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Lecture Notes

Physical activity is defined as any bodily movement produced by the contraction of skeletal muscle that increases energy expenditure above a basal or resting level. So think back to the video. The young man who was featured in the video clearly was contracting his muscles to dance and was expending more energy while dancing compared to when he was seated and simply watching the basketball game. But why wasn't this exercise? Well exercise is a subset of physical activity that is planned, structured, repetitive and purposeful, and a purposeful attempt to improve or maintain physical fitness, physical performance or health. I don't know about you, but I don't think that he would necessarily plan to get up and dance during that basketball game. And it's important to note here that exercise is physical activity, but all physical activity is not exercise.