Anatomy of the Skeletal System

The Skeletal System

• Axial skeleton: consists of skull, rib cage, and vertebral column
• Appendicular skeleton: consists of 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

• Movement
• Support
• Protection
• Blood production
• Mineral storage

Integration of Nervous, Muscular, and Skeletal Systems

• The nervous system gives directions to control movement
• The muscles produce the force that creates movement
• The bones of the skeletal system serve as levers that the muscles pull into action

The Cardiorespiratory System

• Structure and function: transports oxygen, nutrients, and other substances throughout the body
• Includes the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) and the respiratory system (airway and lungs)
• Works together to meet the increased needs of muscles during movement

Training Science

• General adaptation syndrome: 3 phases of how the body responds and adapts to stress
  • Alarm: initial response to exercise (2-3 weeks)
  • Adaptation: body adapts to stimuli (4-12 weeks)
  • Exhaustion: body no longer tolerates demands of training (overtraining syndrome risk increases)

Training Principles

• Adaptation: long-term changes to the human movement system in response to exercise or physical activity
• Overload: creating physiological changes by applying an exercise stimulus at an intensity greater than the body is accustomed to
• Progression: systematic increase or decrease in complexity, impact, or intensity of a movement or movement patterns
• Specificity: type of exercise stimulus determines the expected physiological outcome

Modifications, Progressions, and Regressions

• Modification: alternate approach to an exercise or movement to increase/decrease difficulty
• Progression: specific modification to increase difficulty of a movement or exercise
• Regression: specific modification to decrease difficulty of a movement or exercise

Progressions and Regressions of Exercises and Movements

• Increase range of motion (ROM)
• Decrease ROM
• Pace/tempo (speed up/slow down)
• Add resistance
• Decrease resistance
• Increase number of reps per set
• Decrease number of reps per set
• Longer work interval/shorter rest interval
• Shorter work interval/longer rest interval
• Decrease points of contact
• Increase points of contact
• Mobile
• Stationary
• Decrease base of support
• Increase base of support

Training Zones

• RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion) and descriptors
• Talk test: ability to hold a conversation during exercise
• 5 training zones: Light, Moderate, Hard, Very Hard, and Maximum

Radial Pulse

• Measured by counting 10 seconds and multiplying by 6
• Taken two fingers below the wrist on the thumb side of the arm

Professional Behavior

• Expectations of a Group Fitness Instructor: effective communication, punctuality, appropriate attire, appropriate language, and inclusivity for all populations
• Examples of professional behavior: timeliness, preparedness, appropriate communication, adherence to organizational policies, and social media presence

Muscles and Tendons

• Tendons: connect muscles to bones, have limited blood flow, slow to repair, and are considered connective tissue between muscular and skeletal systems

Muscle Actions and Contractions

• Concentric: muscle action that occurs when a muscle develops tension to overcome a resistive force, resulting in muscle shortening
• Eccentric: muscle action that occurs when a muscle develops tension while lengthening
• Isometric: muscle exerts force equal to the force being placed on it, with no visible change in muscle length

Roles of Muscles

• Agonist (Prime Mover): muscle directly responsible for a specific movement
• Antagonist (Opposing Muscle Group): muscle that performs the opposite movement of the agonist

General Adaptation Syndrome

• Alarm: initial response to exercise, lasting 2-3 weeks
• Adaptation: body adapts to stimuli, with progressive improvement, usually taking 4-12 weeks
• Exhaustion: body no longer tolerates demands of training, with risk of overtraining syndrome

Training Principles

• Adaptation: long-term changes to the human movement system in response to exercise or physical activity
• Overload: creating physiological changes by applying an exercise stimulus at an intensity greater than the body is accustomed to
• Progression: systematic increase or decrease in intensity, complexity, or impact of a movement or movement patterns over time
• Specificity: type of exercise stimulus determines the expected physiological outcome

Specific Adaptations and Responses to Fitness Training

• 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

Integrated Fitness

• Comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise to achieve higher levels of function
• Includes components of flexibility, core, balance, plyometric, SAQ, cardiorespiratory, and resistance training

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, for endurance
• Moderate: 2/0/2, for strength
• Fast: x/x/x, for maximal strength and power

Individual Considerations

• High-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts: 150-160 BPM
• Boot camp: 130-140 BPM
• Step: 128-132 BPM
• Barre/Pilates: 124-128 BPM
• Kickboxing: 140-150 BPM
• Aqua/Water/Seniors: 122-128 BPM

Music Volume/Decibel Guidelines

• Music volume in group fitness classes should not exceed 85 decibels
• Instructor's voice should not exceed 95 decibels

Specific Adaptations to Exercise

• The SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) principle states that the type of stimulus placed on the body determines the expected physiological outcome.
• There are three types of specificity:
  • Mechanical specificity: deals with the weight and movements placed on the body, which is part of the study of biomechanics.
  • Neuromuscular specificity: deals with specific exercises using different speeds.
  • Metabolic specificity: deals with the energy demand placed on the body.

Specific Adaptations/Responses to Fitness Training

• 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: increase in range of motion of a joint or muscle.
• Integrated fitness: a comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise, including components of flexibility, core, balance, plyometric, SAQ, cardiorespiratory, and resistance training.

Cardiorespiratory Training Zone Categories

• Zone 1: aerobic base, active recovery, and warm-up, with a low intensity.
• Zone 2: moderate to hard effort, with a moderate intensity.
• Zone 3: hard to very hard effort, with a high intensity.
• Zone 4: very hard to maximal effort, with a very high intensity.

Resistance Training Goal and Recommended Ranges

• Endurance: 15 to 25 repetitions.
• The goal of training determines the repetition range used.

Training Zones

• Light: 50 to 59% HRmax, with a low intensity.
• Moderate: 60 to 69% HRmax, with a moderate intensity.
• Hard: 70 to 79% HRmax, with a high intensity.
• Maximum: 80 to 89% HRmax, with a very high intensity.

Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE)

• Expresses how hard participants feel they are working based on physical sensation.
• Ranges from 1 to 10, with 1 being very light and 10 being very hard.

Heart Rate

• Measures the body's cardiorespiratory response to work.
• Increases with intensity until a maximum, unsustainable level is reached.
• Target heart rate: a predetermined exercising heart rate.
• Resting heart rate (HRrest): the number of heart beats per minute while at complete rest.
• Maximal heart rate (HRmax): the fastest rate an individual's heart can beat in 1 minute.

Heart Rate Training Zones

• Often calculated as a percentage of maximum heart rate.
• Heart rate values are divided into functional ranges used to gauge intensity and develop particular forms of cardiorespiratory fitness.

Physical Signs of Distress or Fatigue

• Distress: abnormally rapid heart rate, fever, nausea and vomiting, disorientation or confusion.
• Overexertion: shortness of breath, chest pain, irregular/rapid heartbeat.
• Dehydration: confusion, rapid heart rate, rapid breathing, passing out.
• Excessive Fatigue: shortness of breath, chest pain, irregular/rapid heartbeat, dizziness/lightheaded, severe abdominal, pelvic, or back pain.
• If a participant shows any of these signs, the instructor should halt the class and seek medical help for the participant.