Exercise Physiology, Training Principles, and Anatomy

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering exercise training principles, formulas, neuroanatomy, cardiac mechanics, bioenergetics, and biomechanical planes of motion.

Peripheral Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors located in the carotid and aortic bodies that respond to decreases in blood $\text{pH}$ and $\text{pO}_2$, and increases in $\text{pCO}_2$, triggering an increase in respiratory rate and depth.

Central Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors located in the medulla oblongata that monitor the $\text{pH}$ and $\text{pCO}_2$ of cerebrospinal fluid, increasing respiratory rate to expel $\text{CO}_2$ when $\text{pCO}_2$ rises or $\text{pH}$ drops.

Principle of Overload

The training principle stating that to achieve physical improvements, the training stimulus must exceed normal demands, requiring muscles to work against greater loads or stretch longer than normal.

Principle of Progression

The training principle dictating that the overload stimulus must be systematically and gradually increased over time rather than in major bursts to avoid injury and excessive soreness.

Principle of Rest and Recovery

The training principle asserting that sufficient recuperation time is necessary after overload to enable the body to repair, adapt, and avoid fatigue or overuse injuries.

Principle of Specificity

The training principle stating that exercise programs must be specifically tailored to the unique physiological and biomechanical demands of the target sport or activity.

Principle of Individualization

The training principle emphasizing that exercise programs must be customized according to an individual's unique fitness level, age, gender, and injury history.

Principle of Reversibility

The training principle establishing that training-induced physical adaptations and performance gains diminish over time if regular exercise ceases.

Periodization (Variety)

The systematic cycling of training methods and intensities throughout the year to prevent plateaus, optimize event peaking, and minimize overuse injuries.

Hypothalamus

The brain structure that links the nervous and endocrine systems, secretes neurohormones, and regulates temperature, thirst, urine output, food intake, and basic emotions.

Anterior Cingulate Cortex

A brain region specialized in conflict monitoring and error detection.

Amygdala

A limbic system structure responsible for processing and regulating emotional behaviors.

Insular Cortex

The brain region responsible for internal body awareness and subjective self-awareness.

Prefrontal Cortex

The brain region functioning as the executive control center for high-level cognitive processes, attention, and executive function skills.

Basal Ganglia

A group of subcortical nuclei known as the home of habits, playing a critical role in storing routines.

Striatum

A brain region involved in processing pleasure, reward, motivation, fear, and impulsivity.

Hippocampus

A brain structure essential for the consolidation of long-term memories and spatial recognition.

First Heart Sound ($\text{S}_1$)

The lower-pitched, longer-lasting 'lub' sound caused by the closure of the atrioventricular (mitral and tricuspid) valves at the onset of ventricular systole, best auscultated at the apex.

Second Heart Sound ($\text{S}_2$)

The higher-pitched, shorter 'dub' sound caused by the closure of the semilunar (aortic and pulmonary) valves at the beginning of ventricular diastole, best heard at the base of the heart.

4-7-8 Breathing

A pre-performance regulation technique comprising a $4\,\text{s}$ nasal inhale, $7\,\text{s}$ breath hold, and $8\,\text{s}$ mouth exhale across $3\text{--}4$ cycles to calm nerves and manage emotional states.

Box Breathing (4-4-4-4)

A pre-warm-up mental preparation technique consisting of inhaling for $4\,\text{s}$, holding for $4\,\text{s}$, exhaling for $4\,\text{s}$, and holding for $4\,\text{s}$ across $5$ cycles to sharpen focus and concentration.

Reset Breath

An in-competition recovery strategy comprising a $3\,\text{s}$ nasal inhale and a $6\,\text{s}$ slow exhale accompanied by the cue 'NEXT PLAY' to refocus after mistakes.

Physiological Sigh

A rapid autonomic reset performed between intense bouts involving a normal nasal inhale followed immediately by a second short inhale, then a prolonged complete exhale, repeated $3$ times.

Recovery Breathing

A post-exercise technique consisting of a $4\,\text{s}$ inhale and an $8\,\text{s}$ slow exhale performed for $10$ cycles to promote down-regulation and recovery.

Body Mass Index (BMI)

A calculated index of body fatness given by the formula $\text{BMI} = \text{Weight (kg)} \div [\text{Height (m)}]^2$.

Maximum Heart Rate (MHR)

An estimate of the highest heart rate achievable during maximal exertion, calculated as $\text{MHR} = 220 - \text{Age}$.

Target Heart Rate (THR)

The desired heart rate training zone calculated using the Karvonen formula: $\text{THR} = \% \times (\text{MHR} - \text{RHR}) + \text{RHR}$.

Predicted / Ideal Mass

A target body weight derived from the equation $\text{Predicted mass} = [\frac{100 - \%\,\text{body fat}}{100 - \text{normal } \%}] \times \text{Body weight}$, where normal reference values are $15\%$ for males and $20\%$ for females.

Oxygen Uptake Formula

The calculation of total metabolic volume of oxygen consumed during physical activity: $\text{Oxygen uptake} = \text{METs} \times 3.5 \times \text{Weight (kg)}$.

Energy Expenditure Formula

The caloric calculation for metabolic work performed: $\text{Energy expenditure} = \text{METs} \times 0.0175 \times \text{Weight (kg)}$.

Relative Strength

A metric assessing strength adjusted for an individual's mass, defined as $\text{Relative strength} = \text{Weight lifted} \div \text{Body weight}$.

Cardiac Output (CO)

The volume of blood pumped per minute by each ventricle, defined by $\text{CO} = \text{HR} \times \text{SV}$ with units of $\text{L/min}$.

Stroke Volume (SV)

The quantity of blood ejected per heartbeat, calculated by $\text{SV} = \text{EDV} - \text{ESV}$ with units of $\text{mL/beat}$.

Pulse Pressure (PP)

The difference between systolic and diastolic arterial pressures, defined as $\text{PP} = \text{SBP} - \text{DBP}$ in $\text{mmHg}$.

Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP)

The average perfusion pressure throughout the cardiac cycle, determined by $\text{MAP} = \text{DBP} + \frac{1}{3}(\text{PP})$ in $\text{mmHg}$.

$$\text{VO}_2\text{max}$$

Maximal aerobic capacity, mathematically defined by the Fick equation as $\text{VO}_2\text{max} = \text{HR}_{\max} \times \text{SV}_{\max} \times (\text{a-vO}_2)_{\max}$.

Glycolysis Net Products

The biochemical products generated per molecule of glucose during anaerobic breakdown: $2\,\text{ATP}$, $2\,\text{NADH}$, and $2\,\text{pyruvate}$ (with $0\,\text{FADH}_2$ and $0\,\text{CO}_2$).

Krebs Cycle Net Products

The biochemical yields resulting from two turns of the cycle (per glucose molecule): $2\,\text{GTP}$ ($\approx 2\,\text{ATP}$), $6\,\text{NADH}$, $2\,\text{FADH}_2$, and $4\,\text{CO}_2$.

Autorhythmic Cardiac Cells

Specialized, self-excitable cells forming the intrinsic cardiac conduction system that initiate electrical impulses, distribute action potentials, and set the baseline heart rhythm.

Contractile Cardiac Cells

Myocardial cells that respond mechanically to action potentials delivered by autorhythmic cells, producing the muscular contractions that generate a heartbeat.

Sinoatrial (SA) Node

The primary cardiac pacemaker located in the right atrial wall near the superior vena cava that initiates electrical impulses at approximately $75\,\text{times/minute}$.

Atrioventricular (AV) Node

A node located in the inferior interatrial septum that introduces a brief delay into the electrical impulse to permit atrial contraction prior to ventricular systole.

Atrioventricular (AV) Bundle (Bundle of His)

A specialized bundle of conducting fibers that serves as the electrical pathway linking the atria and the ventricles.

Purkinje Fibres

Terminal conducting fibers that traverse the interventricular septum, turn superiorly past the apex, and propagate electrical impulses throughout the ventricular myocardium.

Anatomical Planes of Motion

The reference planes of movement: the sagittal plane (dividing left/right), frontal/coronal plane (dividing front/back), and transverse/horizontal plane (dividing upper/lower).

Sagittal Plane

The vertical anatomical plane that bisects the body into right and left halves, accommodating flexion, extension, and hyperextension around a frontal axis.

Frontal Plane (Coronal Plane)

The vertical plane dividing the body into anterior and posterior (front and back) portions, allowing abduction and adduction movements around a sagittal axis.

Transverse Plane (Horizontal Plane)

The horizontal cross-sectional plane dividing the body into superior and inferior (upper and lower) segments, permitting rotational movements around a vertical axis.

Relationship Between Planes and Axes

A mechanical principle stating that human movement within any anatomical plane occurs around an axis that is perpendicular ($90^\circ$ angle) to that plane.