (PC) and ATP.
Resistance training
Exercising your muscles using an opposing force.
Reversibility
The reversibility principle dictates that athletes lose the beneficial effects of training when they stop working out. Conversely, it also means that detraining effects can be reversed when athletes resume training.
Shin splints (Periostitis)
Inflammation of the periosteum of the tibia brought on by exercise or overtraining.
Specificity
The principle of training that states that sports training should be relevant and appropriate to the sport for which the individual is training in order to produce a training effect.
Speed
Time taken to move a body (part or whole) through a movement over a pre-determined distance OR speed (distance divided by time).
Speed, agility and quickness (SAQ)
Targeting neuromuscular adaptations to aid speed of muscle firing.
Strength
The force that can be developed in a muscle or group of muscles during a contraction.
Submaximal aerobic fitness
The ability to maintain a high percentage of VO2 max for a prolonged period of time.
Synergist
A muscle which aids the action of a prime mover by stabilising the joint at which the prime mover acts.
Tropomyosin
Thread-like protein that winds around the surface of actin.
Troponin
Globular protein on actin filament.
Type I
Also known as slow-twitch muscle fibres, they are suited to low intensity aerobic work and can be used for a long period of time without fatiguing.
Type IIa
These are fast oxidative glycotic muscle fibres which provide fast contraction and high force but fatigue easily. They are used in anaerobic work, but can be improved through endurance training to increase their resistance to fatigue.
Type IIx/b
These are fast glycotic muscle fibres which provide very rapid contractions and very high forces but fatigue very easily. They are used in anaerobic work.
Vertical component
The upward motion of an object in parabolic flight curve.
VO2 max
Maximum volume of oxygen that can be utilised in one minute.
Wave summation
An increase in contraction strength as a result of muscles that are rapidly stimulated being unable to relax between repeated stimulations.
Weight training
Training with weights against a (variable) resistance either on machines or with free weights.
