Understanding Physical Activities, Energy Systems, and Healthy Behaviors – Lecture 1 Comprehensive Notes

LESSON CONTEXT – WHAT THIS SESSION COVERS

• Course/Subject: P.E. and Health 1
• Campuses addressed: Fairview, Lagro, Caloocan, Marilao, Las Piñas, Legazpi
• Big picture goals:
– Understand major types of physical activity (aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone-strengthening) and their underlying energy systems.
– Recognise healthy versus unhealthy eating behaviours and their impact on performance and body composition.
– Learn fundamental locomotor skills, axial/arm-leg aerobic choreography, and 5 foundational strength-training moves.
– Translate theory into practice by designing a personal workout plan (see “Design Your Own Workout Plan” activity).
• Prior knowledge assumed: Basic anatomy (muscles, bones, cardiovascular system) and the concept of energy expenditure during exercise.

KEY TERMINOLOGY & ENERGY SYSTEMS

• Physical Activity – any bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles that requires energy expenditure.
• Aerobic Exercise – moderate-intensity, rhythmic, large-muscle activity maintained for prolonged periods; reliant on the oxygen (oxidative) energy system.
– Energy pathway: \text{Glucose/Fat} + O2 \rightarrow CO2 + H2O + \text{ATP} – Marker of capacity: \dot{V}O{2max} (maximal oxygen consumption).
• Muscle-Strengthening (Resistance) Exercise – activities that tax skeletal muscles against an external load (body-weight or equipment) to improve force-generating capacity.
• Bone-Strengthening Exercise – weight-bearing or impact-loading activities that apply mechanical stress to bone, stimulating osteogenesis (↑ bone mineral density).
• Lactic-Acid Threshold – exercise intensity at which lactate begins to accumulate faster than it can be cleared; aerobic training raises this threshold.
• HDL/LDL Cholesterol – “good” vs “bad” lipoproteins influencing cardiovascular risk.
• Triglycerides – blood fats; chronic elevation linked to CVD.
• Glycogen – stored form of glucose in muscle/liver; key during endurance events.

AEROBIC EXERCISE – DETAILS & BENEFITS

• Definition recap: moderate intensity + repetitive motions for long periods → oxygen-dependent ATP resynthesis.
• Typical modalities: brisk walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, dance aerobics, step aerobics.
• Physiological adaptations (well-structured program):
– ↑ \dot{V}O_{2max} (maximal oxygen uptake).
– Enhanced cardiovascular efficiency (↑ stroke volume, ↓ resting & sub-max HR).
– Improved cardiorespiratory coupling (better ventilation-perfusion matching).
– ↑ capillarisation & mitochondrial density in working muscles → superior O₂ utilisation.
– ↓ resting & exercise blood pressure (especially in hypertensives).
– ↑ lactate threshold (exercise at higher intensities before fatigue).
– Improved lipid profile (↑ HDL, ↓ triglycerides).
– Enhanced glucose tolerance & insulin sensitivity; ↓ insulin resistance → lower type-2 diabetes risk.
– ↓ total body fat → favourable body-composition changes.
• Practical significance: Enables longer, harder daily activities; reduces chronic-disease risk; underpins weight management and mood enhancement.

MUSCLE- & BONE-STRENGTHENING EXERCISE

• Core idea: applying overload to muscle–tendon–bone unit stimulates hypertrophy (muscle) and osteogenesis (bone).
• Typical formats: free weights, machines, body-weight calisthenics (push-ups, squats).
• Hormonal note: Resistance work bolsters anabolic hormone milieu (↑ growth hormone, ↑ testosterone/estrogen balance, ↑ IGF-1), helping tissue repair and metabolic health.
• Documented benefits of a sound program:
– ↑ muscular strength & power (daily-life functionality, sports performance).
– ↑ tendon & ligament stiffness/strength → joint stability & injury prevention.
– Improved joint ROM when paired with full-movement patterns.
– ↓ body fat, ↑ lean mass → ↑ resting metabolic rate.
– Possible ↓ blood pressure & favourable shifts in HDL/LDL ratio.
– ↑ glucose uptake by muscle; ↓ insulin requirements.
– Overall ↑ balance, coordination, functional independence (critical across lifespan).

EATING PATTERNS & THEIR IMPACT

1. Fueling for Performance (Healthy Eating)

• Practised mainly by athletes / physically active individuals.
• Food selection emphasises nutrient-dense, performance-enhancing choices: complex carbs, lean protein, healthy fats, adequate micronutrients & hydration.
• Carbohydrate Loading:
– Strategy: 48–72 h pre-event ↑ carb intake (≈ 8–12\,g\,\text{CHO}/kg\,\text{body mass}).
– Goal: maximize muscle glycogen → delays fatigue in marathons, triathlons, long aerobics classes.

2. Emotional Eating (Unhealthy)

• Triggered by stress, sadness, loneliness etc.
• Food used for comfort vs nutritional need → typically high-sugar/high-fat options.
• Consequences: overeating, ↑ fat storage, potential weight gain, guilt cycle.

3. Social Eating (Unhealthy)

• Occurs at parties/gatherings with prolonged exposure to energy-dense buffet-style foods.
• Social norms ("try everything", "finish your plate") encourage excessive caloric intake.

4. Eating While Watching (Unhealthy – Distracted)

• Mindless snacking during TV/streaming/sports.
• ↓ interoceptive awareness (brain ignores satiety cues) → habitual overeating.
• Poor digestion (insufficient mastication, erratic timing) + unbalanced food choices.
• LONG-TERM RISK: Weight gain, GI discomfort, possible metabolic syndrome.

FUNDAMENTAL LOCOMOTOR SKILLS

Purpose: foundational motor repertoire required for sports, dance, daily movement.
• Walking – sequential weight transfer; one foot always in contact with ground.
• Running – faster gait; flight phase with no feet on ground.
• Hopping – take-off & landing on same foot.
• Jumping – two-foot take-off & landing.
• Skipping – walk + hop combo on same foot in rhythmic cadence.
• Leaping – one-foot take-off, opposite-foot landing (longer flight).
• Galloping – continuous forward leaps; trailing leg remains behind lead.
• Sliding – lateral gallop; body facing forward while traveling sideways.

FIVE BASIC STRENGTH-TRAINING EXERCISES (TECHNIQUE CUES)

  1. Push-Ups
    • Body forms straight line from head to heels; hands slightly wider than shoulders.
    • Beginner option: knee push-ups (reduces load).

  2. Supermans
    • Prone; simultaneous lift of arms & legs; maintain neutral spine; no knee bend.

  3. Crunches
    • Supine, knees bent; arms across chest.
    • Lift shoulder blades fully; head stays off ground on return.

  4. Side Crunches
    • Lying on side; bottom arm angled 30–45° for support.
    • Lift torso & legs; chest rotates slightly upward.

  5. Squats
    • Feet ≈1.5 shoulder-width; toes slightly out.
    • Descend until thighs ≈parallel; knees behind toes; chest up, hips back.

AXIAL (ARM) & LEG MOVEMENTS FOR AEROBIC CHOREOGRAPHY

• Aerobic routines blend leg patterns with simultaneous arm actions to elevate heart rate and coordination.

Leg Moves (selected list)

• Basic, V-step, alternating versions, knee lifts, hamstring curls, kicks, side/hip/glute lifts, lunges, turn-step, straddle-down, over-the-top, repeaters.

Arm Moves (selected list)

• Alternating bicep curls, hammer curls, tricep kick-backs, low row, upright row, frontal & lateral raises, frontal pull, overhead pull, arm circles, shoulder punch, overhead press, pec press, double side-out, slice.
• Programming tip: match large-range arm motions with lower-body moves to intensify aerobic workload (↑ caloric burn).

APPLIED ACTIVITY – “DESIGN YOUR OWN WORKOUT PLAN”

• Deliverable: mini routine containing
– 1 Aerobic Exercise (e.g., 3-min V-step + knee-lift combo).
– 1 Muscle-Strengthening Exercise (e.g., 2×12 squats with proper form).
– 1 Bone-Strengthening Exercise (could duplicate squats or include jump rope).
• Integration advice:
– Warm-up 5 min dynamic movements.
– Sequence aerobic → strength → cool-down stretch.
– Track RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) target 12–14 on Borg 6-20 scale for moderate sessions.

ETHICAL, PHILOSOPHICAL & PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

• Ethical: Promote body-positive messaging; discourage extreme dieting or performance-enhancing drugs.
• Social influence: Recognise how environment (friends, media) shapes eating & activity patterns; cultivate supportive networks.
• Lifespan view: Early adoption of bone-strengthening exercise is crucial (peak bone mass achieved by ~30 yrs).
• Public-health linkage: Regular aerobic + resistance + mindful eating = reduced NCD burden (CVD, diabetes, osteoporosis).
• Digital age challenge: Combat sedentary screen time (eating while watching) with structured movement breaks.

QUICK REFERENCE – NUMBERS & FORMULAS

• Recommended aerobic volume: \ge 150\,\text{min/week} moderate OR \ge 75\,\text{min/week} vigorous.
• Resistance frequency: 2–3 sessions/week, 8–12 reps, 1–3 sets per major muscle group.
• Bone-loading: ≥ 3 days/week of impact/jump or weight-bearing exercise.
• Carbohydrate loading: 8–12\,g\,\text{CHO}/kg body mass, 48–72 h pre-event.
• Basic energy yield: \text{1 mol}\,\text{ATP} \approx 7.3\,kcal (biochemical standard).

SUMMARY CHECKLIST (USE FOR EXAM REVISION)

✓ Define aerobic, muscle-strengthening, bone-strengthening activities & state their main benefits.
✓ Describe energy system reliance for aerobic exercise.
✓ List at least 6 benefits each for aerobic and strength training.
✓ Distinguish among fueling for performance, emotional, social, and distracted eating.
✓ Demonstrate correct technique for push-ups, supermans, crunches, side-crunches, squats.
✓ Name and perform core locomotor skills.
✓ Combine arm & leg moves to create basic step-aerobic choreography.
✓ Outline a mini workout meeting aerobic, muscular, bone requirements.
✓ Recall key numerical guidelines (exercise dosage, carb loading).

NEXT STEPS / LINKS TO PRIOR & FUTURE LECTURES

• Builds on previous introduction to components of fitness; next lecture will dive into flexibility training & injury prevention.
• Students should log one week of eating & physical-activity behaviours to self-audit against today’s best-practice frameworks.