The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us
As anyone who takes up a new sport quickly discovers, even basic athletic moves require high levels of coordination and control. Whether dribbling a basketball or hitting a backhand, limbs must be synchronized and bodies balanced, all with precise timing. But no matter how diligently we watch the pros or practice ourselves, the body’s inner workings remain invisible.

The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise reveals the microworld of the human body in motion, from the motor proteins that produce force, to the signaling molecules that activate muscles, to the enzymes that extract energy from nutrients. Christopher Gillen describes how biomolecules such as myosin, collagen, hemoglobin, and creatine kinase power our athletic movements. During exercise, these molecules dynamically morph into different shapes, causing muscles, tendons, blood, and other tissues to perform their vital functions. Gillen explores a wide array of topics, from how genetic testing may soon help athletes train more effectively, to how physiological differences between women and men influence nutrition. The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise tackles questions athletes routinely ask. What should we ingest before and during a race? How does a hard workout trigger changes in our muscles? Why does exercise make us feel good?

Athletes need not become biologists to race in a triathlon or carve turns on a snowboard. But Gillen, who has run ten ultramarathons, points out that athletes wishing to improve their performance will profit from a deeper understanding of the body’s molecular mechanisms.

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The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us
As anyone who takes up a new sport quickly discovers, even basic athletic moves require high levels of coordination and control. Whether dribbling a basketball or hitting a backhand, limbs must be synchronized and bodies balanced, all with precise timing. But no matter how diligently we watch the pros or practice ourselves, the body’s inner workings remain invisible.

The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise reveals the microworld of the human body in motion, from the motor proteins that produce force, to the signaling molecules that activate muscles, to the enzymes that extract energy from nutrients. Christopher Gillen describes how biomolecules such as myosin, collagen, hemoglobin, and creatine kinase power our athletic movements. During exercise, these molecules dynamically morph into different shapes, causing muscles, tendons, blood, and other tissues to perform their vital functions. Gillen explores a wide array of topics, from how genetic testing may soon help athletes train more effectively, to how physiological differences between women and men influence nutrition. The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise tackles questions athletes routinely ask. What should we ingest before and during a race? How does a hard workout trigger changes in our muscles? Why does exercise make us feel good?

Athletes need not become biologists to race in a triathlon or carve turns on a snowboard. But Gillen, who has run ten ultramarathons, points out that athletes wishing to improve their performance will profit from a deeper understanding of the body’s molecular mechanisms.

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The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us

The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us

by Christopher M. Gillen
The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us

The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise: Molecules That Move Us

by Christopher M. Gillen

Hardcover

$42.00 
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Overview

As anyone who takes up a new sport quickly discovers, even basic athletic moves require high levels of coordination and control. Whether dribbling a basketball or hitting a backhand, limbs must be synchronized and bodies balanced, all with precise timing. But no matter how diligently we watch the pros or practice ourselves, the body’s inner workings remain invisible.

The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise reveals the microworld of the human body in motion, from the motor proteins that produce force, to the signaling molecules that activate muscles, to the enzymes that extract energy from nutrients. Christopher Gillen describes how biomolecules such as myosin, collagen, hemoglobin, and creatine kinase power our athletic movements. During exercise, these molecules dynamically morph into different shapes, causing muscles, tendons, blood, and other tissues to perform their vital functions. Gillen explores a wide array of topics, from how genetic testing may soon help athletes train more effectively, to how physiological differences between women and men influence nutrition. The Hidden Mechanics of Exercise tackles questions athletes routinely ask. What should we ingest before and during a race? How does a hard workout trigger changes in our muscles? Why does exercise make us feel good?

Athletes need not become biologists to race in a triathlon or carve turns on a snowboard. But Gillen, who has run ten ultramarathons, points out that athletes wishing to improve their performance will profit from a deeper understanding of the body’s molecular mechanisms.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780674724945
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Publication date: 03/17/2014
Pages: 352
Product dimensions: 8.30(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.30(d)

About the Author

Christopher M. Gillen is Professor in the Department of Biology at Kenyon College.

Table of Contents

Prologue: Molecules in Motion 1

1 Function Follows Form 12

2 An Experiment of One 33

3 The Gene for Gold Medals 54

4 Not Too Fast, Not Too Slow 76

5 Lactic Acid Acquitted 98

6 Catch an Edge 120

7 Your Brain on Exercise 145

8 Live High 168

9 Run Like a Woman 189

10 Drinking Games 209

11 More Gain, Less Pain 232

12 Chasing the Holy Grail 252

Epilogue: The Next Race 272

Appendix: Visualizing Protein Structures 277

Notes 281

Glossary 323

Acknowledgments 335

Index 337

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