Exercise Professionals and Behavior Change Glossary

A collection of vocabulary flashcards covering anatomical, physiological, behavioral, and legal terms relevant to fitness and healthcare professionals based on the lecture transcript.

Abrasion

A scraping away of a portion of the skin or mucous membrane.

Action

The stage of the transtheoretical model of behavior change during which the individual is actively engaging in a behavior that was started less than $6$ months ago.

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP)

A high-energy phosphate molecule required to provide energy for cellular function. Produced both aerobically and anaerobically and stored in the body.

Agility

The ability to rapidly and accurately change the position of the body in space; a skill-related component of physical fitness.

Angina

A common symptom of coronary artery disease characterized by chest pain caused by an inadequate supply of oxygen and decreased blood flow to the heart muscle. Symptoms may include pain or discomfort, heaviness, tightness, or pressure in the chest, back, neck, throat, jaw, or arms.

Antagonist

The muscle that acts in opposition to the contraction produced by an agonist (prime mover) muscle.

Automated external defibrillator (AEC)

A portable electronic device used to restore normal heart rhythms in victims of sudden cardiac arrest.

Avulsion

A wound involving forcible separation or tearing of tissue from the body.

Blood pressure (BP)

The pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries; measured in millimeters of mercury ($mmHg$) with a sphygmomanometer.

Body mass index

A relative measure of body height to body weight used to determine levels of health, from underweight to extreme obesity.

Carbohydrate

The body's preferred energy source, stored as glycogen in the muscles and liver and transported in the blood as glucose. Each gram contains $4$ calories.

Cardiac output

The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute; calculated as $Cardiac\ output = Heart\ rate \times Stroke\ volume$.

Cardiorespiratory endurance

The capacity of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to deliver oxygen and nutrients to the working muscles and tissues during sustained exercise and to remove metabolic waste products.

Cognitive stage of learning

The first stage of learning a motor skill when performers make many gross errors and have extremely variable performances.

Concentric

A type of isotonic muscle contraction in which the muscle develops tension and shortens when stimulated.

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

The major form of cardiovascular disease; results when the coronary arteries are narrowed or occluded, most commonly by atherosclerotic deposits.

Diabetes mellitus

A disease of carbohydrate metabolism in which an absolute or relative deficiency of insulin results in an inability to metabolize carbohydrates normally.

Diastolic blood pressure (DBP)

The pressure in the arteries during the relaxation phase (diastole) of the cardiac cycle; indicative of total peripheral resistance.

Dyspnea scale

A subjective score reflecting perceived breathing difficulty during activity, with $0$ reflecting no shortness of breath and $4$ representing the most severe dyspnea ever experienced.

Eccentric

A type of isotonic muscle action in which the muscle lengthens against a resistance when it is stimulated; sometimes called "negative work."

EMOM

An acronym for "every minute on the minute." A type of interval training where a predetermined number of repetitions must be completed in one minute.

Fat

An essential nutrient that provides energy, insulation, and contour; each gram contains $9$ calories.

First ventilatory threshold (VT1)

Intensity of aerobic exercise at which ventilation starts to increase in a nonlinear fashion in response to an accumulation of metabolic by-products in the blood.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

Legislation enacted in $1996$ requiring national standards for electronic health care information to ensure secure exchange of private health data.

Heart-rate reserve (HRR)

The reserve capacity of the heart, calculated as the difference between maximal heart rate and resting heart rate.

Hypertension

High blood pressure, or the elevation of resting blood pressure to $130/80\,mmHg$ or greater.

Hypoglycemia

A deficiency of glucose in the blood commonly caused by too much insulin, too little glucose, or excessive exercise where glycogen stores are depleted.

Isotonic

A type of muscular action where the muscle is stimulated to develop tension and joint movement occurs, encompassing both eccentric and concentric actions.

Lordosis

Excessive anterior curvature of the spine that typically occurs at the low back.

Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max)

The maximum capacity for the body to take in, transport, and use oxygen during maximal exertion.

Mending

In choreography, stringing two exercises or movements together.

Mirroring

In group fitness, the practice of an instructor facing the class while teaching so participants see a "mirror image" and can maintain eye contact.

Muscular strength

The maximal force a muscle or muscle group can exert during contraction.

Negligence

Failure of a person to perform as a reasonable and prudent professional would perform under similar circumstances.

Obesity

An excessive accumulation of body fat, often defined as a body mass index of $\ge 30\,kg/m^2$ or a waist girth of $> 40\,\text{inches}$ ($102\,cm$) in men and $> 35\,\text{inches}$ ($89\,cm$) in women.

Overload

The principle that a physiological system subjected to above-normal stress will respond by increasing in strength or function accordingly.

Patching

In choreography, adding an additional movement between two exercises or movements for a seamless transition.

Phrase

Composed of $32$ counts of music; further divided into four segments of eight beats each.

Protein

A compound of $20$ amino acids that is the major structural component of body tissue; each gram contains $4$ calories.

Rating of perceived exertion (RPE)

A scale for evaluating participant perception of exercise effort; the original scale ranges from $6$ to $20$ and the revised scale from $0$ to $10$.

Saturated fat

A fatty acid containing no double bonds between carbon atoms, typically stable and solid at room temperature.

Scapular plane

A shoulder angle approximately $30-45\,\text{degrees}$ of shoulder flexion, halfway between the sagittal and frontal planes.

Second ventilatory threshold (VT2)

A metabolic marker representing the point at which high-intensity exercise is no longer sustainable due to acidosis caused by proton accumulation.

Sedentary

Waking behavior characterized by an energy expenditure level of $\le 1.5\,\text{metabolic equivalents (METS)}$ while sitting or lying.

SMART goal

A goal that is specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.

Sprain

A traumatic joint twist resulting in stretching or tearing of stabilizing connective tissues like ligaments or joint capsules.

Strain

A stretch, tear, or rip in the muscle or adjacent tissue such as the fascia or tendon.

Systolic blood pressure (SBP)

The pressure exerted by the blood on the vessel walls during ventricular contraction.

Transtheoretical model of behavior change (TTM)

A theory examining readiness to change through five stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance.

Type 1 diabetes

Form of diabetes caused by destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas; formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM).

Type 2 diabetes

Most common form of diabetes, characterized by reduced sensitivity of target cells to insulin; usually associated with obesity.

VO reserve (VOR)

The difference between $VO_{2}max$ and $VO_{2}$ at rest; used for programming cardiorespiratory exercise intensity.