EP0210 Fitness & Wellness: Principles of Exercise Science

Flashcard study set covering the core concepts of Exercise Science: fitness components, training principles, stretching protocols, resistance exercise modes, skeletal muscle anatomy, fiber types, and cardiovascular training formulas.

How is physical fitness defined?

The body's ability to function efficiently and effectively, allowing a person to work effectively, enjoy leisure time, be healthy, resist diseases, and meet emergency situations.

How many health-related and skill-related components make up physical fitness?

Five health-related components and six skill-related components.

What are hypokinetic diseases?

Conditions that develop due to a sedentary lifestyle.

What is body composition?

The relative percentage of muscle, fat, bone, and other tissues that make up the body.

What is cardiovascular fitness?

The ability of the heart, blood vessels, blood, and respiratory system to supply nutrients and oxygen to the muscles, and the ability of the muscles to utilize fuel to allow sustained exercise.

How is flexibility defined and what factors affect it?

The range of motion available in a joint; it is affected by muscle length, joint structure, and other factors.

What is muscular endurance?

The ability of the muscles to exert themselves repeatedly without undue fatigue.

What is muscular strength?

The ability of the muscles to exert an external force or lift a heavy weight.

Why is possessing a moderate amount of each health-related fitness component sufficient for disease prevention?

It is not essential to have exceptionally high levels of fitness to achieve health benefits; high levels of health-related fitness relate more to athletic performance than to health benefits.

What is agility?

The ability to rapidly and accurately change the direction of the movement of the entire body in space.

What is balance?

The maintenance of equilibrium while stationary or while moving.

What is coordination?

The ability to use the senses with the body parts to perform motor tasks smoothly and accurately.

What is power, and what formula expresses its relationship with other fitness characteristics?

The ability to transfer energy into force at a fast rate, expressed by the formula: $\text{Power} = \text{Strength} \times \text{Speed}$.

What is reaction time?

The time elapsed between stimulation and the beginning of the reaction to that stimulation.

What is speed?

The ability to perform a movement in a short period of time.

What is metabolic fitness, and how is it evidenced?

A positive state of the physiological systems associated with reduced risk for chronic diseases, evidenced by healthy blood fat (lipid) profiles, healthy blood pressure, and healthy blood sugar and insulin levels.

What is bone integrity?

The soundness of bones, associated with high density and the absence of symptoms of deterioration.

Which brain neurotransmitters and chemicals are increased by regular exercise?

Serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine, and endorphins.

According to Goodwin (2003), how does regular exercise affect depression prevalence?

It cuts depression prevalence in half—from $1$ in $6$ adults down to $1$ in $12$.

What does the principle of individuality state?

Individuals do not have the same ability to respond to an acute exercise bout or adapt to training because heredity, cellular growth rates, metabolism, and regulatory systems cause variation.

What does the principle of specificity state?

Training adaptations are highly specific to the mode, intensity, and volume of the activity performed, requiring stress on specific physiological systems critical for the target sport or activity.

What does the principle of reversibility dictate?

If training is decreased or stopped (detraining), the physiological adaptations and improvements in performance will be reversed ('use it or lose it').

What does the principle of progressive overload require?

Systematically increasing demands on the body beyond normal loading, accomplished in strength training by increasing resistance or repetitions, and in aerobic training by increasing volume, intensity, or duration.

What is the principle of variation (periodization)?

The systematic process of changing one or more variables in the training program (mode, volume, or intensity) over time to keep the stimulus challenging and effective.

What is the primary purpose of a warm-up?

To gradually increase heart rate and breathing, raise core body temperature, and prepare the heart, blood vessels, lungs, and muscles for more vigorous exercise.

What is the recommended initial warm-up sequence before stretching?

Begin with $5\text{ to }10\,\text{min}$ of low-intensity activity (such as brisk walking, jogging, or cycling) until perspiration signals increased core temperature; never stretch cold muscles.

What are the characteristics and parameters of a passive static stretch?

Maintaining an extended position using body weight, limb support, or external assistance (chair/partner), held for $10\text{ to }30\,\text{s}$ for $1\text{ to }3$ sets to the point of mild discomfort.

What is an active static stretch?

A stretch where the extended position is held without outside assistance, using only the tension of agonists and synergists while the antagonists are stretched, held for $10\text{ to }30\,\text{s}$ for $1\text{ to }3$ sets.

What is dynamic stretching, and when is it most appropriate?

Moving joints through a continuum from gentle to controlled, vigorous movements throughout their range of motion; it is most appropriate to help warm up prior to a workout.

Why is ballistic stretching no longer considered safe?

It involves jerky, bouncing movements that forcefully push joints and muscles beyond their normal range of motion, which can cause injury.

What occurs during concentric muscle contraction?

The muscle shortens as it contracts to overcome the resistance (positive resistance).

What occurs during eccentric muscle contraction, and what are its training effects?

The muscle lengthens under resistance to lower weights smoothly; it is more effective in producing muscle hypertrophy but results in greater muscle soreness.

What is isometric training, and what is its main limitation and application?

Static muscle contractions without movement where strength gains are specific to the contraction angle; it is critical for spinal stabilization, low-back conditioning, and sports like gymnastics.

What are the three main types of muscle in the human body?

Smooth muscle (involuntary), cardiac muscle (involuntary, found only in the heart), and skeletal muscle (voluntary, conscious control).

Approximately how many skeletal muscles are in the human body?

More than $600$ skeletal muscles.

What is the difference between an agonist, an antagonist, a synergist, and a stabilizer?

An agonist causes motion (prime mover); an antagonist moves the joint opposite to the agonist; a synergist assists the prime mover; a stabilizer contracts with no significant movement to maintain posture or fixate a joint.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Deltoids?

Latissimus Dorsi.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Pectoralis Major?

Trapezius/Rhomboids.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Rectus Abdominis?

Erector Spinae.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Iliopsoas?

Gluteus Maximus.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Quadriceps?

Hamstrings.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Hip Adductor?

Gluteus Medius.

What is the antagonist muscle to the Tibialis Anterior?

Gastrocnemius.

What is the Valsalva manoeuvre, and why is it dangerous?

Forcible exhalation against a closed mouth and nose (breath-holding during near-maximal force); it sharply spikes blood pressure, reduces brain blood flow leading to blackouts, and compresses the heart.

What are the contraction speeds and peak tension times of Type I versus Type II muscle fibers?

Type I (slow-twitch/red) takes approximately $110\,\text{ms}$ to reach peak tension, whereas Type II (fast-twitch/white) reaches peak tension in about $50\,\text{ms}$.

What is the typical muscle fiber composition in an average human muscle?

Roughly $50\%$ Type I fibers, $25\%$ Type IIa fibers, and $25\%$ mostly Type IIx (with Type IIc comprising $1\%$ to $3\%$).

What are the human myosin heavy chain genes corresponding to Type I, Type IIa, and Type IIx fibers?

Type I corresponds to MYH7, Type IIa corresponds to MYH2, and Type IIx corresponds to MYH1 (with Type IIb corresponding to MYH4).

What is the primary storage fuel for Type I fibers compared to Type II fibers?

Type I fibers primarily store triglycerides, whereas Type IIa, IIx, and IIb fibers utilize creatine phosphate and glycogen.

How is estimated maximum heart rate calculated?

$$\text{Estimated Maximum Heart Rate} = 220 - \text{age}$$

What heart rate percentages define low, moderate, and high intensity cardiovascular exercise?

Low intensity is below $70\%$, moderate intensity is $70\%\text{ to }80\%$, and high intensity is above $80\%$.

How is moderate-intensity exercise identified using the 'talk test'?

The individual is able to talk, but cannot sing.

What are the three steps of the Karvonen formula to calculate target heart rate?

1. $220 - \text{age} = \text{maximum heart rate}$
2. $\text{Maximum heart rate} - \text{resting heart rate} = \text{heart rate reserve (HRR)}$
3. $(\text{HRR} \times \text{training}\,\%) + \text{resting heart rate} = \text{target heart rate}$

What are the primary applications of low-intensity cardiovascular exercise?

Rehabilitation, management of metabolic issues, fitness maintenance, and improving flexibility.

What are the primary applications of high-intensity cardiovascular exercise?

Improving endurance, stamina, and cardiac strength.