NASM Full Glossary

NASM Full Glossary A-Band The region of the sarcomere where myosin fi laments are predominantly seen with minor overlap of the actin fi laments Abduction A movement in the frontal plane away from the midline of the body Acceleration When a muscle exerts more force than is being placed on it, the muscle will shorten. Also known as a concentric contraction or force production Acidosis The accumulation of excessive hydrogen that causes increased acidity of the blood and muscle Actin One of the two major myofi laments, actin is the "thin" fi lament that acts along with myosin to produce muscular contraction Action Potential Nerve impulse that allows neurons to transmit information Active Flexibility The ability of agonists and synergists to move a limb through the full range of motion while their functional antagonist is being stretched Active-Isolated Stretch The process of using agonists and synergists to dynamically move the joint into a range of motion Acute Variables Important components that specify how each exercise is to be performed Adaptive Capable of changing for a specifi c use Adduction Movement in the frontal plane back toward the midline of the body Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) A high-energy compound occurring in all cells from which adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is formed Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) Energy storage and transfer unit within the cells of the body Adequate Intake (AI) A recommended average daily nutrient intake level, based on observed (or experimentally determined) approximations or estimates of nutrient intake that are assumed to be adequate for a group (or groups) of healthy people. This measure is used when an RDA cannot be determined Advanced Stage The second stage of the dynamic pattern perspective theory when learners gain the ability to alter and manipulate the movements more effi ciently to adapt to environmental changes Aerobic Activities requiring oxygen Afferent Neurons (Also known as sensory neurons.) They gather incoming sensory information from the environment and deliver it to the central nervous system Agility The ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize, and change direction quickly while maintaining proper posture Agonist Muscles that are the primary movers in a joint motion. Also known as prime movers Alarm Reaction The fi rst stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS), the initial reaction to a stressor Altered Reciprocal Inhibition The concept of muscle inhibition, caused by a tight agonist, which inhibits its functional antagonist Amortization Phase The electromechanical delay a muscle experiences in the transition from eccentric (reducing force and storing energy) to concentric (producing force) muscle action Anaerobic Activities that do not require oxygen Anaerobic Threshold The point during high-intensity activity when the body can no longer meet its demand for oxygen and anaerobic metabolism predominates; also called lactate threshold Anatomic Locations Refers to terms that describe locations on the body Anatomic Position The position with the body erect with the arms at the sides and the palms forward. The anatomic position is of importance in anatomy because it is the position of reference for anatomic nomenclature. Anatomic terms such as anterior and posterior, medial and lateral, and abduction and adduction apply to the body when it is in the anatomic position Annual Plan Generalized training plan that spans 1 year to show when the client will progress between phases Antagonist Muscles that act in direct opposition to agonists (prime movers) Anterior (or Ventral) On the front of the body Aortic Semilunar Valve Controls blood fl ow from the left ventricle to the aorta going to the entire body Appendicular Skeleton Portion of the skeletal system that includes the upper and lower extremities Arteries Vessels that transport blood away from the heart Arterioles Small terminal branches of an artery, which end in capillaries Arteriosclerosis A general term that refers to hardening (and loss of elasticity) of arteries Arthritis Chronic infl ammation of the joints Arthrokinematics 1. Joint motion. 2. The motions of joints in the body Arthrokinetic Dysfunction 1. A biomechanical and neuromuscular dysfunction in which forces at the joint are altered, resulting in abnormal joint movement and proprioception 2. Altered forces at the joint that result in abnormal muscular activity and impaired neuromuscular communication at the joint Arthrokinetic Inhibition The neuromuscular phenomenon that occurs when a joint dysfunction inhibits the muscles that surround the joint Articular (Hyaline) Cartilage Cartilage that covers the articular surfaces of bones Articulation Junctions of bones, muscles, and connective tissue at which movement occurs. Also known as a joint Assessment A process of determining the importance, size, or value of something Association Stage Fitt's second stage in which learners become more consistent with their movement with practice Atherosclerosis 1. Clogging, narrowing, and hardening of the body's large arteries and medium-sized blood vessels. Atherosclerosis can lead to stroke, heart attack, eye problems, and kidney problems. 2. Buildup of fatty plaques in arteries that leads to narrowing and reduced blood fl ow Atmospheric Pressure Everyday pressure in the air Atrioventricular (AV) Node A small mass of specialized cardiac muscle fi bers, located in the wall of the right atrium of the heart, that receives heartbeat impulses from the sinoatrial node and directs them to the walls of the ventricles Atrioventricular Valves Allow for proper blood fl ow from the atria to the ventricles Atrium The superior chamber of the heart that receives blood from the veins and forces it into the ventricles Augmented Feedback Information provided by some external source such as a fi tness professional, videotape, or a heart rate monitor Autogenic Inhibition The process by which neural impulses that sense tension are greater than the impulses that cause muscles to contract, providing an inhibitory effect to the muscle spindles Autonomous Stage Fitt's third stage of motor learning in which the learner has refi ned the skill to a level of automation Axial Skeleton Portion of the skeletal system that consists of the skull, rib cage, and vertebral column Axon A cylindric projection from the cell body that transmits nervous impulses to other neurons or effector sites Backside Mechanics Proper alignment of the rear leg and pelvis during sprinting, which includes ankle plantarfl exion, knee extension, hip extension, and neutral pelvis Balance 1. The ability to sustain or return the body's center of mass or line of gravity over its base of support. 2. When the body is in equilibrium and stationary, meaning no linear or angular movement Ball-and-Socket Joint Most-mobile joints that allow motion in all three planes. Examples would include the shoulder and hip Basal Ganglia A portion of the lower brain that is instrumental in the initiation and control of repetitive voluntary movements such as walking and running Beta-oxidation (b-oxidation) The breakdown of triglycerides into smaller subunits called free fatty acids (FFAs) to convert FFAs into acyl-CoA molecules, which then are available to enter the Krebs cycle and ultimately lead to the production of additional ATP Bicuspid (Mitral) Valve Two cusps control the blood fl ow from the left atrium to the left ventricle Bioenergetic Continuum Three main pathways used by the kinetic chain to produce ATP Bioenergetics The study of energy in the human body Biomechanics 1. A study that uses principles of physics to quantitatively study how forces interact within a living body. 2. The science concerned with the internal and external forces acting on the human body and the effects produced by these forces Bipenniform Muscle Fibers Muscle fi bers that are arranged with short, oblique fi bers that extend from both sides of a long tendon. An example would be the rectus femoris Blood Fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins, carries nutrients and oxygen to all parts of the body, and also rids the body of waste products Blood Lipids Also known as cholesterol and triglycerides, blood lipids are carried in the bloodstream by protein molecules known as high-density lipoproteins (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins (LDL) Blood Vessels Network of hollow tubes that circulates blood throughout the body Bones Provide a resting ground for muscles and protection of vital organs Bracing Occurs when you have contracted both the abdominal, lower back, and buttock muscles at the same time Brainstem The link between the sensory and motor nerves coming from the brain to the body and vice versa calorie The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water 1°C Calorie A unit of expression of energy equal to 1000 cal. The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of kilogram or lit of water 1°C Cancer Any of various types of malignant neoplasms, most of which invade surrounding tissues, may metastasize to several sites, and are likely to recur after attempted removal and to cause death of the patient unless adequately treated Capillaries The smallest blood vessels, and the site of exchange of chemicals and water between the blood and the tissues Carbohydrates 1. Organic compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, which include starches, cellulose, and sugars, and are an important source of energy. All carbohydrates are eventually broken down in the body to glucose, a simple sugar. 2. Neutral compounds of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen (such as sugars, starches and cellulosses), which make up a large portion of animal foods Cardiac Muscle Heart muscle Cardiac Output (Q• ) Heart rate × stroke volume, the overall performance of the heart Cardiorespiratory Fitness The ability of the circulatory and respiratory systems to supply oxygen rich blood to skeletal muscles during sustained physical activity Cardiorespiratory System A system of the body composed of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems Cardiorespiratory Training Any physical activity that involves and places stress on the cardiorespiratory system Cardiovascular Control Center (CVC) Directs impulses that will either increase or decrease cardiac output and peripheral resistance based on feedback from all structures involved Cardiovascular System A system of the body composed of the heart, blood, and blood vessels Cell Body The portion of the neuron that contains the nucleus, lysosomes, mitochondria, and a Golgi complex Central Controller Controls heart rate, left ventricular contractility, and arterial blood pressure by manipulating the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems Central Nervous System The portion of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord Cerebellum A portion of the lower brain that compares sensory information from the body and the external environment with motor information from the cerebral cortex to ensure smooth coordinated movement Cerebral Cortex A portion of the central nervous system that consists of the frontal lobe, parietal lobe, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe Cervical Spine The area of the spine containing the seven vertebrae that compose the neck Chain A system that is linked together or connected Chemoreceptors Sensory receptors that respond to chemical interaction (smell and taste)