Children's Exercise Physiology

Book excerpt: The reorganized and newly revised Children's Exercise Physiology, Second Edition,presents the most up-to-date research, methodology, and approaches related to children's physiologic responses to exercise. The book examines not only the current major issues that separate children from adults, but also the underlying mechanisms of these differences. Readers will learn what makes children different from adults physiologically—such as size, biochemical differences, neuromuscular differences, and lack of sexual and hormonal maturation—and the reasons for these differences. Those involved with young athletes, disease management, and health promotion will gain valuable insight into the physiologic determinants of exercise performance. Children's exercise physiology is a fast-moving field. In the eight years since the first edition of this book was published, much new information has surfaced. This streamlined new edition contains 13 instead of 15 chapters, an introduction, and updated features: -Chapter objectives, discussion questions and research directions, and a glossary of terms promote learning. -A reorganized table of contents improves the flow from chapter to chapter. -A new final chapter covers the role of the central nervous system. Also included is in-depth discussion of the determinants of aerobic fitness and VO2 kinetics and the significance of maximal aerobic power in children. With improved chapters on thermoregulation and metabolic and endocrinologic responses to exercise, you can be confident you're getting the latest information with Children's Exercise Physiology, Second Edition.