VCE Physical Education flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Anatomical position

Reference posture with the body standing erect, eyes forward, arms by the sides and palms facing anteriorly. All directional terms such as superior, inferior, medial and lateral are defined relative to this position.

Sagittal plane

A vertical plane dividing the body into left and right portions. Movements occurring primarily in this plane are flexion and extension, such as elbow flexion during a biceps curl.

Frontal plane

A vertical plane dividing the body into front and back portions. Abduction, adduction, inversion and eversion occur mainly in this plane, for example raising the arms sideways.

Synovial joint

A freely movable joint containing a fluid-filled cavity. Features include articular cartilage, a joint capsule, synovial membrane and fluid, plus ligaments and tendons, as seen in the knee and shoulder.

Sliding filament model

Explanation of muscle contraction in which actin filaments slide over myosin filaments, shortening sarcomeres. Calcium ions and ATP are required, and the filaments themselves do not shorten.

Agonist muscle

The prime mover that produces the desired movement by contracting. During elbow flexion the biceps brachii is the agonist while the triceps brachii acts as antagonist.

Third-class lever

A lever with the effort between the fulcrum and the load. Most joints act as third-class levers, which favour speed and range of movement over mechanical force advantage.

Red marrow function

Red bone marrow, found mainly in spongy bone at the epiphyses of long bones, produces red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets through haemopoiesis.

Cardiac output formula

Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume, expressed in litres per minute. For example, 70 beats per minute times 70 millilitres equals about 4.9 litres per minute.

ATP-CP system

The phosphagen energy system uses stored creatine phosphate to rebuild ATP very rapidly without oxygen. It dominates maximal efforts lasting up to roughly ten seconds, such as a sprint start.

Anaerobic glycolysis

Breakdown of glucose or muscle glycogen without oxygen, yielding about two ATP per glucose and producing lactate. It dominates high-intensity efforts lasting roughly ten to ninety seconds.

Aerobic energy system

Oxygen-dependent breakdown of carbohydrate and fat through glycolysis, the Krebs cycle and electron transport chain in mitochondria. It yields large amounts of ATP and supports sustained submaximal activity.

FITT principle

Training guideline specifying frequency, intensity, time and type of exercise. Manipulating these variables applies the overload principle so the body adapts to progressively greater training demands.

Reversibility

The training principle that fitness gains are lost when training stops or is reduced. Detraining effects include decreased stroke volume, reduced oxidative enzymes and slower endurance performance.

RICER protocol

Acute soft-tissue injury management: rest, ice, compression, elevation and referral. Applied during the first 48 to 72 hours, it limits bleeding, swelling and secondary tissue damage.

Skill-related fitness components

Components associated with athletic performance: speed, agility, balance, coordination, power and reaction time. They are distinguished from health-related components such as endurance, strength and flexibility.

Open motor skill

A skill performed in an unpredictable, changing environment where the performer must adapt, such as returning a serve in tennis. Contrasts with closed skills performed in stable, predictable conditions.

Associative stage of learning

The second stage of skill learning, where performers refine technique, make fewer errors and begin to link movements consistently. Practice focuses on consistency and feedback about technique.

Knowledge of performance

Extrinsic feedback about the quality or technique of a movement rather than its outcome, such as a coach noting that the elbow dropped during a shot.

Random practice

Practising skills in varied, unpredictable order rather than in blocks. It typically produces poorer performance during practice but better retention and transfer to competition.

Force summation

Sequentially using body segments from large to small, each adding force, so total force is maximised. Correct timing and sequence produce greater speed, as in a tennis serve.

Projectile release angle

The angle at which an object is released. In the absence of air resistance, about 45 degrees maximises range; faster projectiles travel further at lower angles and slower ones at higher angles.

Oxygen deficit

The difference between oxygen required and oxygen actually consumed at the start of exercise, before oxygen uptake catches up with demand. It reflects reliance on anaerobic energy systems early in activity.

EPOC

Excess post-exercise oxygen consumption: elevated oxygen uptake after exercise that replenishes ATP-CP stores, restores oxygen in blood and muscle, and assists lactate removal and temperature recovery.

Test validity

The extent to which a fitness test measures the component it claims to measure. A valid test of aerobic power must genuinely reflect cardiorespiratory endurance rather than strength or skill.

Test reliability

The consistency of a fitness test when repeated under the same conditions. Standardised protocols, equipment, warm-ups and timing improve reliability and allow meaningful comparison of results.

Periodisation

Organising training into planned cycles: a macrocycle covering a season or year, mesocycles of weeks to months, and microcycles of about a week, progressing from general preparation to competition.

Tapering

A planned reduction in training volume while maintaining intensity for one to three weeks before competition. It reduces accumulated fatigue while preserving fitness, optimising competition performance.

Carbohydrate loading

Increasing dietary carbohydrate intake in the days before endurance competition to maximise muscle glycogen stores, delaying fatigue and extending the time before glycogen depletion limits performance.

Overtraining symptoms

Persistent fatigue, declining performance, elevated resting heart rate, sleep disturbance and mood changes resulting from excessive training without adequate recovery. Management requires rest and reduced load.

Plyometric training

Exercises using rapid stretch-shortening cycles, such as bounding and box jumps, to develop muscular power and explosive strength. Adequate base strength and recovery are needed to reduce injury risk.

Pre-event meal

A meal eaten roughly two to three hours before competition, high in carbohydrate and low in fat and fibre to promote digestion and glycogen availability while reducing gastrointestinal discomfort.