Lecture on Aerobic Fitness, Nervous and Cardiovascular Systems, and Muscle Physiology

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts related to aerobic fitness, the nervous and cardiovascular systems, and muscle physiology from the lecture notes.

Aerobic fitness

The ability of the body to utilize oxygen effectively during prolonged physical activities.

Chemical energy production

The process by which energy is generated from food in the form of chemical compounds for muscle work.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The part of the nervous system comprising the brain and spinal cord.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

The part of the nervous system outside the CNS, including sensory and motor nerves.

Chemoreceptors

Sensory receptors that detect changes in chemical concentrations, including blood oxygen and carbon dioxide levels.

Anticipatory response

The body's physiological preparation (e.g., increased heart rate) before physical activity begins.

Vasoconstriction

The narrowing of blood vessels that decreases blood flow to certain organs.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels that increases blood flow to working muscles during exercise.

Cardiac Output (Q)

The amount of blood pumped by the heart per minute, calculated by heart rate times stroke volume.

Stroke Volume

The volume of blood pumped from the heart with each beat.

'All or none' principle

The concept that a motor neuron either fires completely or does not fire at all.

Type I fibers (slow-twitch)

Muscle fibers with high aerobic capacity and resistance to fatigue, suited for endurance activities.

Type II fibers (fast-twitch)

Muscle fibers with lower aerobic capacity, designed for short bursts of powerful activities.

Motor Unit Recruitment

The process of activating additional motor units to increase muscle force during an activity.

Muscle spindle

A sensory receptor located in muscles that detects stretch and contributes to the body's ability to sense muscle length.

Golgi tendon organ

A sensory receptor that monitors tension in tendons and inhibits excessive muscle contraction.