Edexcel GCSE Physical Education key terms

Information about performance received from outside the performer, such as from a coach or teammate.

Training that varies pace and intensity within a continuous session, using easier activity between harder efforts. The name means ‘speed play’.

An energy-rich nutrient that fuels lower-intensity activity and supports insulation, protection of organs and cell growth.

Information received during or after a performance about how well it is being or has been performed.

A lever system with the fulcrum between the effort and the load.

The ability to meet the demands of the environment, including everyday tasks and physical activity.

An assessment used to measure a particular component of physical fitness.

Four variables used to plan training: frequency, intensity, time and type.

Repeated practice of the same skill under stable, unchanging conditions.

A relatively thin, broad bone that provides protection or a surface for muscle attachment, such as the cranium or scapula.

The range of movement possible at a joint.

A joint action in which the angle at the joint decreases.

Directing attention and effort towards what matters for the task or target.

A crack or break in a bone.

How often a performer trains, usually expressed as sessions per week.

An imaginary line running horizontally through the body from side to side, around which forward and backward somersaults rotate.

An imaginary vertical surface that divides the body into front and back sections. Sideways movements occur in this plane.

The pivot about which a lever turns; in the body, this is a joint.

A trampolining jump in which the performer completes a 360° turn in a straight, upright position and finishes facing the same direction as at the start.

Attempting to gain an advantage by bending the rules to their limits without breaking them, while going against the spirit of fair play.

The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between the alveoli and blood, and between blood and body tissues.

The stored form of carbohydrate in muscles and the liver, available to help supply energy during exercise.

Choosing a target to work towards in order to improve or optimise performance. Also called target setting.

The three-way relationship between sport, sponsorship and the media, in which each helps support the others.

An overuse injury involving damage and inflammation of tendons on the inside of the elbow.

A handheld instrument used to measure grip strength.

A peptide hormone that promotes the growth of body tissues; athletes may misuse it to encourage muscle growth and recovery.