INT550: Sports Science

This course is for students interested in developing a more solid understanding of the science behind performance enhancement. It draws from many disciplines, including physics, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology and computer science, as it explores the relationships among science, exercise and sports activities. Through in-depth study of the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems and evaluations of those systems as they relate to exercise and activity, students will be able to safely assess, design, prescribe and update exercise programs. The goal of the course is to have students understand and produce a scientifically based training and fitness plan to help themselves and others more effectively prepare for the sport or activity of their choice. Lab-based, the course requires students to perform and measure simple activities, using several software packages in the Sports Science Lab, including Body Works, Ultra Coach and the N.E.A.T. video-computer interface. The text, The Manual of Structural Kinesiology, is supplemented with handouts from current journals such as the Journal of Science in Sport and Exercise and the Journal of Strength and Conditioning. Field trips to local exercise physiology labs are planned.