Introduction to Exercise Science

Run and Jump and Play: A Primer for Exercise Science is designed to support an undergraduate introductory class in the field of movement/exercise science. It is also designed to meet the needs of non-science majors who are required to take a science course as part of their undergraduate curriculum. The text introduces major themes in exercise and movement science while integrating basic mammalian biological concepts, basic human anatomical structure, and human motor development. The text is developed around a few major themes. Early chapters are designed to give the student perspective on human physical structure and how the human body and movement has evolved. Following this is a section designed to stimulate a student’s awareness to the vastness of movement in everyday life, from play, ADLs, and everyday movements – to self-expression and the arts. Finally, the text moves into discussions about detailed biological principles. Exercise is used as a model to illustrate these principles in action. The science that pertains to popular ‘workout’ topics are clarified and supported by the science within each chapter. Embedded in these chapters, are videos which help to illustrate a specific theme introduced in the chapter, worksheets to help guide student focus and study, and “STEP it Up” challenges for those who want to dive a little deeper into a particular topic introduced within the chapter.

As a result of completing the text and the course, all students will have gained perspective about human body structure, and human biology, and how both dictate human movement possibilities, and performance outcomes. Each student will be a bit more discerning about the workout jargon and fitness recommendations so often tossed around in the gym environment, and they will have a fairly solid understanding of how best to take good care of the only exercise machine they truly own – their body! In addition, the beginner Exercise Science student will have had enough background in the field to determine if Exercise Science is the discipline he or she imagined, and if moving forward to more rigorous science and math courses is the commitment he or she wants to make.