Overcoming Professional Apathy
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MAM, FASEP, EPC
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811

In August of 1970, I published an article in the Florida Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.  The title of the article then [1] was, “The Danger of Professional Apathy.”  August a year from now, it will 40 years later and I am still writing about professional apathy.  Interestingly, the only difference is that it isn’t physical education, but rather exercise physiology. 

You don’t have to talk to many physical education teachers to realize that it isn’t everything it could have been.  I remember in the early 70s there the idea (if not the expectation) of actually teaching students more than just physical skills.  Having said that, please don’t jump to conclusions.  I understand how important it is to be able to perform physical activities and to do so with confidence.  Clearly, the ability to perform a gymnastic skill helps a person feel better about him or herself. 

But, as I said in 1970, there is no reason to believe after years of physical activity, the participant will automatically gained a thorough understanding of the health-related behavior that is necessary to reduce one’s risk for various diseases.  Specifically, I wrote that [1]:  “The individual student, upon completion of his one or two mandatory physical education classes, is not educated in matters of physiological or psychological effects of physical activity.”  Later in the paper I said [1], “NO!  The skill program is not enough.” 

Ask any exercise physiologist of substance and he/she will tell you that attending a laboratory session isn’t nearly enough content or time to digest and understand the volume of information presented in the lectures.  Well, this is exactly the same story with 100% physical education activities without the opportunity for classroom lecture content.  No wonder students have such a misunderstanding about the value of regular exercise from a healthcare perspective.  That is why I wrote in 1970 that [1], “There is a need for health related discussions, labs, and lectures to educate children…in the…consequences of inactivity.”    

Well, I think it is more than obvious where physical education is today in many school systems.  Unfortunately, in some, it doesn’t exist anymore.  In others, it is limited, and still in others, it is essentially unchanged.  The problem is clear multifaceted, but reasonably predictable.  That is, if physical worked, if young children understood the reasons why regular exercise is important, I believe more children would exercise.  Instead, they are forced to line up and play games or dodge ball.  Of course, there is always the sports opportunity, right?  But, how many children actually play sports compared to the number that doesn’t?  You know the answer. 

So, what is the purpose of this article?  Frankly, it is rather simple.  Today, I am equally concerned about the danger of professional apathy in exercise physiology.  That is, given the historical development of exercise physiology, one must wonder about the connection between the two, especially since it appears true that some exercise physiologists act more like physical educators than exercise physiologists. 

While it is true that we evolved from within physical education, we have done many things right to be exactly what we want to be – exercise physiologists.  But, of course, to change completely, as to grow from a child to an adult, we must not stop evolving if we wish to succeed.  This seems incredibly simple to me, yet it must be very complicated for some because there is little action from those who should have demonstrated action by now.  The obvious is that they should be members of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists (ASEP).  This is the second reason for this article. 

By applying the principles that other healthcare professionals have made obvious in their published work [2], we can change not only the way we feel about ourselves, but also what we can do.  This power to magically transform exercise physiology from a discipline of researchers driven by doctorate-prepared exercise physiologists to a profession of exercise physiology in which the board certified exercise physiologist with an undergraduate degree has access to a credible career opportunity lies within our reach.  It is time to do something about it. 

Yes, we have the power?  Why?  Because “exercise is medicine” and “exercise physiologists” are experts in the scientific aspects of why and how exercise is good for the mind and body.  I don’t think that power exists with the established healthcare professionals.  After all, they already have their standards of practice documents that spell out what they do and have been doing for decades.  None of those documents was ever defined around the power of regular exercise.  This power, the ultimate power to produce the results the public needs and to do so safely and progressively lies in the knowledge that constitutes exercise physiology.   

But, forgive me because I am getting ahead of myself.  Power is very much like knowledge, it is useless without action, and action is necessary if we are to avoid apathy.  So, there you have it.  When there is apathy, there is no action.  When no one acts, that person’s knowledge is useless.  Hence, the danger of apathy is precisely this – the loss of power!  And, without power, like position or status, people suffer, and who is suffering the most, you bet – the students. 

Unfortunately, for decades the myriad of undergraduate degree titles, in fact, more than 30 of them [3], has resulted in many different contradictory notions.  Most obvious is the unmistakable truth that most students graduate thinking they are exercise physiologists.  The truth is they aren’t.  The problem is they don’t know they aren’t exercise physiologists.  Thus, they are mentally trapped in misinformation and crooked thinking.  None of which is power.  

The worst possible scenario for students is to encourage them to think they are something they aren’t.  It never allows the magic within to come out.  Thus, there can be no greatness without truth.  And, there can’t be either a realization of what is possible without the right strategy or the right bonding with other healthcare professionals without the right thinking and honest communication.  This all true because it is exactly what others have done, given that success is a reflection of one’s actions that model those who have already succeeded. 

Success is about taking responsibility.  It is about commitment to finding a remedy.  The remedy is the professionalization of exercise physiology [4].  It is the key to the big picture – professionalism!  Hardly anything is more ridiculous than the fact that exercise physiologists have spent so little time changing the structure of how they see exercise physiology.  In fact, this is the difference between exercise physiologists and physical therapists and nurses.  They understand the necessity to discover strategies to produce similar results as other healthcare professionals have done (and continue to do).  

As Anthony Robbins [5] said, “Your key is power of modeling.  Excellence can be duplicated.  If other people can do something, all you need to do is model them with precision and you can do exactly the same thing….”  Hello, wake up exercise physiologists!  That’s what the ASEP leadership has been doing for 10+ years.  They have studied and acted on the same specific set of actions as other healthcare professionals have done over the years.  It all begins with the power of belief [6] and knowing what you want.  Winning starts with knowing the destination or outcome.  

That’s why it is critical to think right.  Apathy gets a person or a group nowhere.  In a few words, it is a shift backwards, like in a car coming to a stop.  Apathy leads to little hope of figuring out what is exercise physiology and who is an exercise physiologist [7].  Fortunately, the ASEP leaders have a vision.  Therefore, they believe it is not possible for exercise physiologists to perish.  Remember Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, people perish.”  Having a vision and modeling others represent the exercise physiologist’s primary means to dealing with apathy.  Both represent a conscious step towards the 21st century representation of reframing the horrendous mistake of apathy.  

As Theodore Roosevelt said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.”  But, do it now!  I challenge you.  It is the most important thing you can do for yourself, your students and colleagues, and for the profession of exercise physiology.  The time to start thinking right is now, which reminds me of Robert Schuller’s book [8], Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!  One of my favorite quotes from his book is, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me!”  Don’t you love it?  It is straight forward, requiring action to find self-satisfaction.  And, like most things in life, it takes work (and courage) to face our own apathy. 

The point is, overcoming apathy becomes the breakthrough moment when vision becomes reality.  Yogi Berra [9] understood this point very well when he said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’re probably going to wind up someplace else.”  Exercise physiologists have that, although they don’t seem to get it yet.  Looking before your leap is a cardinal principle of straight thinking.  It provides the insight to address the reality of a situation.  And, one of the most significant insights is that having a vision before you leap avoids wasting time and effort.  The ASEP vision helps us understand where we are now, where we are going, and the work to get there.  

It sounds great.  It’s simple, direct, and it is attainable, but only with determination, persistence, and hard work.  Where are we now?  The answer is, “Someplace other than where we should be.”  In simple terms, the criteria for success is to get rid of the apathy, resolve our differences, and agree to work together within the context of our own professional organization.  How? As Gerald Nadler and Shozo Hibino said [10] in Breakthrough Thinking, “Begin by beginning.”  This step is critical.  It is not always easy, but absolutely critical to solving most problems in life. 

With action, the 21st century will be an age of unparalleled growth for the profession of exercise physiology.  Why not be part of the ASEP dream to create our future?  Why not help the ASEP leaders to bridge the gap between our scientific knowledge and the practice of exercise physiology?  Why not be willing to try something new, say the ASEP experience?  With ASEP, there is hope of getting to our destination.  There is a way in which our students can find stable and financially secure career opportunities after college?  The fact is we should have been doing that many decades ago.  There are no excuses.  It is time to standup and do the right things for the right reasons. 

Don’t concern yourself with making mistakes.  You will live and ASEP will live.  Also, allow yourself the right to not be liked by your colleagues.  Often, making a decision to get past decades of wasted time and effort renders individuals unpopular.  Criticism and indifference hurt, but you will learn to handle both rather well.  Believe me, I live with both on a daily basis.  Joining ASEP may bring on the feeling that you have gone over the edge.  You haven’t.  It is the first step in the right direction, perhaps, in a very long time.  That step is always the biggest to adjust to.  Be aware of these things while taking the advice of Clementine Paddleford [11]: “Never grow a wishbone, daughter, where your backbone ought to be.”    

 

References
 

1. Boone, T. (1970). The Danger of Professional Apathy. Florida Journal of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation.  August.
2. Swisher, L. L. and Page, C. G. (2005). Professionalism of Physical Therapy. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier Saunders.
3. Rademacher, E. (2001). Analysis and Comparison of Colleges and Universities with Degree Titles of Exercise Physiology or Related Titles. Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. 4:12 [Online]. http://www.asep.org/asep/asep/MinimalStandards.html
4. Boone, T. (2009). The Professionalization of Exercise Physiology. Lewiston, NY: The Edwin Mellen Press.
5. Robbins, A. (1986). Unlimited Power. New York, NY: Fawcett Columbine.
6. Boone, T. (2009). The Power of Belief.  Professionalization of Exercise Physiologyonline. [Online].
7. American Society of Exercise Physiologists. (2009). ASEP Vision Statement. [Online]. http://www.asep.org/organization
8. Schuller, R. (1983). Tough Times Never Last, But Tough People Do!  New York, NY: Thomas Nelson Publishers.
9. Berra, Y. (1989). It Ain’t Over…. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
10. Nadler, G. and Hibino, S. (1994). Breakthrough Thinking. Rocklin, CA: Prima Publishing.
11. LaBella, A. and Leach, D. (1983). Personal Power. Boulder, Colorado: Newview Press.