The following are important terms in the study of kinesiology and exercise physiology:

Abduction: Movement of a limb away from the midline of the body.

Adduction: Movement of a limb toward the midline of the body.

Aerobic Exercise: Physical activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously, and is rhythmic in nature, relying on the aerobic energy-generating process.

Agonist: The primary muscle responsible for a movement.

Anaerobic Exercise: Physical activity that is intense enough to cause lactate formation, relying on energy sources stored in the muscles.

Anatomical Position: Body upright, feet together, arms hanging at sides, palms facing forward, thumbs facing away from body, fingers extended.

Antagonist Muscle: A muscle that opposes the action of another muscle (agonist), working to return a limb to its initial position.

Anterior: Situated at the front of the body or nearer to the head.

Ascending (Peak): A tension curve in which the muscular tension required increases throughout the range of motion until the end of concentric contraction.

Bell Shaped: A tension curve in which the muscular tension required increases then decreases.

Biomechanics: The study of the mechanical laws relating to the movement or structure of living organisms.

Cardiorespiratory Endurance: The ability of the heart, lungs, and circulatory system to supply oxygen to muscles during prolonged physical activity.

Center of Gravity: The point in a body or system around which its mass or weight is evenly distributed or balanced.

Circumduction: The circular movement of a limb, combining flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.

Concentric Contraction: A type of muscle activation that increases tension as the muscle shortens.

Coronal Plane: A vertical plane that divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) parts.

Descending Curve: A tension curve in which the muscular tension required decreases throughout the range of motion until the end of concentric contraction.

Distal: Situated away from the center of the body or from the point of attachment.

Dorsiflexion: Movement that decreases the angle between the dorsum (top) of the foot and the leg, bringing the toes closer to the shin.

Eccentric Contraction: A type of muscle activation that increases tension on the muscle as it lengthens.Extension: Straightening a joint, increasing the angle between two bones.

Ergonomics: The study of people’s efficiency in their working environments.

External Rotation: Rotating a joint away from the midline of the body.

Flexion: Bending a joint, decreasing the angle between two bones.

Force-Velocity Relationship: The relationship between the speed of muscle contraction and the force it produces.

Functional Movement: Movement patterns based on real-world situational biomechanics.

Gait: The pattern of movement of the limbs during locomotion over a solid substrate.

Gravity Dependant: Exercises that typically offer a relative large change of muscular tension throughout the entire range of motion.

Homeostasis: The tendency of the body to maintain a stable, relatively constant internal environment.

Hypertrophy: The enlargement of an organ or tissue from the increase in size of its cells, commonly associated with muscle growth.

Inferior: Term used in anatomy to describe a position that is lower in relation to another part of the body or closer to the feet.

Isokinetic Exercise: Exercise performed with a specialized apparatus that provides variable resistance to a movement, so the movement occurs at a constant speed.

Isometric Contraction: Muscle activation without a change in muscle length.

Isotonic Contraction: Muscle activation with movement, involving changes in muscle length (includes concentric and eccentric contractions).

Kinematic: Pertaining to the study of movement, without considering the forces that cause it.

Kinetics: The study of the forces associated with the motion of a body.

Lateral: Situated on or directed toward the side.

Ligament: A fibrous connective tissue that connects bones to other bones.

Load: The amount of weight lifted or resistance encountered during an exercise.

Medial: Situated near the midline of the body or an organ.

Median: Oriented sagittally on limbs.

Mobility: The ability of a joint to move freely through a range of motion.

Motor Control: The regulation of movement in organisms that possess a nervous system.

Motor Learning: The process of improving motor skills through practice and experience.

Motor Unit: A motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates.

Muscle Fiber Types (Type I, Type IIa, Type IIb): Muscle fibers classified by their contractile and metabolic properties:

• Type I: Slow-twitch, high endurance.
• Type IIa: Fast-twitch, moderate endurance.
• Type IIb: Fast-twitch, low endurance.

Muscular Endurance: The ability of a muscle or muscle group to perform repeated contractions over a period of time.

Muscular Strength: The maximum amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert against resistance in a single effort.

Neuromuscular Junction: The synapse between a motor neuron and the muscle it innervates.

Oblique: Diagonal plane.

Opposition: Diagonal movement of the thumb across the palm to make contact with the 5th digit.

Origin (Muscle): The fixed attachment point of a muscle, typically proximal and where the muscle starts.

Plasticity: The ability of the nervous system to adapt and change in response to experience or injury.

Posterior: Situated at the back of the body or nearer to the rear.

Power: The rate at which work is performed, calculated as work divided by time.

Pronation: Rotation of the hand and forearm so that the palm faces downward; or of the foot, causing the sole to face more laterally.

Proprioception: The body’s ability to sense its position and movement in space.

Protraction: Movement of the scapula (shoulder girdle) away from the spine in the transverse plane.

Proximal: Situated closer to the center of the body or to the point of attachment.

Radial Deviation: Abduction of the wrist in the frontal plane.

Range of Motion (ROM): The full movement potential of a joint, usually its range of flexion and extension.

Reciprocal Inhibition: A process where the muscles on one side of a joint relax to accommodate contraction on the other side.

Resistance Curve: An exercise’s characteristic change of force throughout its range of motion.

Rotation: Movement around an axis, such as turning the head from side to side.

Sagittal Plane: A vertical plane that divides the body into right and left parts.

Sarcopenia: The loss of muscle mass and strength associated with aging.

Scapular Retraction: Movement of the shoulder blades toward the spine.

Scapular Protraction: Movement of the shoulder blades away from the spine.

Scapulohumeral Rhythm: The coordinated motions of the scapula, clavicle, and humerus working together to achieve full elevation of the arm.

Stability: The ability to maintain or control joint movement or position.

Superior: Term used in anatomy to describe a position that is higher in relation to another part of the body or closer to the head.

Supination: Rotation of the hand and forearm so that the palm faces upward; or of the foot, causing the sole to face more medially.

Synergist Muscle: A muscle that assists another muscle in performing its function.

Tendon: A fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Torque: A measure of the force that can cause an object to rotate about an axis.

Transverse Plane: A horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower parts.

Ulnar Deviation: Adduction of the wrist in the frontal plane.

Variable Resistance: Machines that typically offer a relatively continuous muscular tension throughout the entire range of motion.

Ventral: Pertaining to the front or anterior of any structure.

Vertical Jump Test: A performance measure that evaluates explosive leg power by measuring the height an individual can jump from a standstill.

VO2 Max: The maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during incremental exercise; an indicator of aerobic endurance.

Wolff’s Law: The principle that bone in a healthy person will adapt to the loads under which it is placed.

Work: The product of force and the distance over which it is applied.

EXERCISES

COMMUNITY