Physical Education key terms

An influence arising from people's social circumstances, relationships, beliefs or cultural practices.

A person's social and economic position, associated with factors such as income, education and occupation.

A classification of human body shape or physique as ectomorphic, mesomorphic or endomorphic. People often combine characteristics of these types.

A feature of a target that states exactly which skill or aspect of sporting performance needs to improve.

The particular fitness qualities a performer needs to meet the demands of their sport, such as strength for rugby tackling.

A target that clearly identifies the sport, activity, skill or fitness component to be improved.

Making training match the sport being played, movements performed, muscles used and energy systems required.

A person who watches a sporting event, either in person or through media coverage.

The maximum rate at which an individual can perform a movement or cover a distance.

A graph showing changes in breathing volume over time.

A business that provides money or other support to a performer, team or sport in return for benefits such as publicity.

The provision of money or other support to a performer, team or event in return for a commercial benefit, such as publicity.

An acronym for the principles of training: specificity, progressive overload, reversibility and tedium.

An organisation that supports participation in sport and physical activity in England, including funding organisations and projects and publishing participation research.

Playing by the written and unwritten rules and within the spirit of a sport, showing fairness, respect and graciousness in victory or defeat.

A person who assists a performer during weight training to help maintain safe lifting and prevent injury.

The ability to sustain physical effort over time.

The ability to hold a body part in a static position, with muscle length staying the same.

Stretching in which a position is held without movement for a short time.

An oversimplified belief about the characteristics or behaviour of a group of people.

A muscle at the side of the neck that helps expand the chest during inspiration in exercise.

The breastbone at the front and centre of the chest.

A substance that increases activity in the central nervous system, increasing alertness.

The skeleton's function of storing minerals, such as calcium, and releasing them when the body needs them.

The ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force against resistance.

A method used before or during performance to control stress and arousal so that the performer is better prepared to perform.

The volume of blood pumped out of the heart with each beat.