| A |
Acceleration |
The rate of change of velocity over time (where velocity is the rate of change of position with respect to direction). |
| Aerobic Activity |
Steady activity in which the heart can supply all the oxygen the muscles need. |
| Aerobic Endurance |
The body’s ability to take in and use oxygen so that the muscles can keep working. This is the most important element of fitness. |
| Agility |
The ability to change the position of your body and/or its parts quickly and accurately. |
| Anaerobic Activity |
Without oxygen. Activities for which the body can’t supply enough oxygen to keep going for long periods of time. |
| Assessment of physical activities |
A process of judging/grading a person’s level in relation to a set of criteria. In GCSE this involves a process of planning, performing, evaluating, analyzing, and improving chosen physical activities. |
| B |
Balance |
The ability of the body to maintain or regain stability. |
| Bench Press |
Lay on the bench, flat on the back. Press from chest to full extension. |
| Bicep Muscle |
The large muscle in the front part of the upper arm. |
| Body Composition |
The relative proportions of fat and lean (non-fat) body mass. |
| Body Mass Index (BMI) |
A formula that determines a healthy body weight based on height. |
| C |
Cardiovascular Endurance |
The heart, lungs, and blood vessels work together as a team to allow one to stay active and exercise for a long period of time. |
| Cardiovascular Fitness |
The ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to function efficiently when a person exercises the body. |
| Circuit Training |
Training that uses a circuit of exercises around a number of different workstations. |
| Cool-down |
A cool-down brings the mind and the body back to a relaxed state. It helps to reduce the risk of injury. |
| Coordination |
The ability to control and put together (integrate) movements made by different parts of the body. |
| Core Lifts |
The 5 ground base lifts most commonly used: bench press, parallel squat, power clean, incline bench, and front squat. |
| Cramp |
A sudden, uncontrollable, painful contraction of a muscle or a group of muscles, that may last for only seconds, or for hours at a lower intensity. Treated by stretching and massage. |
| D |
Defense |
The team trying to prevent the other team from scoring. Deltoid Muscle of the shoulder by which the arm is raised. |
| E |
Endurance |
Stamina, the ability to keep going for long periods. Includes cardiovascular-respiratory (heart-breathing) endurance, and muscular endurance. |
| Exercise |
Involves exertion of the body. It is important in maintaining general health and includes cardiovascular-respiratory (heart-breathing) endurance, muscular endurance, strength, mobility and flexibility, and body composition. (See also Physical fitness). |
| Extend |
To straighten a joint. |
| F |
Fine Motor Skills |
Involve movements using small groups of muscles in delicate actions, for e.g. wrist action in table tennis. |
| FITT Principal |
Frequency, Intensity, Time, and Type. |
| Flex |
To bend a joint. |
| Flexibility |
The ability of joints to move throughout their full range of motion. |
| Force |
Force can be described as a ‘pull’ or a ‘push’. |
| Form |
Placement of body parts during exercise. |
| Foul |
A major infraction of the rule; may include a penalty against the player and/or team. |
| Frequency |
How often you do a particular activity. |
| G |
Gluteal Muscles |
One of the muscles of the buttocks. |
| Goal |
Scoring in an activity. |
| Gross Motor Skills |
These are skills which involve large groups of muscles, for e.g. discus throwers. |
| H |
Hamstring Muscle |
A muscle group located on the back of the thigh. |
| Hydration |
To supply water to a person in order to restore or maintain a balance of fluids. |
| I |
Isometric Muscle Action |
This occurs when a muscle starts to contract and shorten but is then stopped by an immovable resistance. |
| Isotonic Muscle Action |
Normal muscle action, when the muscle shortens as it produces movement, for e.g. a biceps curl. |
| Incline Bench |
Lay on a bench raised at 45 degrees, press bar from chest to full extension. |
| Intensity |
How physically hard the activity is. |
| Interval Training |
Training with alternating work intervals and rest intervals. |
| Involuntary Muscle |
A muscle that you cannot control by your conscious decisions. |
| L |
Lifetime Sports |
A sport that can be played by people of all ages. |
| Low Impact Aerobic Exercise |
Exercise with one foot contacting the floor at all times. |
| M |
Motor (movement) Skill |
There isn’t a single, agreed definition of a motor skill. We could say that motor skill is, ‘the learned ability to perform in a physical activity efficiently, successfully, and consistently’. |
| Muscular Endurance |
The power of a muscle to keep on working. The maximum number of reps one can push, pull or carry. |
| Muscular Strength |
The ability of muscles to work. The maximum amount of weight one can lift, push, pull, or carry at one time. |
| Muscle |
Body tissue that lengthens and shortens to cause movement of the bones that results in body movement. |
| O |
Offense |
The attacking team who is trying to score. |
| Out of Bounds |
Outside of playing area. |
| P |
Parallel Squat |
With a bar on back/shoulders, the top of your thighs should be about parallel to the floor or slightly lower, in a well-executed squat. |
| Participation |
Taking part in physical activities. |
| Pectoral Muscle |
The large muscle of the chest. |
| Physical Fitness |
A physical state of well-being. |
| Power |
The ability to use strength quickly. |
| Power Clean |
The movement in which the bar starts on the floor and through a jumping and rowing motion, the bar finishes on your chest. |
| Pulse |
The rhythmic beat of the blood being pumped by the heart through the arteries, which are swollen in diameter when the heart contracts, and recoil back to normal when the heart relaxes. It can be felt at the wrist and at the side of the neck. |
| Q |
Quadricep Muscle |
The muscle on the front of the thigh. |
| R |
Range of Motion |
The amount of movement one can make in a joint. |
| Reaction Time |
How quickly you respond to something. |
| Relaxation |
A process of reducing tension, rigidity, anxiety, and intensity. Specific techniques can be developed for e.g. Progressive Muscular Relaxation, the Quiet Place, Centering. |
| Repetitions |
The number of consecutive times one does an exercise. |
| Resistance |
Opposition to a force or a movement. |
| Response Time |
The time is taken to respond to a stimulus, for e.g. the actions of people. |
| Resting Heart Rate |
The number of heartbeats during a period of inactivity. |
| Routine |
Performing movements in the same way continuously. A technique used to enhance skill performance. |
| S |
Set |
A group of repetitions for an exercise. |
| Skills |
A capacity to perform a specific task that involves the use of muscles and nerves together with the brain. |
| Speed |
The ability to perform a movement or cover a distance in a short period of time. |
| Sport |
This term is used in many different ways. It could be described as ‘a type of physical activity which you choose to compete in fairly and try to win.’ There have been many different groups. |
| Sportsmanship |
Playing within the rules with a good attitude and with respect to others. |
| Stability (of the body) |
This involves the equilibrium or balance of the body on a base, it is increased if: the area of the base is wider or larger; the center of gravity is lowered; the center of gravity is brought nearer to the center of the base. |
| Strength |
The amount of force that is produced by muscles contracting. Includes static or isometric strength, where effort is made against an immovable resistance; and dynamic or isotonic strength where effort moves a resistance. |
| Stretching |
Exercise to improve flexibility. This can be passive, for e.g. limb being pushed to the limit of movement by a partner; or active, for e.g. moving and holding your own stretch position, and ballistic, such as swinging arms and/or legs. |
| T |
Techniques |
The basic patterns of movement have to be developed in every activity. |
| Time |
Duration of the activity. |
| Training (physical) |
A process that is designed to improve physical capacity, fitness, skill, etc. |
| Triceps Muscle |
A muscle located on the back of the upper arm. |
| V |
Variation (of training) |
Training should be varied to prevent boredom and injuries. Variation should always be safe. |
| Voluntary Muscle |
A muscle that can be controlled by your conscious decisions. |
| W |
Warm-up |
A warm-up should involve a gradual increase in the heart rate and breathing rate, a slight rise in body temperature, and prepare the mind and the body for activity. It helps to reduce the risk of injuries. |
| Work Out |
The part of the physical activity program during which a person does activities to improve fitness. |
| Weight Training |
The lifting of weights to build strength. Also known as resistance training. |
