PE

• Ability


  Inherited, stable traits that determine an individual's potential to learn or acquire a skill.
• Adaptability


  The potential to change with ease.
• Abduction


  Movement away from the midline of the body.
• Adduction


  Movement towards the midline of the body.
• Adrenaline


  Natural hormone released to speed heart rate up.
• Aerobic


  Exercise in the presence of or using oxygen.
• Aerobic training zone


  The zone allowing aerobic system training, working at 60-80% of maximum heart rate.
• Aggression


  A deliberate intent to harm or injure another person, physical or mental.
• Agility


  The ability to move and change direction quickly whilst maintaining control.
• Agonist (prime mover)


  Muscle or group responsible for the movement.
• Altitude


  A geographical area over 2,000 m above sea level.
• Altitude training (traditional)


  Training at altitude where there is less oxygen, body adapts by making more red blood cells to carry oxygen.
• Altitude sickness


  Nausea caused by training at altitude.
• Alveoli


  Air sacs in the lungs.
• Amateur


  Someone who takes part in an activity as a hobby, without financial gain.
• Anabolic steroids


  Artificially produced male hormones mimicking testosterone, promoting muscle and bone growth.
• Anaerobic


  Working without enough or without oxygen.
• Antagonist


  Muscle acting to produce the opposite action to the agonist, working in antagonistic pairs.
• Arousal


  A physical and mental state of alertness/readiness, varying from deep sleep to intense excitement/alertness.
• Articulating bones


  Where two or more bones meet to allow movement at a joint.
• Artery


  Blood vessel with small lumen and thick muscular walls, carries blood away from the heart.
• Axis


  Imaginary line through the body around which it rotates.
• Backflow


  The flowing backwards of blood, prevented by valves in the veins.
• Balance


  The maintenance of the centre of mass over the base of support, static or dynamic.
• Balanced diet


  Eating the right amount for energy expended, different food types for suitable nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
• Beta blockers


  Drugs used to steady nerves by controlling heart rate, calming and relaxing effect.
• Blood doping


  A technique to increase the amount of red blood cells in the body.
• Blood pressure


  The pressure that blood is under, systolic - when the heart is contracting, diastolic - when the heart is relaxed.
• Body composition


  The percentage of body weight which is fat and non-fat (muscle and bone).
• Body mass index (BMI)


  A measure using height and weight to calculate healthy weight.
• Calorie


  A unit measuring heat or energy production in the body, expressed as Kcal.
• Capillary


  Thin blood vessel allowing exchange of materials between blood and body tissues.
• Carbohydrate


  The body's preferred energy source.
• Cardiac cycle


  The process of the heart going through the stages of systole and diastole in the atria and ventricles.
• Cardiac output


  The amount of blood ejected from the heart in one minute.
• Cardio-vascular endurance (aerobic power)


  The ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen to the working muscles.
• Cartilage


  Strong connective tissue acting as a buffer between bones, absorbing shock and preventing friction.
• Circuit training


  A series of exercise stations with periods of work interspersed with periods of rest.
• Circumduction


  Turning or circular motion around a joint in more than one plane.
• Closed season


  Period of rest to recuperate, gentle aerobic exercise, fully rested and ready for pre-season training.