GFI Study Guide: Exercise and Science Fundamentals

Fundamentals of Exercise Science

The Human Movement System

• The human movement system consists of the interrelation of the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems to create movement.

The Nervous System

• The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord, and coordinates the activity of body parts.
• The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of all nerves branching off the spinal cord, extending out to the body.
• Mechanoreceptors are sensory neurons that detect distortion in body tissues.
• Examples of mechanoreceptors include Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindles.
• Golgi tendon organs sense changes in muscular tension, responding by relaxing the muscle to slow controlled movement.
• Muscle spindles sense changes in muscular length, responding by contracting muscles that are lengthening too quickly and forcefully.

The Muscular System

• Skeletal muscles are responsible for creating movement and maintaining posture in activities of daily living and exercise.
• Skeletal muscles are composed of muscle fibers, which can be primarily divided into two main types: Type I (slow twitch) and Type II (fast twitch).
• Type I muscle fibers are more aerobic, slower to reach maximal contraction, and resistant to fatigue.
• Type II muscle fibers are more anaerobic, produce more speed and strength, and faster to fatigue.
• All skeletal muscles contain sarcomeres, which are individual contractile units that contain actin and myosin filaments.
• Tendons are the end of the muscle that connects to bone, anchoring to produce force, and are considered connective tissue between the muscular and skeletal systems.

Muscle Actions/Types of Contractions

• Concentric muscle action occurs when a muscle develops tension to overcome a resistive force, resulting in the shortening of the muscle.
• Eccentric muscle action occurs when a muscle develops tension while lengthening.
• Isometric muscle action occurs when a muscle is exerting force equal to the force being placed on it, leading to no visible change in the muscle length.

Roles of Muscles

• Agonist muscles are directly responsible for a specific movement and are also called the prime mover.
• Antagonist muscles perform the opposite movement of the agonist or prime mover and are also called the opposing muscle group.

The Skeletal System

• The skeletal system consists of the axial skeleton (skull, rib cage, and vertebral column) and the appendicular skeleton (bones of upper and lower extremities).
• Ligaments connect bone to bone, have limited blood flow, and are slow to repair.
• Functions of the skeletal system include movement, support, protection, blood production, and mineral storage.

The Cardiorespiratory System

• The cardiovascular and respiratory systems work together to transport oxygen, nutrients, and other substances throughout the body.
• The cardiovascular system includes the heart and all the blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) that pump blood through the body.
• The respiratory system includes the airway and lungs, inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.
• Heart rate (HR) is the rate at which the heart pumps, usually measured in beats per minute (bpm).
• Stroke volume (SV) is the amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each contraction.
• Cardiac output (Q̇) is the heart rate multiplied by stroke volume, a measure of the overall performance of the heart and the amount of blood the heart pumps over a period of time.

Fundamental Kinesiology

• Anatomic terms and locations include anterior (front of body), posterior (back of body), superior (above point of reference), and inferior (below point of reference).
• Planes of motion include sagittal (divides body into left and right sections; movements are in a forward-backward direction), frontal (divides body into front and back sections; movements are lateral, or side-to-side), and transverse (bisects body into top and bottom sections; movements are rotational, or across the body).### Joint Motion and Movement Terminology
• Joint motion terminology:
  • Flexion: Decreases the angle of the joint (e.g., bending the elbow)
  • Extension: Increases the angle of the joint (e.g., straightening the elbow)
  • Abduction: Moves away from the midline of the body (e.g., lifting arms out to the side)
  • Adduction: Moves toward the midline of the body (e.g., bringing arms back in to the body)
  • Internal Rotation: Rotates toward the midline of the body (e.g., rotating shoulders forward/inward)
  • External Rotation: Rotates away from the midline of the body (e.g., rotating legs outward)

Basic Joint Movement

• Spine:
  • Flexion: Rounding the spine forward (e.g., abdominal crunch)
  • Extension: Extending the spine backward (e.g., back extension)
  • Rotation: Twisting the spine in either direction (e.g., Russian twist or lunge with a twist)
• Shoulder Joint:
  • Flexion: Reaching forward in the sagittal plane (e.g., front raise)
  • Extension: Bringing the arm down and back or swimming motions (e.g., row or lat pull-down)
  • Abduction: Moving the arm away from the body in the frontal plane (e.g., lateral raise or upward motion of a jumping jack)
  • Adduction: Moving the arm toward the body in the frontal plane (e.g., downward motion of a jumping jack)
  • Horizontal Abduction: Moving the arm away from midline in the transverse plane (e.g., wide-grip row)
  • Horizontal Adduction: Bringing the arm forward toward midline in the transverse plane (e.g., push-up, bench press, or chest fly)
• Hip Joint:
  • Extension: Extending the leg backward in the sagittal plane (e.g., upward phase of a squat, deadlift, or glute leg raise)
  • Flexion: Bringing the leg forward in the sagittal plane (e.g., leg lifts or high knees)
  • Abduction: Bringing the thigh away from midline (e.g., side-lying leg raises)
  • Adduction: Bringing the thigh toward midline (e.g., lateral lunges or inner thigh squeezes)
• Knee Joint:
  • Flexion: Bending the knee (e.g., hamstring curls)
  • Extension: Straightening the knee (e.g., upward phase of squats or lunges)
• Ankle Joint:
  • Plantarflexion: Pointing the toes (e.g., calf raise, jumping, or bouncing)
  • Dorsiflexion: Flexing the foot (e.g., heel walking or toe lifts)

Bioenergetics and Metabolism

• Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Bioenergetics: The study of energy production in the body (ATP)
• Metabolism: The process of acquiring, transporting, using, and disposing of nutrients in the body
• Energy systems: Aerobic and anaerobic systems

Energy Systems

• ATP-PC System: 0-6 seconds, extremely high intensity, explosive movements (e.g., tuck jump or burpee)
• ATP-PC and Glycolytic System: 6-30 seconds, very high intensity, fast movements (e.g., short sprint)
• Glycolytic System: 30-120 seconds, high intensity, sustained movements (e.g., 40-second cardio interval)
• Glycolytic and Oxidative System: 2-3 minutes, moderate intensity, sustained movements (e.g., cardio dance combo)
• Oxidative System: Beyond 3 minutes, low intensity, steady movements (e.g., treadmill walking or jogging)

Training Science

• General Adaptation Syndrome: 3 phases of adaptation to exercise and stress (Alarm, Adaptation, Exhaustion)
• Training Principles:
  • Adaptation: Long-term changes to the human movement system
  • Overload: Applying an exercise stimulus at an intensity greater than the body is accustomed to
  • Progression: Systematically increasing or decreasing the exercise stimulus over time
  • Specificity: The type of exercise stimulus determines the expected physiological outcome

Specific Adaptations to Exercise

• Biomechanics: Joint actions and plane of motion (e.g., improving single-leg hip and knee extension in the sagittal plane)
• Neuromuscular: Specific movement patterns and speed of movement (e.g., training lower body muscles to produce force quickly)
• Metabolic: Energy demand placed on the body (e.g., improving aerobic endurance with long-duration, low- to moderate-intensity activities)

Integrated Fitness

• Comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise (e.g., flexibility, core, balance, plyometric, SAQ, cardiorespiratory, and resistance training)
• Components of integrated fitness:
  • Endurance: Increased ability to perform repeated or sustained contractions
  • Strength: Increased ability to lift a heavy weight
  • Neuromuscular efficiency: Increased movement performance
  • Power: Increased explosive ability
  • Flexibility: Increased range of motion of a joint or muscle

Cardiorespiratory Training ZONE Categories

• Zone 1: Aerobic base, active recovery, and warm-up
• Zone 2: Moderate to hard effort
• Zone 3: Hard to very hard effort
• Zone 4: Very hard to maximal effort

Resistance Training Goal and Recommended Ranges

• Endurance: 15-25 repetitions
• Strength: 8-12 repetitions (lower for advanced lifters)
• Hypertrophy: 8-12 repetitions
• Power: 3-6 repetitions

Assigned Tempos for Adaptations of Integrated Fitness

• Slow: 4/2/1 tempo (endurance)
• Moderate: 2/0/2 tempo (strength)
• Fast: x/x/x tempo (maximal strength, power)### Special Considerations
• Congestive heart failure: Impairment of the heart muscle's pumping power
• Atherosclerosis: Narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of plaque along their walls
• Peripheral artery disease: Reduced blood flow to the extremities due to the narrowing of arteries
• Stroke: Reduced or interrupted blood supply to the brain, leading to chronic paralysis or physical dysfunction
• Cancer: Abnormal, invasive growth of cells within the body
• Osteoporosis: Weakened bones prone to fracture

Considerations for Participants

• Hypertension: Modify tempo to avoid extended isometric and concentric muscle actions
• Cardiovascular disease: Follow medical advice and recommendations; progress slowly
• Obesity: Obtain a medical release from a physician; consider reduced intensity and duration
• Cancer: Avoid physical inactivity when possible; start and progress slowly
• Osteoporosis: Focus on building bone mineral density with heavy resistance training and balance training
• Older adults: Consider side effects of medications; include socialization and emphasize safety and community

Environmental Considerations

• Thermoregulation: Maintain a reasonable temperature (68-72°F) and humidity level
• Altitude: Recognize the effects on exercise performance
• Pollution: Avoid exercising in areas with high air pollution (AQI > 150)
• Temperature-related injuries: Recognize signs of hypothermia, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke

Benefits of Group Fitness and Exercise

• Accountability, commitment, community, and motivation
• Improved consistency, performance, and enjoyment
• Instructors can contribute to improvements by understanding participant conditions

Class Design and Planning

• Class vision: Clearly defined intention of the class experience
• Outcome and objective considerations: Participant expectations, movements, equipment, time, intensity, and sequencing
• S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely
• Flow: Create a seamless experience from start to finish
• Pre-class set-up: Arrive early, evaluate equipment, and resolve technical difficulties

Group Fitness Methods

• Pre-choreographed: Created by a single person or business
• Pre-designed: Template provides overall direction while allowing manipulation of other variables
• Freestyle: Choreography based on instructor's personal preference, skills, and knowledge

Exercise Selection

• Factors: Muscle groups, class objective, population, work-to-rest ratio, equipment, and location
• Modifications, progressions, and regressions: Offer options for participants to tailor the workout to their needs

Training Science

• General adaptation syndrome: The body's response to stress, consisting of 3 phases:
  • Alarm phase: Initial response to exercise, lasting 2-3 weeks
  • Adaptation phase: Body adapts to stimuli, with progressive improvement, lasting 4-12 weeks of consistent training
  • Exhaustion phase: Body can no longer tolerate demands of training, increasing risk of overtraining syndrome

Training Principles

• Adaptation: Long-term changes to the human movement system in response to exercise or physical activity, specific to the type of training performed
• Examples of adaptation: Increased muscular strength, size, or power, and improved cardiorespiratory fitness or flexibility
• Overload: Applying exercise stimulus at an intensity greater than the body is accustomed to, to create physiological changes
• Examples of overload: Slight increase in intensity, time, or number of repetitions
• Progression: Systematic increase or decrease in complexity, impact, or intensity of a movement or movement patterns over a long period of time
• Specificity: The type of exercise stimulus determines the expected physiological outcome, with all adaptations specific to the type and intensity of training

Group Fitness Formats

• Boot camp: Combination of resistance and cardio, total-body workout, and military-style presentation
• Examples of boot camp exercises: Jumps, burpees, mountain climbers, squats, lunges, skips, planks, push-ups, and shoulder press
• Mind–body: Controlled movements to increase mobility, stability, flexibility, balance, and breathing techniques
• Examples of mind–body exercises: Yoga, Pilates, T-ai Chi, core work, warrior poses, balance exercises, and breathing techniques
• Cycle: Stationary bicycles designed to simulate outdoor cycling, improving cardiovascular fitness
• Examples of cycle exercises: Cycle rides, climbs, and flat roads
• Specialty formats: Includes dance, aquatics, active aging adult, discipline-specific, equipment-driven, and hybrid formats

Intensity and Exercise Selection

• Exercise selection is based on goals and class environment
• Group Fitness Formats: Exercise and Equipment Selections
• Examples of strength and resistance exercises: Squat, lunge, push-up, shoulder press, crunches, upright row, and bicep curls
• Examples of equipment used: Body weight, dumbbells, resistance bands, medicine balls, and mats
• HIIT and interval training: Alternate higher intensity work periods with moderate- to low-intensity recovery periods
• Examples of equipment used: Body weight, dumbbells, mats, resistance bands, medicine balls, steps, and sliders

Fundamentals of Exercise Science

The Human Movement System

• The human movement system consists of the interrelation of the nervous, muscular, and skeletal systems to create movement.

The Nervous System

• The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord, and coordinates the activity of body parts.
• The peripheral nervous system (PNS) consists of all nerves branching off the spinal cord, extending out to the body.
• Mechanoreceptors are sensory neurons that detect distortion in body tissues.
• Examples of mechanoreceptors include Golgi tendon organs and muscle spindles.
• Golgi tendon organs sense changes in muscular tension, responding by relaxing the muscle to slow controlled movement.
• Muscle spindles sense changes in muscular length, responding by contracting muscles that are lengthening too quickly and forcefully.

The Muscular System

• Skeletal muscles are responsible for creating movement and maintaining posture in activities of daily living and exercise.
• Skeletal muscles are composed of muscle fibers, which can be primarily divided into two main types: Type I (slow twitch) and Type II (fast twitch).
• Type I muscle fibers are more aerobic, slower to reach maximal contraction, and resistant to fatigue.
• Type II muscle fibers are more anaerobic, produce more speed and strength, and faster to fatigue.
• All skeletal muscles contain sarcomeres, which are individual contractile units that contain actin and myosin filaments.
• Tendons are the end of the muscle that connects to bone, anchoring to produce force, and are considered connective tissue between the muscular and skeletal systems.

Muscle Actions/Types of Contractions

• Concentric muscle action occurs when a muscle develops tension to overcome a resistive force, resulting in the shortening of the muscle.
• Eccentric muscle action occurs when a muscle develops tension while lengthening.
• Isometric muscle action occurs when a muscle is exerting force equal to the force being placed on it, leading to no visible change in the muscle length.

Roles of Muscles

• Agonist muscles are directly responsible for a specific movement and are also called the prime mover.
• Antagonist muscles perform the opposite movement of the agonist or prime mover and are also called the opposing muscle group.

The Skeletal System

• The skeletal system consists of the axial skeleton (skull, rib cage, and vertebral column) and the appendicular skeleton (bones of upper and lower extremities).
• Ligaments connect bone to bone, have limited blood flow, and are slow to repair.
• Functions of the skeletal system include movement, support, protection, blood production, and mineral storage.

The Cardiorespiratory System

• The cardiovascular and respiratory systems work together to transport oxygen, nutrients, and other substances throughout the body.
• The cardiovascular system includes the heart and all the blood vessels (arteries, capillaries, and veins) that pump blood through the body.
• The respiratory system includes the airway and lungs, inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide.
• Heart rate (HR) is the rate at which the heart pumps, usually measured in beats per minute (bpm).
• Stroke volume (SV) is the amount of blood pumped out of the heart with each contraction.
• Cardiac output (Q̇) is the heart rate multiplied by stroke volume, a measure of the overall performance of the heart and the amount of blood the heart pumps over a period of time.

Fundamental Kinesiology

• Anatomic terms and locations include anterior (front of body), posterior (back of body), superior (above point of reference), and inferior (below point of reference).
• Planes of motion include sagittal (divides body into left and right sections; movements are in a forward-backward direction), frontal (divides body into front and back sections; movements are lateral, or side-to-side), and transverse (bisects body into top and bottom sections; movements are rotational, or across the body).### Joint Motion and Movement Terminology
• Joint motion terminology:
  • Flexion: Decreases the angle of the joint (e.g., bending the elbow)
  • Extension: Increases the angle of the joint (e.g., straightening the elbow)
  • Abduction: Moves away from the midline of the body (e.g., lifting arms out to the side)
  • Adduction: Moves toward the midline of the body (e.g., bringing arms back in to the body)
  • Internal Rotation: Rotates toward the midline of the body (e.g., rotating shoulders forward/inward)
  • External Rotation: Rotates away from the midline of the body (e.g., rotating legs outward)

Basic Joint Movement

• Spine:
  • Flexion: Rounding the spine forward (e.g., abdominal crunch)
  • Extension: Extending the spine backward (e.g., back extension)
  • Rotation: Twisting the spine in either direction (e.g., Russian twist or lunge with a twist)
• Shoulder Joint:
  • Flexion: Reaching forward in the sagittal plane (e.g., front raise)
  • Extension: Bringing the arm down and back or swimming motions (e.g., row or lat pull-down)
  • Abduction: Moving the arm away from the body in the frontal plane (e.g., lateral raise or upward motion of a jumping jack)
  • Adduction: Moving the arm toward the body in the frontal plane (e.g., downward motion of a jumping jack)
  • Horizontal Abduction: Moving the arm away from midline in the transverse plane (e.g., wide-grip row)
  • Horizontal Adduction: Bringing the arm forward toward midline in the transverse plane (e.g., push-up, bench press, or chest fly)
• Hip Joint:
  • Extension: Extending the leg backward in the sagittal plane (e.g., upward phase of a squat, deadlift, or glute leg raise)
  • Flexion: Bringing the leg forward in the sagittal plane (e.g., leg lifts or high knees)
  • Abduction: Bringing the thigh away from midline (e.g., side-lying leg raises)
  • Adduction: Bringing the thigh toward midline (e.g., lateral lunges or inner thigh squeezes)
• Knee Joint:
  • Flexion: Bending the knee (e.g., hamstring curls)
  • Extension: Straightening the knee (e.g., upward phase of squats or lunges)
• Ankle Joint:
  • Plantarflexion: Pointing the toes (e.g., calf raise, jumping, or bouncing)
  • Dorsiflexion: Flexing the foot (e.g., heel walking or toe lifts)

Bioenergetics and Metabolism

• Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, fats, and proteins
• Bioenergetics: The study of energy production in the body (ATP)
• Metabolism: The process of acquiring, transporting, using, and disposing of nutrients in the body
• Energy systems: Aerobic and anaerobic systems

Energy Systems

• ATP-PC System: 0-6 seconds, extremely high intensity, explosive movements (e.g., tuck jump or burpee)
• ATP-PC and Glycolytic System: 6-30 seconds, very high intensity, fast movements (e.g., short sprint)
• Glycolytic System: 30-120 seconds, high intensity, sustained movements (e.g., 40-second cardio interval)
• Glycolytic and Oxidative System: 2-3 minutes, moderate intensity, sustained movements (e.g., cardio dance combo)
• Oxidative System: Beyond 3 minutes, low intensity, steady movements (e.g., treadmill walking or jogging)

Training Science

• General Adaptation Syndrome: 3 phases of adaptation to exercise and stress (Alarm, Adaptation, Exhaustion)
• Training Principles:
  • Adaptation: Long-term changes to the human movement system
  • Overload: Applying an exercise stimulus at an intensity greater than the body is accustomed to
  • Progression: Systematically increasing or decreasing the exercise stimulus over time
  • Specificity: The type of exercise stimulus determines the expected physiological outcome

Specific Adaptations to Exercise

• Biomechanics: Joint actions and plane of motion (e.g., improving single-leg hip and knee extension in the sagittal plane)
• Neuromuscular: Specific movement patterns and speed of movement (e.g., training lower body muscles to produce force quickly)
• Metabolic: Energy demand placed on the body (e.g., improving aerobic endurance with long-duration, low- to moderate-intensity activities)

Integrated Fitness

• Comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise (e.g., flexibility, core, balance, plyometric, SAQ, cardiorespiratory, and resistance training)
• Components of integrated fitness:
  • Endurance: Increased ability to perform repeated or sustained contractions
  • Strength: Increased ability to lift a heavy weight
  • Neuromuscular efficiency: Increased movement performance
  • Power: Increased explosive ability
  • Flexibility: Increased range of motion of a joint or muscle

Cardiorespiratory Training ZONE Categories

• Zone 1: Aerobic base, active recovery, and warm-up
• Zone 2: Moderate to hard effort
• Zone 3: Hard to very hard effort
• Zone 4: Very hard to maximal effort

Resistance Training Goal and Recommended Ranges

• Endurance: 15-25 repetitions
• Strength: 8-12 repetitions (lower for advanced lifters)
• Hypertrophy: 8-12 repetitions
• Power: 3-6 repetitions

Assigned Tempos for Adaptations of Integrated Fitness

• Slow: 4/2/1 tempo (endurance)
• Moderate: 2/0/2 tempo (strength)
• Fast: x/x/x tempo (maximal strength, power)### Special Considerations
• Congestive heart failure: Impairment of the heart muscle's pumping power
• Atherosclerosis: Narrowing of the arteries due to a buildup of plaque along their walls
• Peripheral artery disease: Reduced blood flow to the extremities due to the narrowing of arteries
• Stroke: Reduced or interrupted blood supply to the brain, leading to chronic paralysis or physical dysfunction
• Cancer: Abnormal, invasive growth of cells within the body
• Osteoporosis: Weakened bones prone to fracture

Considerations for Participants

• Hypertension: Modify tempo to avoid extended isometric and concentric muscle actions
• Cardiovascular disease: Follow medical advice and recommendations; progress slowly
• Obesity: Obtain a medical release from a physician; consider reduced intensity and duration
• Cancer: Avoid physical inactivity when possible; start and progress slowly
• Osteoporosis: Focus on building bone mineral density with heavy resistance training and balance training
• Older adults: Consider side effects of medications; include socialization and emphasize safety and community

Environmental Considerations

• Thermoregulation: Maintain a reasonable temperature (68-72°F) and humidity level
• Altitude: Recognize the effects on exercise performance
• Pollution: Avoid exercising in areas with high air pollution (AQI > 150)
• Temperature-related injuries: Recognize signs of hypothermia, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke

Benefits of Group Fitness and Exercise

• Accountability, commitment, community, and motivation
• Improved consistency, performance, and enjoyment
• Instructors can contribute to improvements by understanding participant conditions

Class Design and Planning

• Class vision: Clearly defined intention of the class experience
• Outcome and objective considerations: Participant expectations, movements, equipment, time, intensity, and sequencing
• S.M.A.R.T. goals: Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely
• Flow: Create a seamless experience from start to finish
• Pre-class set-up: Arrive early, evaluate equipment, and resolve technical difficulties

Group Fitness Methods

• Pre-choreographed: Created by a single person or business
• Pre-designed: Template provides overall direction while allowing manipulation of other variables
• Freestyle: Choreography based on instructor's personal preference, skills, and knowledge

Exercise Selection

• Factors: Muscle groups, class objective, population, work-to-rest ratio, equipment, and location
• Modifications, progressions, and regressions: Offer options for participants to tailor the workout to their needs