The human body is made up of many different systems that work together and allow us to take part in a huge variety of sport and exercise activities. An athlete can go from rest to all-out sprinting in a matter of seconds, whereas an endurance athlete can continue exercising for many hours at a time. The skeletal and muscular systems work together to allow our bodies to perform a vast range of different movements. Our cardiovascular and respiratory systems act as a delivery service, working together to supply oxygen and nutrients to the body which in turn is used to produce energy for muscular contraction.

In order to appreciate how each of these systems function, learners will study the structure of the skeletal, muscular, cardiovascular and respiratory systems. The human anatomy of these systems is very different but in terms of operation, each system is implicitly linked. Having an understanding of these body systems is imperative in the sport and active leisure industries in order to begin to appreciate how the body functions and how it copes with the many different stresses of exercise.

There will be more posts on the site soon that will explore the structure and function of the skeletal system which includes the different bones of the skeleton and the different types of joints. This will allow you to study the muscular system including the major muscles of the body, muscle movement, the different types of muscle and muscle fibre types. There will be some interactive sections and downloads on the structure of the heart and blood vessels and how they work together within the cardiovascular system. This will lead into the respiratory system and it’s function, including the mechanics of breathing. Last but not least they will be some videos and posts on the different energy systems that exist and how they work in different sports and exercise movements.

Thanks,