50 of the SEHS glossary’s terms, each with the part of the syllabus where you first meet it.
The transfer of heat as infrared waves between the skin and surrounding objects without contact; the body loses heat to cooler surroundings and gains it from the sun and hot surfaces.
A method of structuring a warm-up in four phases: raise (temperature, heart rate and blood flow), activate (key muscles), mobilise (range of motion) and potentiate (sport-specific near-maximal efforts).
An unpredictable variation in measurements that scatters values above and below the true value; its effect is reduced by repeating measurements and calculating a mean.
Practising several skills or variations in a mixed, unpredictable order within a session, which lowers performance during practice but usually improves retention and transfer.
A method of choosing participants so that every member of the target population has an equal chance of being selected, which helps the sample represent that population.
The amount of movement possible at a joint, usually measured in degrees from one end of the movement to the other.
A subjective rating of how hard exercise feels, usually on the Borg 6–20 scale or the CR-10 scale, used to monitor and prescribe exercise intensity.
The time between the presentation of a stimulus and the initiation of the response to it.
The part of a schema that relates initial conditions and past response specifications to their outcomes, used before a movement to select the parameters needed.
A specialised cell or group of cells that detects a change in a regulated variable and sends information about it to a control centre, usually as nerve impulses.
The automatic relaxation of the antagonist when the agonist contracts, caused by inhibitory nerve signals in the spinal cord, which allows smooth and efficient movement at a joint.
The part of a schema that relates initial conditions and past outcomes to the sensory consequences of movement, used during and after a movement to detect errors.
The processes by which the body returns to its pre-exercise state after exercise, restoring energy stores, fluid balance and tissue so the next session or competition can be performed.
A training principle stating that adequate rest between sessions and within a programme is needed for the body to repair, refuel and adapt; without it fatigue accumulates and performance declines.
The final phase of each cycle of a continuous skill, in which the limbs return to the starting position for the next cycle, often with relaxed muscles to save energy.
A biconcave, disc-shaped blood cell with no nucleus, packed with haemoglobin, whose function is to carry oxygen from the lungs to the tissues.
A coping technique in which an individual deliberately changes the interpretation of a thought, feeling or situation so that it becomes helpful, such as seeing a racing heart as readiness, not fear.
The structured process of restoring an injured person’s range of motion, strength, neuromuscular control, fitness and confidence until they can safely return to their previous level of activity.
A mini-theory of self-determination theory proposing that positive interpersonal relationships are essential for well-being, and that the best relationships are those in which each person supports the other’s autonomy.
A syndrome of impaired physiological and psychological function, affecting health and performance, caused by problematic (prolonged or severe) low energy availability in athletes of any sex; also written RED-S.
The amount of water vapour in the air as a percentage of the most the air could hold at that temperature; high relative humidity slows the evaporation of sweat.
Learned methods, such as controlled breathing, progressive muscle relaxation and biofeedback, that reduce physiological and psychological arousal by decreasing sympathetic and increasing parasympathetic activity.
A hormone produced mainly during pregnancy that increases the laxity of ligaments, especially those of the pelvis, so that the pelvis can widen for childbirth.
The consistency of a measurement or method: the extent to which it gives the same results when repeated under the same conditions, by the same or a different tester.
A stage of sleep with rapid eye movements, fast brain activity, dreaming and relaxed skeletal muscles, concentrated late in the night and linked to memory and skill consolidation.
The movement that returns the thumb from opposition to its position in the anatomical position.
A focused question that an investigation sets out to answer, naming the independent and dependent variables (or two correlated variables), how they are measured and the population or system studied.
The volume of air that remains in the lungs after a maximal expiration, about 1.2 L in a young adult man; it cannot be measured with a simple spirometer.
The ability to adapt positively to and recover from adversity, setbacks or stress, returning to previous levels of functioning or performance; one part of mental toughness.
Exercise in which muscles contract against an external resistance, such as free weights, machines, elastic bands or body weight, to improve strength, endurance, hypertrophy or power.
The number of breaths taken per minute, also called breathing frequency; about 12–16 breaths min⁻¹ at rest in an adult.
A region of the medulla oblongata, working with the pons, that sets the rate and depth of breathing by sending impulses to the diaphragm and intercostal muscles.
The mechanism by which pressure changes in the chest and abdomen during breathing squeeze blood from abdominal veins into the veins of the chest and towards the heart.
The organ system of airways, lungs and breathing muscles that moves air into and out of the lungs and exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide between the air and the blood.
Individuals who show large improvements (responders) or little or no improvement (non-responders) in a given measure after following the same standardised training programme, partly because of genetics.
The total time from the onset of a stimulus to the completion of the movement in response to it, equal to reaction time plus movement time.
The single overall (net) force acting on a body when all the forces acting on it are combined, taking their directions into account; it decides the body’s acceleration.
In need achievement theory, the overall motivation to approach or avoid an achievement situation, produced by the interaction of personality factors (nAch and nAf) with the probability and incentive value of success.
A test of a skill after a period without practice, used to show whether improvements made during practice have been retained and so reflect learning.
A backward (posterior) movement of a body part in the transverse plane, such as pulling the shoulder blades together at the end of a rowing stroke.
The influence of learning a new skill on the performance of a skill that was learned earlier, which may be positive or negative.
A staged strategy for returning to school or work after concussion, increasing cognitive load step by step from daily activities to full-time study, with progress guided by symptoms.
The point at which an injured athlete is judged able to resume full training and competition safely, based on medical clearance and objective criteria for healing, function and psychological readiness.
A training principle stating that training adaptations are gradually lost when training stops or falls below the level needed to maintain them.
A change in behaviour in which a person takes greater risks because they feel safer, for example when wearing protective equipment, partly offsetting the protection it gives.
Any characteristic of an individual or their environment that increases the probability of injury, without on its own causing it.
A person whose behaviour, attitudes and values are observed and imitated by others, especially when they are held in high regard because they are similar, competent or high in status.
The turning of a bone about its own longitudinal axis in the transverse plane; medial rotation turns its front towards the midline and lateral rotation away from it.
The oxygen cost of running at a given submaximal speed, in mL kg⁻¹ min⁻¹ or mL kg⁻¹ km⁻¹; a more economical runner uses less oxygen at the same speed.