Exercise Physiology Lab Exam

Muscular Strength

The maximal force that a muscle or muscle group can generate.

Concentric Contractions

The period during which the muscle shortens.

Isometric Contractions

The period during which the muscle is at constant length.

Relative Strength

A measure of an individual's strength compared to their body weight.

Muscular Endurance

The capacity to perform repeated muscle contractions, or to sustain a contraction over time.

Eccentric Contractions

The period during which the muscle is stretched.

Absolute Strength

The maximum amount of force a person can exert in a single effort.

Metabolism

The body’s way of converting food into energy.

Calorie

The amount of heat energy required to raise 1 gram of water 1 degree Celsius.

Kilogram

The SI unit for mass.

Liter

The metric unit for volume.

VO2

The volume of oxygen taken in and used by the body per minute.

mL/kg/min

The measurement for VO2.

MET

A unit used to estimate how much energy or oxygen your body uses during physical activity compared to resting.

Glucose

A simple carbohydrate that serves as the primary source of energy for the body during physical activity.

Glucometer

A portable medical device used to measure the concentration of glucose in the blood.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that helps regulate blood glucose levels.

Diabetes Mellitus

A chronic metabolic disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels due to the body’s inability to produce enough insulin or effectively use the insulin it produces.

Hypoglycemia

A condition where blood glucose levels fall below normal, typically below 70 mg/dL.

Hyperglycemia

A condition where blood glucose levels are higher than normal, typically above 130 mg/dL fasting.

Diastolic Blood Pressure

The pressure in the arteries when the heart rests between beats.

Hypertension

A medical condition characterized by persistently high blood pressure.

Systolic Blood Pressure

The pressure in the arteries when the heart beats and pumps blood into the body.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for ‘rest and digest’ functions.

Mean Arterial Pressure

The average arterial pressure during a single cardiac cycle.

Sympathetic Nervous System

A division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for ‘fight or flight’ responses.

Inspiration

The drawing in or inhalation of a breath.

Residual Volume

The volume of air that remains in the lungs after a maximal forceful exhalation.

Expiration

The exhalation of a breath.

Vital Capacity

The maximum volume of air that a person can forcefully exhale after taking the deepest possible breath.

Tidal Volume

The amount of air inhaled or exhaled during a normal breath.

Spirometry

Non-invasive method used to assess lung function by measuring volume and flow of air.

Anaerobic Power

The maximum rate at which energy can be produced by the body’s anaerobic energy systems.

Fatigue

A decline in the ability of a muscle to generate force or power due to prolonged or intense activity.

Cycle Ergometer

A stationary exercise device used to measure and control the amount of work or power output during cycling.

Oxygen Deficit

The difference between the oxygen required for a given exercise intensity and the actual oxygen uptake at the start of exercise.

EPOC

Elevated rate of oxygen uptake following exercise that helps the body restore itself to resting metabolic conditions.

Phosphagen System

Anaerobic energy system that uses stored ATP and PCr in the muscles to rapidly regenerate ATP.

Heart Rate

The number of heartbeats per minute.

Rating of Perceived Exertion

A subjective scale that measures how hard exercise feels to an individual.

Blood Pressure

The force that blood exerts on the walls of the arteries.

Rate Pressure Product

A measure of the myocardial workload and oxygen demand.

Mean Arteriole Pressure

The average pressure in the arteries across a full cardiac cycle.

Incremental Exercise Test

A graded fitness test in which exercise intensity increases until exhaustion.