GLOSSARY

Physiology is the science that studies the function of the body and its parts; it examines how cells, tissues, organs, and systems work and how they coordinate with one another.
The word is formed from the Greek physis, meaning “nature,” and logos, meaning “knowledge.”

Relationship to Anatomy

Structure and function cannot be separated, a principle known as the structure-function relationship.
For example, the thin walls of the alveoli in the lungs allow rapid oxygen exchange, and the thick, muscular wall of the left ventricle is built to pump blood to the whole body.

Exercise Physiology

A branch called exercise physiology examines the short-term changes the body undergoes in response to physical activity, such as increased heart rate and breathing, and its long-term adaptations, such as more mitochondria and a greater cardiac stroke volume.

Key Teaching Point

Most principles of training design, such as progressive overload and recovery periods, are built on physiological knowledge; without it, training is designed only on guesswork and personal experience.