PE definitions

• Acclimatisation


  The effects a training system forces upon the body to compensate for the stresses of a new environment; heat and altitude training
• Action potential


  The change in electrical potential associated with the passage of an impulse along the membrane of a muscle cell or nerve cell
• Actin


  The thin protein filament found in the myofibril
• ADP (Adenosine Diphosphate)


  The production of energy results in ATP losing a phosphate which in turn results in the formation of ADP
• Aggression


  Any form of behaviour that is used to harm another individual
• All or none law


  All muscle fibres will be either be contracting or not activated at all. There is no in between action potential
• Amateurism


  Participating in sport for pleasure, rather than financial gain
• Angular momentum


  The amount of motion a body or object has during rotation. Angular velocity x moment of inertia
• Angular velocity


  The rate of movement of the body or object in rotation
• Anxiety


  A negative side effect of stress; state and trait anxiety
• Arousal


  Arousal is your level of excitement and readiness to perform. Your performance will be best at an optimum level of arousal
• Athleticism


  Combination of physical endeavour and moral integrity. Mixing honour, truth and sportsmanship
• Atkinson and Shiffren's multi-store memory model


  Human memory has three separate components: sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory
• ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)


  This is the energy source of the body, as it breaks down energy is released
• Altitude Training


  A performer who exposes their body to high altitude will cause it to acclimatise to the environment that has a lower level of oxygen available. It results in the production of EPO which in turn stimulates the production of more red blood cells which allows the body to deliver more oxygen to the working muscles
• Attitude


  A stable belief or feeling about something
• Bandura's theory of social learning


  Learning is a cognitive process that takes place in a social context and can occur purely through observation or direct instruction, even in the absence of motor reproduction or direct reinforcement
• Bandura's theory of self-efficacy


  The theory of self-efficacy lies at the centre of Bandura's social cognitive theory. This emphasises the role of observational learning and social experience in the development of the subjects' personality
• Bernoulli's principle


  The relationship between velocity and pressure as they act upon an object as it moves through fluid or air. The principle that in a flowing fluid or air, an increase in velocity happens simultaneously with decrease in pressure
• Biofeedback


  A technique that allows performers to control their physiological responses such as heart rate through the use of electrodes
• Borg scale of Perceived Exertion


  A measure of how hard you are exercising. The Borg Scale takes into account your fitness level: It matches how hard you feel you are working with numbers from 6 to 20; thus, it is a "relative" scale and unique to each person using it
• Cardiac cycle


  The order of events that take place during one heart beat. It includes the diastole and systole phase
• Cardiovascular drift


  The increase in heart rate that occurs during prolonged endurance exercise with little or no change in workload
• Centre of mass


  The point where all of the mass of the object is concentrated. When an object is supported at its centre of mass there is no net torque acting on the body and it will remain in static equilibrium
• Chelladurai's multi-dimensional model of sports leadership


  The model states that the leader will be more effective if the groups' satisfaction with the leader is high. A team which is not satisfied with its leader will not demonstrate the same level of performance or satisfaction. It takes into account the characteristics of the situation, leader and group members along with the required, preferred and actual behaviour
• Cognitive theory of learning

  Learning by observing and copying others
• Concentric contraction


  During this muscular contraction the muscle will shorten during the movement
• Continuous skills


  This shows movement with no clear start or stop point. The movements blend into each other
• Craik and Lockharts levels of processing model


  Memory is just a by-product of the depth of processing of information and there is no clear distinction between short term memory and long term memory
• Discrete skills


  The movement shows a clear start and end point
• Distributed practice


  Attempts at the skill are divided up with intervals in between to allow for rest, feedback and mental rehearsal. This is best used in difficult, dangerous or fatiguing skills and with young or lowly motivated individuals
• Eccentric contraction


  During this muscular contraction the muscle will lengthen during the movement
• Energy continuum


  The interaction of the three energy systems to provide energy to re-synthesise ATP. It shows the predominant system or percentage of each system dependant on the intensity and duration of the activity
• Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC)


  Informally called afterburn and is a measurably increased rate of oxygen intake following strenuous activity intended to erase the body's oxygen deficit
• Ergogenic aid


  A technique or substance used for the purpose of enhancing performance
• Extrinsic motivation


  Performing for rewards that maybe either tangible or intangible
• Fixator


  Muscles that work with the agonist muscle in creating effective movement by stabilising the bones during the movement
• Fixed practice


  This involves the repeated practise of a skill in order to strengthen the motor programme and create a habitual motor programme. This type of practice is best with discrete, closed skills
• Games ethic


  The belief in games as a vehicle for establishing/developing social control and character
• Globalisation


  The process by which sport has developed international influence and started to operate on an international scale