Fitness Glossary
- Machine Assistance
- Outside support which equates to less overall muscular effort.
- Maintenance of Center of Gravity
- Most activities involve the influence of gravity in a three-dimensional, unstable environment.
- Massage
- A massage is the treatment of superficial parts of the body by rubbing, stroking, kneading, or slapping. Massages are usually performed to relieve muscle stiffness, spasms, or cramps and to relieve anxiety and tension.
Recommended Reading: Massage - The Timeless Miracle
- MET (Metabolic Equivalent)
- 1 MET is equal to the amount of energy expended during 1 minute at rest, which is roughly 3.5 milliliters of oxygen per kilogram of bodyweight per minute (3.5 ml/kg/min) or 1.2 kcals per minute for a 70 kg (150 lb.) person.
- Micro-Progression
- Very slow changes in progression.
- Micronutrients
- The vitamins and minerals that help structure the body, as well as regulate all reactions and processes that take place within the body.
- Mobility
- Capable of moving or being moved readily. (Joint mobility) Movement around an entire joint.
- Motor Neuron
- Neurons that carry impulses from the brain and spinal cord to the muscle receptors.
- Motor Unit
- A motoneuron and all the muscle fibers it stimulates, innervates, or activates. The size of the motor unit is usually related to the degree of control required by the whole muscle.
- Movement
- A result of the harmonious functioning of the sensory and motor systems in concert with the central and peripheral nervous system.
- Musculoskeletal System
- The skeleton and its associated bones, the ligaments, tendons and the muscles.
- Myofascial Unit
- A muscle and the fascia, which directly surrounds it.
- Myofascial
- Skeletal muscles ensheathed by fibrous connective tissue.