EF205 Unit 3 Squat Musculoskeletal Anatomy Worksheet Example

Course	EF205 Principles of Exercise Science
Unit	Unit 3
Paper type	Musculoskeletal anatomy worksheet
Length	About 770 words, 5 pages double-spaced
Format	APA 7 student paper
School	Purdue University Global
Program	BS in Health Science
Updated	October 2026

Free sample paper for EF205 Unit 3

What Lifts the Box Off the Bottom Shelf: A Unit 3 Musculoskeletal Anatomy Worksheet on the Squat a Warehouse Worker Does All Day

[Student Name]

Purdue University Global

EF205: Principles of Exercise Science

Unit 3 Musculoskeletal Anatomy Worksheet

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

The student and her work are composite; the anatomy and studies cited are real.

What this part is doingChoosing a movement the student repeats at work in the lead makes the anatomy immediately practical.

The Movement

A bodyweight squat lowers the body by bending at the hips, knees and ankles at the same time, with the trunk leaning forward slightly and the spine kept in a neutral position, then rises by extending the same joints. Schoenfeld (2010), reviewing the biomechanics of squatting, describes it as a closed-chain movement in which the feet stay fixed and multiple joints and muscle groups act together.

The Joints

Hip. A ball-and-socket joint, allowing flexion and extension, the main movements in a squat, plus rotation and side-to-side movement. During the descent the hip flexes; during the rise it extends.

Knee. Usually described as a hinge joint, though it allows slight rotation. It flexes on the way down and extends on the way up.

Ankle. The talocrural joint acts as a hinge, allowing the shin to move forward over the foot, which anatomists call dorsiflexion. Limited ankle mobility often forces people to lean further forward or lift their heels.

Spine. A series of joints between vertebrae, which in a good squat stay close to neutral rather than bending, so that the work is done by the hips and knees.

The Muscles That Move the Joints

Quadriceps. The four muscles on the front of the thigh extend the knee. They lengthen under control on the way down, an eccentric action, and shorten on the way up, a concentric action.

Gluteus maximus. The large muscle of the buttock extends the hip, especially as the hips rise from the lowest point.

Hamstrings. The muscles on the back of the thigh help extend the hip, while also crossing the knee, which they help stabilize.

Adductors. The inner thigh muscles, especially the adductor magnus, assist hip extension in a deep squat.

Calf muscles. The soleus and gastrocnemius control the forward movement of the shin and stabilize the ankle.

The Muscles That Stabilize

Core muscles. The deep abdominal muscles, the spinal erectors and the muscles around the pelvis hold the trunk steady so that force passes from the legs through a stable spine. When these fatigue, the back tends to round.

My back hurts after work not because squatting is bad for it but because, by late afternoon, I have stopped squatting and started folding.

What this part is doingLinking the stabilizers to the student's afternoon back tightness shows the anatomy explains a real problem.

Lever Systems

The body moves through levers made of bones, joints and muscles. In a first-class lever the fulcrum sits between effort and load; in a second-class lever the load sits between the fulcrum and the effort; in a third-class lever the effort sits between the fulcrum and the load (Floyd, 2021). Most limb movements, including knee extension by the quadriceps, are third-class levers: they favor speed and range of motion at the cost of needing large muscle forces. Rising onto the toes, with the ball of the foot as the fulcrum, is usually described as a second-class lever. In a squat, the farther the hips sit back from the knees and the trunk leans forward, the longer the lever arm acting on the hips and lower back, which is why posture changes how hard each muscle works.

A Good Squat Versus My Work Stoop

In a good squat, the hips, knees and ankles bend together, the spine stays neutral and the large hip and thigh muscles do the work. In the stoop I fall into late in a shift, my knees barely bend, my hips stay high and my spine rounds forward, putting more load on the spinal muscles and the structures of the lower back. Schoenfeld (2010) notes that maintaining a neutral spine is a key safety principle in squatting. My tight back is consistent with spending the afternoon stooping rather than squatting.

What This Means for My Training

Three things follow. I will practice bodyweight squats and hip hinges twice a week to build the hip and thigh muscles that should do the lifting. I will add core exercises, such as planks and bird dogs, so my stabilizers last through a shift. And I will try to notice when I start stooping at work, which is a sign that my muscles are tired. National activity guidance asks for strength work covering every large muscle group at least twice a week (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2018), so this work also meets the strength part of the guidelines.

What this part is doingTurning the anatomy into specific exercises and a work habit shows the worksheet was used for a purpose.

References

Floyd, R. T. (2021). Manual of structural kinesiology (21st ed.). McGraw Hill.

Schoenfeld, B. J. (2010). Squatting kinematics and kinetics and their application to exercise performance. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(12), 3497-3506. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181bac2d7

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). Physical activity guidelines for Americans (2nd ed.). https://health.gov/our-work/nutrition-physical-activity/physical-activity-guidelines

The Purdue Global EF205 Unit 3 instructions

In Unit 3 the task is to analyze the anatomy of one common movement, such as a squat, lunge or lift. Identify the joints involved and their types, the muscles that move each joint and how they act during lowering and rising and the muscles that stabilize the body. Lever systems should be explained and applied to the movement. Instructors look for accuracy and for application to a real situation, such as work or sport. Comparing correct form with a common error is often expected. The worksheet should end with what the analysis means for training. Choosing a movement the student repeats daily gives the worksheet a practical point and makes the training recommendations easier to justify with the anatomy just described.

Inside the EF205 Unit 3 example

The worksheet opens with the movement and Schoenfeld's description of the squat as a closed-chain, multi-joint action. Each joint is described with its type and movement. The prime movers follow with their concentric and eccentric roles, then the core stabilizers, under a highlighted line that her back tightness comes from folding rather than squatting by late afternoon. Lever classes are defined from Floyd and applied to knee extension and rising onto the toes. A comparison contrasts a good squat with her end-of-shift stoop and its load on the lower back. The closing section turns the analysis into twice-weekly squats and hip hinges, core exercises and a habit of noticing when stooping begins, linked to the federal strength guideline.

Reading the EF205 Unit 3 grading rubric

Anatomy worksheets are typically graded on accuracy, completeness and application. Joint types and movements should be correct. Muscles should be matched to the actions they perform, with eccentric and concentric roles distinguished. Graders reward attention to stabilizers as well as prime movers. Lever classes should be defined correctly and applied, not only listed. A comparison of good and poor form connected to a real problem shows understanding. The exercises recommended should grow directly out of the anatomy described. Clear organization by joint and muscle group helps readers. The kinesiology text, the biomechanics review and the activity guidelines should appear in APA 7. Linking the stabilizers to a real complaint, such as back tightness at work, shows the anatomy was put to use.

Common EF205 Unit 3 mistakes, and how to avoid them

Anatomy worksheets often list muscles without saying what each does during the movement. Another frequent error is mislabeling the knee as a ball-and-socket joint or confusing lever classes. Some students describe ideal form without discussing the error people actually make. Stabilizing muscles are commonly left out. Worksheets that stop at anatomy, without any training implication, miss the course's purpose. Before writing, film or watch yourself doing the movement and note where form changes when you are tired. Send that description, and the worksheet can be built around your movement. Lever classes copied from a diagram but never applied to the movement are another common gap.

Get an EF205 Unit 3 example written to your instructions

Send the movement and the worksheet instructions with the rubric. A custom worksheet maps the anatomy and mechanics of the movement. The first is free, back within 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.

More EF205 papers and BS in Health Science samples

EF205 Unit 3 questions, answered

Which muscles work in a squat?

Mainly the quadriceps, gluteals and hamstrings, with the core and calf muscles stabilizing.

What are the three lever classes?

First, second and third class, defined by where the fulcrum, effort and load sit.

Should I include a diagram?

Many prompts accept a described diagram if images are not required.

Where can I find a free EF205 Unit 3 sample paper?

The complete EF205 Unit 3 musculoskeletal anatomy worksheet is available here, analyzing the joints, muscles and levers of a squat repeated at work.

What explains the back tightness in the EF205 Unit 3 sample?

Late in a shift, tired leg and core muscles lead to a rounded-back stoop instead of a squat, shifting load from the hips and thighs to the lower back.