Punjab PSEB Senior Secondary NSQF Physical Education key terms

The ability to carry out daily tasks with vigour and alertness, without undue fatigue, and with enough energy left to enjoy leisure and meet emergencies. It includes health-related and skill-related components.

The five qualities that support good health: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility and body composition. These are the main targets of a conditioning programme and are tested in fitness batteries.

The six qualities that support sports performance: speed, agility, balance, coordination, power and reaction time. They matter most for athletic performance rather than for general health.

The proportion of fat mass to lean mass (muscle, bone, water and organs) in the body. It is usually estimated from skinfold measurements or BMI and reflects nutritional and activity status.

A screening number found by dividing body mass in kilograms by height in metres squared. Values are compared with age-appropriate cut-offs to classify underweight, normal, overweight and obese status.

The range of motion available at a joint or group of joints. It depends on muscle elasticity, joint structure and connective tissue, and is improved by static and dynamic stretching done after warm-up.

The ability to change body position and direction quickly and accurately while maintaining control. It is trained with ladder drills, cone shuttles and zig-zag running, and tested by the shuttle run.

The ability to exert maximum force in the shortest possible time, as in jumping and throwing. It combines strength and speed and is trained through plyometrics and explosive weightlifting movements.

A preparatory phase of light aerobic activity followed by dynamic mobility and sport-specific movements. It raises muscle temperature, increases blood flow and reduces injury risk before the main session.

Gentle tapering activity and static stretching performed after exercise. It helps return heart rate and breathing to resting levels, aids removal of metabolic waste and reduces next-day stiffness.

The training principle of gradually increasing the demands placed on the body, such as load, repetitions, distance or intensity, so that adaptation continues without causing injury or overtraining.

The guiding rules of conditioning: overload, progression, specificity, reversibility, individuality, variety and recovery. Programmes that ignore them produce plateaus, injury or loss of gained fitness.

The rule that training adaptations are specific to the muscles, energy systems and movement patterns trained. A distance runner must run to improve running, not only cycle or lift weights.

A fatigue state caused by excessive training without adequate rest. Signs include persistent soreness, falling performance, disturbed sleep, raised resting heart rate and loss of motivation.

The rest and restoration period that allows the body to repair tissue and replenish energy stores after training. It includes sleep, nutrition, hydration and easy or rest days.

Exercises in which muscles are rapidly stretched then immediately contracted, such as bounding, hopping and box jumps. They develop explosive power and require good strength and landing technique first.

The maximum force a muscle or muscle group can produce in a single effort. It is developed by lifting heavy loads for few repetitions and is commonly tested by handgrip or one-repetition maximum.

The ability of a muscle group to sustain repeated contractions against a submaximal resistance over time. It is built with higher repetitions and tested by sit-ups, push-ups and flexed-arm hang.

A fitness test in which the performer sprints between two lines a set distance apart, picking up blocks or crossing the line each time. It measures speed, agility and change of direction.

The ability to cover a distance in the shortest possible time. It depends on stride length, stride frequency, reaction time and muscle fibre composition, and is trained with short maximal sprints.

The interval between a stimulus, such as the starter's signal, and the beginning of the response. It is a skill-related component trained with starting drills and improved by attention and anticipation.

Controlled movements that lengthen muscles and connective tissue to improve range of motion. Static holds suit cool-downs; dynamic swings and leg swings suit warm-ups before activity.

Voluntary striated muscle attached to bones by tendons. It contracts under nervous control to produce movement, maintain posture and generate heat, and it works in opposing pairs across joints.

The muscle that opposes the action of the prime mover at a joint and relaxes as the prime mover contracts. In elbow flexion the triceps acts as antagonist to the biceps.

The explanation of muscle contraction in which actin filaments slide over myosin filaments, shortening the sarcomere. Calcium ions and ATP are required, and the process is triggered by a nerve impulse.

A by-product formed when glucose is broken down without sufficient oxygen during intense exercise. Its accumulation is linked to muscle fatigue and burning, and it is cleared during active recovery.

The maximum amount of oxygen the body can take up and use during sustained exercise, often written as VO2 max. It reflects heart, lung and muscle efficiency and is the base of endurance performance.

The volume of blood pumped by the heart in one minute, equal to heart rate multiplied by stroke volume. It rises during exercise to deliver more oxygen to working muscles.

The speed at which heart rate returns towards resting level after exercise stops. A faster fall generally indicates better cardiovascular fitness and is a simple field measure of training status.

A rigid bar that rotates about a fixed point, the fulcrum, when force is applied. In the body, bones are levers, joints are fulcrums and muscles supply the effort force.

The process of defining specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound targets for training or performance. Clear short-term goals sustain motivation and let athletes track progress objectively.

The drive to take part in sport for internal reasons such as enjoyment, mastery and personal satisfaction. It is more durable than external rewards and supports long-term adherence to training.

The general level of physiological and psychological activation an athlete experiences before and during performance. Too little or too much arousal can reduce performance, so athletes learn regulation techniques.

A negative emotional state of worry, nervousness and apprehension linked to perceived threat of failure. It may be cognitive, involving thoughts, or somatic, involving bodily signs such as sweating.

Mentally rehearsing a movement or performance situation using all the senses without physically executing it. It builds confidence, sharpens technique and is used alongside physical practice.

A diet supplying all nutrients in correct proportion: carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, fibre and water. It matches energy intake to energy expenditure and supports growth and recovery.

Maintaining adequate body water before, during and after activity. Even mild dehydration raises heart rate, impairs thermoregulation and reduces performance, so fluids are taken at regular intervals.

A positional infringement rule in games such as football and hockey that restricts players from gaining an unfair advantage ahead of the ball or puck. Sanction is an indirect free hit or free kick.

An action that breaks the rules of a game, such as illegal contact, holding or obstruction. The official stops play and awards the opposing team the appropriate restart or penalty.

Standard hand and whistle signals an official uses to communicate decisions, such as pointing for direction, raising an arm for a penalty or showing cards for misconduct. They keep play clear and consistent.

Immediate, temporary care given to an injured or ill person before professional help arrives. In sport it covers rest, ice, compression and elevation for sprains and safe handling of suspected fractures.

A first-aid routine for soft-tissue injury: rest, ice, compression and elevation. It limits swelling and pain in the first 48 hours; ice is applied for short periods with a cloth barrier.