Spring 2026 - BPK 142 D100

Introduction to Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology (3)

Class Number: 6022

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Jan 5 – Apr 10, 2026: Tue, 8:30–10:20 a.m.
    Burnaby

  • Prerequisites:

    One of Grade 12 Anatomy and Physiology, Biology, Chemistry or Physics with a grade of B or better; or one of BPK 105, BPK 110, BPK 143, BISC 100, BISC 113 or HSCI 100 with a grade of C or better.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

Survey of theories and laboratory procedures for assessing human health status and physical performance, including biomechanics, body composition, development, environmental physiology, ergonomics, exercise physiology and motor learning. Functional anatomy and physiology of the cardiovascular, nervous, respiratory, skeletal and skeletal muscle systems in relation to physical activity are explored. Breadth-Science.

COURSE DETAILS:

The objective of BPK 142 is to introduce a variety of topics found in the field of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology. Theoretical concepts and current laboratory techniques will be discussed. These include anatomy, body composition, growth and development, muscle physiology and strength, biomechanics, pulmonary and cardiovascular physiology, aerobic power, neuromuscular physiology, and motor learning. Fundamental principles will be taught with the emphasis on why things occur. These principles will be applied to living and survival underwater, in cold and hot climates, and on top of Mt Everest. The laboratory component will encompass anatomy, proper measurement, testing, and evaluation of physical performance.
The course consists of two hours of lecture plus a two hour laboratory session per week. Laboratory equipment is limited, thus, students MUST attend the lab session for which they have registered. The laboratory manual is essential, and you will be able to download an electronic version of the lab manual from the BPK 142 Canvas site.

Laboratory sessions will begin on January 6 in K8640.

Lecture Schedule

Week # 

Date 

Day 

                Topic 

 

Jan 6 

Tuesday  

8:30-10:20am 

Course Introduction 

Osteology & Arthrology  

 

Jan 13 

Tuesday  

 

Body Composition 

 

 

Jan 20 

Tuesday  

Growth and Development  

Evaluation of Physical Fitness 

Jan 27 

Tuesday 

Skeletal Muscle 

 

Feb 3 

Tuesday 

Muscular Strength 

 

Feb 10 

Tuesday 

Biomechanics 

Midterm Review 

 

Feb 17 

Reading Week 

 

Feb 24 

Tuesday 

LECTURE MIDTERM EXAM  

LABORATORY MIDTERM EXAM 

Mar 3 

Tuesday 

Neural Control of Movement 

Neural Control of Movement 

Mar 10 

Tuesday 

Circulatory System  

Respiratory System 

10 

Mar 17 

Tuesday 

Blood Flow and Gas Transport 

Maximal Aerobic Power 

11 

Mar 24 

Tuesday 

Motor Learning  

Ergonomics 

12 

Mar 31 

Tuesday 

Environmental Physiology –  

Cold Stress - Underwater Physiology 

13 

April 7 

Tuesday 

Environmental Physiology –  

Altitude and Performance / Review 






Laboratory Schedule 

 

WEEK # 

DATE 

LABORATORY TOPIC 

Units From  

Lab Manual 

 

Jan 6 - 9 

Osteology & Torso Anatomy 

1,2 

Jan 13 - 16 

Anthropometry  

Body Composition Analysis (2.0%) 

Jan 20 - 23 

Arthrology   

Flexibility Testing (1.5%) 

5,6,7 

Jan 27 - 30 

Muscle Anatomy and Movement Analysis (1.5%) 

Feb 3 - 6 

Measurement of Strength, Power & Muscular  

Endurance, Force-Velocity Relationships (2.0%) 

10,11,12 

Feb 10 - 13 

Levers Experiment   (1.5%) 

Centre of Gravity 

Gait Analysis 

Cardio-respiratory Anatomy 

13 

14 

15 

16 

 

Feb 17 - 20 

Reading Week 

 

Feb 24 - 27 

NO LABS THIS WEEK,  Midterm exams 

 

Mar 3 - 6 

Reflex Actions and Nervous System Anatomy   

Performance Curves 

Knowledge of Results Experiment 

Negative and Bilateral Transfer Experiment (1.5%) 

20 

21 

21 

21 

Mar 10 – 13 

Cardiovascular Responses to Sub-maximum  

Exercise (1.5%) 

18 

 

10 

Mar 17 - 20 

Library Resources and Search Skills - Assignment (2.0%) (due on March 27) 

Modules on 

Canvas 

11 

Mar 24 - 27 

Maximum Oxygen Uptake (1.5%) 

19 

12 

Mar 31 – Apr 2 

REVIEW SESSION 

 

13 

Apr 7 – Dec 10 

ANATOMY EXAM 

 

 

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

Lecture Outcomes

(I) Introduces (E) Emphasizes (R) Reinforces (A) Applies*

At the end of the course students will be able to;

  1. Describe the anatomy, composition, function and common disorders of bone and joint tissues. (I) (LE, LA, AE)
  2. Explain the assumptions and limitations of different measurement of human body composition and the correlations between body composition and health. (I) (LE)
  3. Describe human growth and development including, developmental stages, growth in height and weight, velocity curves, bone mineral content, body proportions, puberty, sexual and ethnic differences, assessments of maturity, and influences affecting growth. (I) (LE)
  4. Describe the characteristics for assessing the design of physical fitness tests – validity, reliability, objectivity, accuracy, norms, economy and how to deal with random and systematic errors. (I) (LE)
  5. Explain skeletal muscle function including cross-bridge cycling, motor unit types, physiological control of force generation, and the mechanical influences affecting force. (I) (LE)
  6. Identify and draw anatomical details of the human skeletal, muscular, pulmonary, circulatory and neural systems. (I) (LE, LA, AE)
  7. Describe muscular strength assessment techniques and factors affecting strength, including types of muscle contraction, sexual differences, and aging. (I) (LE)
  8. Apply basic biomechanical principles (Newton’s laws of motion, mass, weight, force, work, torque and power) to human movement (levers, proper movement to avoid injury, centre of gravity assessment). (I) (LE)
  9. Describe pulmonary system function during rest and exercise, including breathing mechanics, lung volumes, the mechanisms of gas exchange and transport including partial pressure, lung diffusing capacity, Fick’s law of diffusion, Poiseuille’s law, oxygen delivery and use during exercise. (I) (LE)
  10. Describe cardiovascular system function during rest and exercise, including blood flow distribution during exercise, heart electrical activity, venous return, oxygen-hemoglobin saturation and the Fick Equation. (I) (LE)
  11. Describe maximal aerobic power in relation to health, including the contributing physiological processes, exercise testing protocols, criteria for validation, limiting physiological factors, and how to predict maximal aerobic power from submaximal exercise. (I, E) (LE)
  12. Describe nervous system function including action potential generation and conduction. (I) (LE)
  13. Describe the control of muscular movement including, higher order motor control, motor cortex, and cerebellar function, spinal cord injury and afferent feedback from muscle sense organs. (I) (LE)
  14. Describe human motor skill acquisition including motor skill classification systems, stages of skill acquisition, knowledge of results, transfer of learning, mental practice, and learning assessment. (I) (LE)
  15. Define ergonomics. Describe the knowledge base that is required to be an ergonomist.  Describe features of chair design that you need to consider for a standard lecture room chair.  (I) (LE)
  16. Apply your knowledge of human physiology to physical rehabilitation post-injury. (I, E) (LE)
  17. Introduce industries applicable to BPK and career pathways (I, E) (LE)

 (LE) Lecture exams are a mix of fill in the blank, definition and short answer questions



Laboratory Outcomes

The primary outcome of all the labs is to give the student early and frequent hands-on experience with kinesiological concepts covered in lecture material. Students are required to work effectively together to acquire data and submit nine lab reports for grading during the semester. (I, E)

(I) Introduces (E) Emphasizes (R) Reinforces (A) Applies*

At the end of the course students will be able to;

  1. Demonstrate appropriate writing, use of arithmetic and algebraic equations, graphing, spread sheets and curve fitting in laboratory reports. (I) (LR)
  2. Identify basic skeletal and torso model human anatomy and function, and describe differences during growth and between sexes. (I) (LA, AE)
  3. Utilize different techniques of body composition assessment to demonstrate an understanding of the values and limitations of each method. (I, E) (LR, LA)
  4. Describe joint anatomy, structural limitations to range of motion, assess flexibility, and understand the injury process to different joints. (I, E) (LR, LA, AE)
  5. Apply functional muscle anatomy to joint movement analysis. (I, E) (LR, LA)
  6. Assess muscular strength, power, and endurance using various techniques, and demonstrate an understanding of the validity and limitations of each. Use these methods to generate force-velocity and force-power data and graph these relationships. (I, E) (LR, LA)
  7. Use the principles of biomechanics to measure the effects of levers on force and torque generation and calculate centre of gravity. (I, E) (LR, LA)
  8. Integrate your knowledge of biomechanical forces and muscle activation through the analysis of human gait (walking, running). (I, E) (LR, LA)
  9. Measure and evaluate pulmonary function under resting and maximal effort conditions. (I) (LR, LA)
  10. Measure blood pressure and ECG during submaximal exercise. (I) (LR, LA)
  11. Perform all the data collection steps required to calculate maximal aerobic power on a bicycle ergometer. Graph the measured physiological variables and determine thresholds of physiological change. (I) (LR, LA)
  12. Apply your knowledge of motor skill performance by acquiring data and generating graphs related to learning curves, the influence of feedback, and the transfer of learning. (I, E) (LR, LA)
  13. Distinguish a scholarly article from an article in the popular press/internet, use criteria to assess the credibility and accuracy of health information, describe how a research study is performed using relevant terminology, and search using Google Scholar, Medline, and Web of Science. (I, E) (LL)

(LR) Lab reports are handed in individually and may require writing, use of arithmetic and algebraic equations, graphing, spread sheets and curve fitting of group acquired data.

(LA) Lab exams are a mix of anatomy labeling, fill in the blank, definition and short answer questions on lab procedure and theory.

(AE) Anatomy lab exam is identification and labeling of anatomical landmarks displayed by projector.

(LL) Library lab is an online lab run in CANVAS by the SFU library.

 

*LEVEL OF CONTENT DELIVERY

(I) INTRODUCES- Students are not expected to be familiar with the content or skill at the collegiate or graduate level. Instruction and learning activities focus on basic knowledge, skills, and/or competencies and an entry-level complexity.

(E) EMPHASIZES- Students are expected to possess a basic knowledge and familiarity with the content or skills at the collegiate or graduate level. Instruction and learning concentrates on enhancing and strengthening knowledge, skills, and expanding complexity.

(R) REINFORCES- Students are expected to possess a strong foundation in the knowledge, skill, or competency at the collegiate or graduate level. Instructional and learning activities continue to build upon previous competencies and increased complexity.

(A) APPLIES- Students are expected to possess an advanced level of knowledge, skill, or competency at the collegiate or graduate level. Instructional and learning activities focus on the use of the content or skills in multiple contexts and at multiple levels of complexity.

 

Grading

  • 9 Pre-Lab Quizzes 5%
  • Lecture participation/quiz 5%
  • Experiment Summary Sheets 15%
  • Midterm Lecture Exam(Week 7) 15%
  • Midterm Lab Exam (Week 7) 13%
  • Anatomy Exam(Week 13) 10%
  • Final Lab Exam(Exam Period) 12%
  • Final Lecture Exam(Exam Period) 25%

NOTES:

Course Website Address: http://www.sfu.ca/canvas.html

REQUIREMENTS:

Prerequisite: Recommended: Grade 11 Biology, Chemistry and Physics. Students with credit for BPK 142 may not take this course for further credit. Breadth-Science.

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

R.C Asmundson, J. Carter, M. Walsh and R. Ward. BPK 142 – Introduction to Kinesiology Laboratory Manual. Thirteenth Edition. Simon Fraser University, 2020
This laboratory manual is essential, and you will be able to download an electronic version of the lab manual from the BPK 142 Canvas site. 


RECOMMENDED READING:

There is no single text that fully encompasses the topics in this course. All lecture Word and PowerPoint files will be put on Canvas as pdf files. There is also an online OpenStax Anatomy and Physiology textbook that you will be to download for free from the BPK 142 Canvas site

REQUIRED READING NOTES:

Your personalized Course Material list, including digital and physical textbooks, are available through the SFU Bookstore website by simply entering your Computing ID at: shop.sfu.ca/course-materials/my-personalized-course-materials.

Department Undergraduate Notes:

It is the responsibility of the student to keep their BPK course outlines if they plan on furthering their education.

Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.