36 of the SEHS glossary’s terms, each with the part of the syllabus where you first meet it.
The booklet of diagrams, equations, units, constants and statistical formulas that every candidate receives as a clean copy in each Sports, exercise and health science examination paper.
An examination question built around a stimulus of data, such as a table, graph or short description of a study, that asks candidates to read, process, interpret and evaluate that information.
The use of a false movement or cue, such as a dummy or fake, to make an opponent respond to it, so their response to the real movement is delayed by the psychological refractory period.
A positional term meaning further from the surface of the body than another structure, for example the femur is deep to the quadriceps.
The number of independent ways in which the parts of the body (joints, muscles, motor units) can move, which must be controlled and coordinated to produce a movement.
The process of losing body water, so that losses such as sweat and urine exceed intake; the resulting state of reduced body water is called hypohydration.
Muscle pain and stiffness beginning about 12–24 hours after unaccustomed or eccentric exercise, peaking at about 24–72 hours and caused by muscle damage and inflammation.
The variable that is measured in an investigation to find out how it responds to changes in the independent variable.
A downward movement of a body part in the frontal plane, such as lowering the shoulder girdle during a dip.
Modifications of a sport’s rules, equipment or playing conditions for young players according to their age and maturity, designed to reduce injury risk and suit their physical and skill development.
A dome-shaped sheet of skeletal muscle separating the thoracic and abdominal cavities, which contracts and flattens to enlarge the thoracic cavity; the main muscle of inspiration.
Slow, deep breathing in which the diaphragm, not the chest and shoulders, does most of the work, so the abdomen rises on inhalation; it lowers heart rate and arousal.
The shaft of a long bone: a tube of compact bone surrounding the medullary cavity, which contains yellow bone marrow.
The phase of the cardiac cycle in which heart muscle relaxes and the chambers fill with blood, with the semilunar valves closed and the atrioventricular valves open.
The lowest pressure in the arteries, reached while the ventricles relax and fill; about 80 mmHg at rest in a healthy young adult.
The passive net movement of molecules from a region of higher concentration or partial pressure to a region of lower concentration, needing no energy.
A skill with a clear beginning and a clear end, usually performed quickly, such as a basketball free throw, a golf drive or a penalty kick.
A maladaptive coping strategy in which an individual reduces or stops their effort to deal with a stressor or reach a goal, either mentally (not thinking about the task) or behaviourally (giving up).
An injury in which the articulating surfaces of the bones in a joint are forced completely out of contact, usually stretching or tearing the joint capsule and ligaments.
The shortest straight-line distance between the start and finish positions of a body, in a stated direction; a vector measured in metres (m).
A positional term meaning further from the trunk, or from the point where a limb attaches to the trunk, than another structure, for example the ankle is distal to the knee.
The total length of the path travelled by a body, regardless of direction; a scalar measured in metres (m).
The movement of attention away from task-relevant cues to information irrelevant to the task, so that concentration is lost.
A negative form of stress in which a demand is perceived as threatening or overwhelming, producing fear, worry and helplessness that usually harm performance and well-being.
Practice with rest intervals or other activities between attempts or blocks, allowing recovery and mental rehearsal; suited to beginners and complex or demanding skills.
A non-specific goal in which the individual is simply asked to try as hard as possible, with no defined target or standard of performance.
The most likely, habitual response of a performer in a situation; increased arousal makes it more likely to occur, whether it is correct or incorrect.
A movement at the ankle in the sagittal plane that brings the top of the foot towards the shin, decreasing the angle at the front of the ankle.
Travelling closely behind another competitor or vehicle, in their wake, to reduce drag and the energy needed to maintain speed; also called slipstreaming.
The force exerted by a fluid that resists the motion of a body through it, acting opposite to the body's motion relative to the fluid; also called fluid resistance.
A theory proposing a positive linear relationship between arousal and performance, in which increased arousal makes the dominant response more likely, improving well-learned skills and impairing new ones.
Withdrawal from a sport or physical activity before a person has reached their potential or chosen to stop for positive reasons, often linked to low perceived ability, low enjoyment or an ego-involving environment.
The friction between two surfaces that are sliding relative to each other, ; usually smaller than limiting static friction.
An inward collapse of the knee during landing, cutting or squatting, combining hip adduction, hip internal rotation and knee abduction, which increases load on the ACL and the kneecap.
A stretching method in which a joint is moved actively and in a controlled way through its full range of motion, repeatedly, often using movements that resemble the sport.
A theory treating the body as a complex system of many interacting parts whose coordinated movement patterns emerge through self-organisation under individual, task and environmental constraints.