Wilson1e Ch01

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Chapter 1
Introduction to Exploring
Exercise Science

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Introduction to
Exercise Science
 Exercise Science
 Study of the physiological and behavioral
changes that occur in the body in response to
exercise and sport training
 Made of up sub-disciplines
 What are the sub-disciplines?

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Exercise Science—History
 Ancient Olympics in Greece foundation for much of
our modern day research
 Late 18th
century
 Seguin and Lavoiser—oxygen at rest and exercise
 Physiology of Bodily Exercise
 Physical Education beginnings for exercise science
 United States renewed interest early 20th
century
 Bannister
 1954 one of first researchers to utilize “science” as a
way to enhance physical performance

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Exercise Science—History
 Harvard Fatigue Laboratory (HFL) 1927
 David B. Dill (1891-1986)
 Exercise physiology, physiology of endurance
performance and environmental physiology
 330 scientific papers were published until closing 1947
 Human Physiology Laboratory at Indiana
University
 Dr.Dill’s student, Sid Robinson (1903-1981)
 Effects of aging on the heart and lungs

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Exercise Science—History
 Environmental stresses
 1960’s biochemical approaches to study exercise
 “Aerobics”
 Cooper Institute 1970’s
 Kenneth Cooper
 American College of Sports Medicine
 Founded 1954
 Bannister
 1954 England, 1st
person to run a sub-four minute
mile, 3:59.4

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Defining Exercise Science
 “Exercise”
 The participation in some quantified form of physical activity with
the intended purpose of improving or maintain health
 “Science”
 Is a structured inquiry of study
 Science represents a systematic, empirically based search for
knowledge
 “Exercise science”
 Study of how the human body responds to exercise or physical
activity
 “Exercise scientists”
 Those that study the relationship of exercise to physical health
and sport performance
 Health promotion or sport performance enhancement

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What is a Discipline?
 Discipline
 A field of study that has a central focus with its
own body of knowledge
 Sub-disciplines
 Specialized areas of interest
 Sub-disciplines of Exercise Science

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Subdisciplines of Exercise
Science

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Physiologic Knowledge
 Exercise Physiology
 Study of how the human body functions, and how
it responds or changes when exposed to exercise
 Most readily recognized sub-discipline
 Encompasses study: physiology, anatomy,
biochemistry, and biology
 Exercise components, Metabolic (energy), nervous,
endocrine, skeletal muscle, cardiovascular, respiratory
 Exercise testing, exercise prescription
 ACSM and NSCA

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Physiologic Knowledge
 Sports Nutrition
 How and what we eat affects human health and
fitness
 Develops nutritional programs to foster
improvements in health & performance
 Study the body’s metabolic system
 Efficient food as food
 Weight control, body composition
 Eating disorders, female triad
 ADA, ISSN, ACSM

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Behavioral Knowledge
 Psychological aspects of exercise
participation and sports performance
 Sport psychology
 The study of cognitive factors that influence sport
performance: confidence, motivation, anxiety
 Exercise psychology
 Examines behavioral factors associated with
exercise adherence and positive mental health &
exercise
 APA, AAASP, ACSM

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Behavioral Knowledge
 Motor behavior
 Study of the neural mechanisms that influence the
learning of movement
 2 board, overlapping areas: motor control and motor learning
 Motor control-- processes underlie the production: neural, physical
and behavioral aspects of human nervous system
 Motor learning-- mechanisms which skilled movements are acquired
 Motor development-- examines changes in both motor control and
learning over the lifetime
 NATA, APTA, BES

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Biomechanical Knowledge
 Biomechanics
 The application of mechanical principles in the
study of living organisms
 Anatomy, physiology, mathematics, engineering,
physics used to describe how forces shape
human movement
 Biomechanist can have diverse backgrounds
 ACSM, ASB, ISB

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Sports Medicine Knowledge
 Athletic Training
 Specialization within sports medicine
 Prevention of athletic injuries, recognition and
evaluation of athletic injuries, rehabilitation and
reconditioning of injuries
 Anatomy, exercise physiology, psychology,
biomechanics, nutrition
 CAATE, BOC, ATC, NATA

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Social Science Knowledge
 Sociology of physical activity
 Evaluate the role of organized sport and physical
activity in today’s society
 Understand potential role of organized sport and
physical activity in promoting social change in
health and wellness
 NASSS, APHA, ACSM, ISSS

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Social Science Knowledge
 Sport History
 Examine variables (religion, social attitudes,
politics, economics, tradition) influence the
formation of sport and physical activity
 NASSH

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Scope of Exercise Science
 Health Promotion
 Five bases of knowledge to improve individual
and societal levels of fitness
 Cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength,
muscular endurance, flexibility, body composition
 Sport Performance
 Physiological variables related to performance
(unrelated to health and fitness)
 Speed, strength, power, agility, quickness

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Scope of Exercise Science
 Basic research
 Specific research question, theoretical concept
 Goal is to acquire new knowledge and advance
the knowledge base of exercise science
 Cornerstone for knowledge
 Applied research
 Specific question with intention of ‘applying’ new
information in solving a problem
 Goal is how to improve athletic performance
 Working directly with athlete to improve
performance

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Scope of Exercise Science

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Scope of Exercise Science
 Textbook will examine the interdisciplinary
approach of exercise science
 Physiologic, behavioral, biomechanical,
sports medicine, social science
 New knowledge is used to enhance health &
fitness levels and improve sport performance