BSEH SS Physical Education key terms

A screening ratio calculated from weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared, used to classify underweight, normal, overweight and obese ranges in adolescents and adults.

An active, deliberate pursuit of health that integrates physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual dimensions, going beyond the mere absence of disease or infirmity.

A non-communicable condition whose risk rises with habitual behaviour such as poor diet, inactivity, smoking or chronic stress, for example type 2 diabetes or hypertension.

Excess accumulation of body fat that impairs health, commonly screened by BMI or waist circumference and linked to inactivity, poor diet and metabolic disorders.

A workout in which the athlete performs a fixed sequence of exercises at separate stations, one after another, with brief rest, developing strength and endurance together.

A method alternating bouts of work at prescribed intensity with planned recovery periods, allowing high training loads and precise control of heart rate and pace.

Sustained aerobic work such as jogging, cycling or swimming held at a steady moderate intensity for an extended period to build cardiovascular endurance.

The training principle of gradually increasing load, volume, intensity or complexity so the body is stressed beyond its current capacity and adapts.

The rule that fitness gains are lost when training stops or becomes too easy, so detraining effects appear within weeks of reduced activity.

A preparatory phase of light aerobic activity and dynamic mobility work that raises muscle temperature, blood flow and joint readiness before the main session.

Gentle tapering activity and stretching after exercise that helps return heart rate and blood pressure toward resting levels and reduces stiffness.

Delayed onset muscle soreness: stiffness and tenderness felt roughly 24 to 72 hours after unfamiliar or strenuous exercise, peaking later than acute fatigue.

Injury to a ligament, the tough band linking bone to bone, caused by forced stretching or tearing beyond its normal range of motion.

Overstretch or tear of a muscle or its tendon, often from a sudden explosive contraction or overuse, producing pain and reduced power.

First-aid sequence for soft-tissue injury: rest, ice, compression and elevation, applied early to limit swelling and pain before rehabilitation begins.

The maximum rate at which the body can take up and use oxygen during sustained exercise, reflecting heart, lung and muscle efficiency.

Maximal oxygen consumption, expressed in millilitres of oxygen per kilogram per minute, widely used as the laboratory index of endurance fitness.

A field test of cardiovascular endurance in which the performer steps onto a bench at a set cadence and recovery heart rates are used to compute a fitness index.

A simple field measure of hamstring and lower-back flexibility, recorded as the distance reached on a box or scale with legs straight.

The degree to which a test measures the specific quality it claims to measure, so a sprint test is valid for speed but not for flexibility.

The consistency of a test, meaning repeated trials by the same performer under the same conditions produce similar scores.

Reference standards derived from a defined population, used to interpret a raw score as below average, average or above average for that group.

A battery of field items such as sit-ups, shuttle run, 50-yard dash and endurance run, used to assess multiple fitness components in school students.

A postural deviation in which the knees touch or cross while the ankles stay apart, altering alignment of the lower limbs during standing and walking.

A condition in which the arch of the foot is lowered or absent, so the sole contacts the ground more fully, affecting balance and gait.

A lateral curvature of the spine that may be structural or postural, sometimes producing uneven shoulders or hips in growing children.

The first menstrual period, a landmark of puberty in girls that coaches should consider when planning training loads and support.

An interlinked pattern of low energy availability, menstrual disturbance and reduced bone density seen in some female athletes, especially in lean or aesthetic sports.

Planning and adapting activities so students with disabilities take part alongside peers, using modified equipment, rules, space and instruction rather than exclusion.

Modified or specialised gear such as larger balls, lighter bats, tethers or seated frames that lets a learner with a disability perform a skill successfully.

A written plan setting personalised goals, services and accommodations for a student with a disability, reviewed with teachers, parents and specialists.

A knockout format in which a team is removed after one loss; the number of matches is one fewer than the number of entries.

A format where every entry plays every other entry, giving the fairest ranking; total matches equal n(n-1)/2 for n teams.

A free pass into the next round granted when the number of entries is not a power of two, so the bracket balances without extra matches.

Placing stronger or ranked entries at fixed positions in a draw so they meet weaker entries early and avoid each other until later rounds.

A format in which an entry is eliminated only after two losses, usually run through a winners' bracket and a losers' bracket before a final.

A nutrient needed in large amounts for energy or structure, namely carbohydrate, protein and fat, each supplying a different energy yield per gram.

A ranking of carbohydrate foods by how quickly they raise blood glucose, useful for timing pre-event and recovery meals.

A pre-competition strategy of tapering training while increasing carbohydrate intake to maximise muscle glycogen stores for endurance events.

Use of concentrated protein powders or bars to meet higher needs for repair and growth, effective only when total diet and training support it.

A synthetic hormone mimicking testosterone that builds muscle but is a banned performance-enhancing substance with serious health and ethical consequences.

The testing process, including urine and blood sampling and therapeutic use exemptions, that enforces anti-doping rules in competitive sport.

A rigid bar rotating about a fulcrum, used in biomechanics to classify human joint actions as first, second or third class.

The turning effect of a force, calculated as force multiplied by the perpendicular distance from the axis, governing joint torque.

The point at which the body's total weight acts, whose position relative to the base of support determines balance and stability.

The curved path of an object released into the air, shaped by projection angle, speed and height and influenced by gravity and air resistance.

Drive to take part arising from internal satisfaction such as enjoyment, curiosity or mastery, rather than external rewards or pressure.

Drive produced by external outcomes such as trophies, praise, scholarships or fear of punishment, which may fade when rewards stop.

The tendency to seek and persist at challenging tasks, weighing hope of success against fear of failure in competitive settings.

A negative emotional state of worry and apprehension, with cognitive and somatic components, that can disturb attention and coordination before competition.

A mental skill in which an athlete vividly rehearses a movement or scenario in the mind to prepare, build confidence and refine technique.