ExpertEasy2 marksExtended Response
AQA GCSE · Question 13.2 · The Human Body and Movement in Physical Activity and Sport
Muscles work in pairs.
Outline the role of the antagonist.
Muscles work in pairs.
Outline the role of the antagonist.
How to approach this question
Define the term 'antagonist' in the context of an antagonistic muscle pair. Explain what the antagonist muscle does (relaxes/lengthens) while the other muscle (the agonist) is working.
Full Answer
The antagonist is the muscle that relaxes and lengthens to allow the prime mover (agonist) to contract and create movement. It works in opposition to the agonist.
Muscles can only pull, they cannot push. Therefore, they must work in 'antagonistic pairs' to create movement at a joint. The pair consists of:
- **The Agonist (Prime Mover):** The muscle that contracts to produce the desired movement.
- **The Antagonist:** The muscle that is on the opposite side of the joint to the agonist. Its role is to relax and lengthen to allow the agonist to contract smoothly. It also helps to control the speed and force of the movement.
Common mistakes
Stating that the antagonist 'does nothing' or that it 'contracts' at the same time as the agonist (which would prevent movement).
Practice the full AQA GCSE Physical Education Paper 1
34 questions · hints · full answers · grading
More questions from this exam
Q01Which one of these components of fitness is the most important when dribbling a ball around a def...EasyQ02Which one of these is the correct pathway of the blood in the cardiac cycle as it returns to the ...EasyQ03Which one of these bones is located at the shoulder joint?EasyQ04A sprinter includes speed work in their training.
Which one of these principles of training are ...EasyQ05Table 1 shows the ratings of a GCSE PE class for the Vertical Jump Test.
**Table 1**
| Rating ...Easy