Exercise physiology is defined as the study of the function of the human body during various acute and chronic exercise conditions as well as the identification
of physiological mechanisms underlying physical activity. Exercise represents one of the highest levels of stress to which the body can be exposed. The development of
modern exercise physiology can be traced back to physical education, which was a strong academic field in South Africa when it was still part of the school curriculum.
Exercise physiology grew out of physical education teachers who identified more with the scientific approach to athletics than teaching physical activities.