Understanding Anatomy and Physiology for Exercise

To fully understand how, and why, strength training works and more importantly, separating fact from fiction, we need to understand how the body is constructed and how each of those component parts interact.

The science of Anatomy and Physiology is in fact the combination of two disciplines; Anatomy, or the study of the human body and, Physiology, the study of how the human body moves.  In simple terms this means that on the one hand we are looking at the physical body, i.e. muscles, bones, organs etc. and on the other hand, we are looking at how those parts of the body interact to produce movement, e.g. bending the elbow.

In the context of this series of articles, we will only be looking at Anatomy to a level that allows you to understand how the muscles and bones fit together and how our major organs work to produce the energy we need to do ‘work’.  From a Physiological viewpoint, we will delve a little deeper into the biomechanics of movement and how to develop your musculature to ensure optimum performance.

From a sport-specific point of view, a comprehensive knowledge of Anatomy and Physiology will become a critical component in your grab-bag of tools.  A thorough understanding of how the body works and where the key strengths and weaknesses are is vital in being able to protect your own weaknesses and then being able to exploit your opponents.

When we consider strength development and conditioning, there is an enormous amount of information available, via the internet for example, that is not only wrong but can potentially be the cause of serious injury.

Developing a sound foundation of Anatomy and Physiology knowledge will enable you to sift through the rubbish and find the ‘gold nuggets’.  Building muscular strength and endurance should not be a painful experience.  Yes, you will experience soreness but, acute pain and discomfort should never be part of this experience.  The knowledge you gain from this series will help keep you on the right track.

The authoritative text, Anatomy & Physiology, (Marieb & Hoehn, 2013), states that Anatomy is a broad field with many subdivisions.  Gross or Macroscopic Anatomy is the study of large body structures visible to the naked eye, such as the heart, lungs and kidneys. 

Gross anatomy can be approached in different ways.  In regional anatomy, all the structures (muscles, bones, blood vessels, nerves, etc.) in a particular region of the body, such as the abdomen or leg, are examined at the same time.

In systemic anatomy, body structure is studied system by system.  For example, when studying the cardiovascular system, you would examine the heart and the blood vessels of the entire body.

Another subdivision of gross anatomy is surface anatomy, the study of internal structures as they relate to the overlying skin surface.  You use surface anatomy when you identify the bulging muscles beneath a bodybuilder’s skin, and clinicians use it to locate appropriate blood vessels in which to feel pulses and draw blood.

In order to gain a good understanding of Anatomy and Physiology, it is important that you have a grasp of basic anatomical terms.  Anatomically the body is divided into sections by imaginary lines, or planes.

The main planes are in the following list:

• The Sagittal Plane is an imaginary line that runs down through the body, dividing the body into left and right portions.
• The Frontal or Coronal Plane runs perpendicular to the  sagittal plane and divides the body into anterior and posterior (front and back) portions.
• The Transverse, Horizontal or axial Plane Is the horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower portions; also called cross-section.

In the next instalment, I will be examining the Skeleton and Joints.


This is an extract from my most recent publication "Fitness for Karate", which is available through http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/Drew_Dale