Aerobic Fitness

This set of flashcards covers key terms and concepts related to aerobic fitness and the physiological systems involved in exercise.

Aerobic fitness

The ability of the body to take in, transport, and use oxygen during exercise.

Nervous system

The system that coordinates voluntary and involuntary actions by transmitting signals between different parts of the body.

Cardiovascular system

The system consisting of the heart and blood vessels responsible for circulating blood throughout the body.

Musculoskeletal system

An organ system that enables humans and other animals to move using the muscular and skeletal systems.

Chemical energy

Energy stored in the bonds of chemical compounds, utilized by muscles to perform mechanical work.

Anticipatory response

The increase in heart rate before exercise due to the body's anticipatory adjustment for increased demand.

Vasoconstriction

The constriction of blood vessels, which increases blood pressure and reduces blood flow to non-essential organs.

Vasodilation

The dilation of blood vessels, increasing blood flow to working muscles during exercise.

Muscle pump

The mechanism by which muscle contractions help push blood back to the heart through veins.

Sliding-Filament Theory

The theory explaining how muscles contract by the sliding of actin and myosin filaments past one another.

Motor Unit

A motor neuron and the skeletal muscle fibers it innervates, responsible for muscle contractions.

Slow-twitch fibers

Type I muscle fibers that are red, have high aerobic capacity, and are resistant to fatigue.

Fast-twitch fibers

Type II muscle fibers that are white or pale, have low aerobic capacity, and are prone to fatigue.

Capillary beds

Networks of capillaries surrounding muscle fibers that deliver oxygen and nutrients and remove waste.

Stroke Volume

The amount of blood ejected by the heart with each heartbeat.

Cardiac Output (Q)

The volume of blood the heart pumps per minute, calculated as heart rate multiplied by stroke volume.

Muscle fibers

The individual cells that make up muscle, capable of contraction.

Golgi tendon organ

A proprioceptive sensory receptor located at the junction of muscles and tendons that detects tension.

Muscle spindles

Sensory receptors located within the belly of muscles that detect changes in muscle length.

Maximal oxygen uptake

The maximum amount of oxygen the body can utilize during intense exercise, often indicative of aerobic fitness.

Type IIA fibers

Intermediate muscle fibers with good aerobic ability, resistant to fatigue.

Type IIB fibers

Fast-twitch muscle fibers with poor aerobic ability.