Fitness Vocabulary #1
1. Ligament: a fibrous connective tissue which attaches bone to bone, and usually serves
to hold structures together and keep them stable.
2. Tendon: a flexible but inelastic cord of strong fibrous collagen tissue attaching a
muscle to a bone.
3. Cartilage: hard tissue located chiefly in the joints of major bones
4. Bones: rigid organs that constitute part of the endoskeleton of vertebrates. They
support and protect the various organs of the body, produce red and white blood cells
and store minerals.
5. Muscle: a band or bundle of fibrous tissue in a human or animal body that has the
ability to contract, producing movement in or maintaining the position of parts of the
body.
6. Body Composition: the proportion of fat, muscle, and bone of an individual's body,
usu. expressed as percentage of body fat and percentage of lean body mass
7. Subcutaneous Fat: is found directly under the skin. It's the fat that's measured using
skin-fold calipers to estimate your total body fat.
8. Visceral Fat: Referring to the viscera, the internal organs of the body, specifically
those within the chest (as the heart or lungs) or abdomen (as the liver, pancreas or
intestines).
9. Ball & socket joint: have the most range of movement by the joints. The spherical
head of one bone lodges in the spherical cavity of another.
10. Hinge joint: is the simplest type of joint. It is found in the elbows and the joints of
the fingers and toes. Hinge joints allow movement in only one direction.
11. Saddle joint: allows movement in two directions. The saddle joint gives the human
thumb the ability to cross over the palm of the hand.
Gleason, 10/13
12. Gliding joint: permits a wide range of mostly sideways movements - as well as
movements in one direction-a pivot joint near the top of the spine allows the head to
swivel and bend.
13. Sprain: A sprain is an injury to the ligaments around a joint.
14. Strain: an injury to a muscle or tendon in which the muscle fibers tear as a result of
overstretching.
15. Dislocation: occurs when there is an abnormal separation in the joint, where two or
more bones meet.
Gleason, 10/13