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Motor Units Before we discuss what the ‘all or none law’ is you must first understand what a motor unit is. A motor unit is made up of a single motor neuron and all the muscle fibres it innervates.  Innervation ratio Motor units also vary in size, small motor units stimulate just a handful of […]

The job of a neuron (nerve cell) is to transmit electrical impulses (messages) around the body. The neurons that lie outside of the spinal cord are divided into motor and sensory neurons. Sensory neurons Transmit messages from our senses to our central nervous system. Motor neurons Transmit messages from our central nervous system to our […]

The nervous system can be divided up into two sub systems the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system. Central nervous system (CNS) The central nervous system is the bodies think tank! Or you can also call it the control centre. It is comprised of the brain and the spinal cord. All human movement is […]

The main role of the nervous system is to maintain homeostasis within the body. It does this via a large network of motor and sensory neurons that transmit chemical and electrical messages around the body. The functions of the nervous system Sensation The body gathers information about the internal and external environment via sensory neutrons. […]

Muscles have different roles when an exercise is carried out, in fact there are multiple muscles working in different ways whenever we move. The Antagonist The name given to the muscle that relaxes when the prime mover contracts. The Agonist The name given to the muscle that is the prime mover for a given joint […]

When we think of muscles flexing we perhaps think of bodybuilders flexing their biceps during a bicep curl. While this certainly is one of the types of muscle contraction it is not the only type. There are in fact three types of muscle contraction concentric, eccentric and static, split into two groups.  Isotonic Muscle tension whilst shortening or […]

All of our skeletal muscles have a beginning and an end. The beginning, where the muscle originates is called the origin. The end of the muscle is called the insertion. Origin The easiest way for me to remember muscle origins is to think of the end of the muscle that remains static during contraction (the […]

If you have already ploughed through our anatomical terminology section then you will know that when we refer to the muscles on the front of the body we use the term anterior. When we are referring to the muscles to the rear of the body we use the term posterior. Anterior muscles Muscle Location Action […]

Non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything we do that is not sleeping, eating or planned exercise such as going to the gym or playing a sport. Examples of NEAT Walking to work Housework Gardening DIY Even fidgeting! NEAT activities can significantly contribute towards your daily energy expenditure without the need for […]

When you are studying anatomy and physiology for your fitness instructor qualifications, sports therapy exams or even just for fun! It is a lot easier if you learn the following terms that are commonly used in anatomy textbooks. Anatomical terminology Anterior – in front, at the front of the body. Posterior – behind, at the […]