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Editorial
Getting Real About
Exercise Physiology
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, FASEP, EPC
At first glance, why would anyone write about university teachers? Isnt
the academic profession rather self-evident? University teachers are
paid to teach. That is what they do, isnt it? After all, anyone who is
reading this piece has very likely spent many years being taught by
teachers. Every classroom has a teacher and every student has a
teacher. Teachers are considered critical to the intellectual and moral
development of students.
Whether it is a junior high school classroom or a university classroom,
the task is to discover and pass along the truth [1]. Of course to do
so is both a challenge and a dilemma. It is exactly this unknowing that
keeps teachers reading, studying, and thinking about their own work.
Although others may disagree, this may be an excellent justification
for the papers, files, books, and objects of all kinds and sizes
stacked on, around, and under the teachers desk. After all, the office
is the teachers center of mental conflict and purpose about most tasks.
Everything on the floor, desk, chairs, and counters has a purpose.
Academics are in a constant state of responsible agitation with data
and ideas. The search for truth is distinctively essential to
university teachers.
In other words, the academic life of the university teacher is all
about the respect for truth [1]. That is why the teachers office is
usually viewed as a complete mess, which begs question: How could
anyone get anything done in this office? To the teacher it is a theater
of intellectual and creative opportunity that presents itself everyday
when entering the office.
For example, on the left side of my desk is a 4-page APTA document that
describes an academic course (1.6 CEUs) available to licensed physical
therapists for $349 [2]. The content of the 2-day course includes
factors affecting endurance and tests for the same, benefits of aerobic
training, contraindications and termination points of exercise, and how
much exercise is necessary. As an exercise physiologist, does
any of this sound familiar and troubling?
Peaking out from under a pile of articles in the middle of the desk is
a 2-page printed document from several weeks ago. It is an
advertisement published in The Chronicle of Higher Education [3]. The
Department of Health and Physical Education plans to hire a 9-month,
tenure track Exercise Science person to teach exercise leadership and
exercise physiology courses. As an exercise physiologist, doesnt
it seem strange that the department is advertising for an exercise
science candidate and not an exercise physiologist?
On the far right side of the desk is a 2-page document that describes
the Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise Physiology and Metabolism at
Washington State University Spokane [4]. The departments web page
states that upon completion of the degree, students are eligible to
take the American College of Sports Medicine exam to become a certified
exercise specialist. As an exercise physiologist, are you
surprised at all why the department would advertise an academic degree
in exercise physiology and, then, fail to make the connection that
their students are also eligible to take the American Society of
Exercise Physiologists exam to become a board certified exercise
physiologist?
At my immediate left is stack of papers recently downloaded from the
Internet. It represents nine academic institutions that offer the
undergraduate major in Exercise Physiology. Not one of these schools
has contacted ASEP to look into accreditation. The institutions are
California State University Chico [5], East Carolina University [6],
University of Miami [7], University of Massachusetts Lowell [8], West
Virginia University [9], West Liberty State College [10], University of
Southern Maine [11], Ohio Northern University [12], and Lynchburg
College [13]. As an exercise physiologist, has it crossed your
mind why the administrators and exercise physiology faculty have not
looked into accrediting the academic major in Exercise Physiology using
the ASEP Board of Accreditation?
As an exercise physiologist, do any of these things get to you? They
get to me. It is time to get real. Thats why copies of
these documents along with dozens of others cover my desk. Im not sure
what to do about them or what to feel anymore.
Just recently, the American College of Sports Medicine announced the
expansion of its partnership with Wellcoaches Corporation to certify
ACSM-certified fitness professionals, registered dietitians, nurses,
physical therapists, physicians, and other healthcare practitioners who
demonstrateprofessionalism and skills as health, fitness, and wellness
coaches. In other words, ACSM endorses the Wellcoaches certification
[14]. As an exercise physiologist, this is exactly why Im a member of
the professional organization of exercise physiologists.
To quote the ACSM President William O. Roberts, M.D., FACSM, In a
society where poor nutrition, inadequate weight and stress management,
and lack of physical activity take an enormous toll, skilled coaches
can help people make lasting lifestyle change. If the information
presented on the Sportsmedicine.com web page is accurate, as an
exercise physiologist, it is disappointing to hear the ACSM
President (a physician) talk about skilled coaches and not exercise
physiologists.
References
1. Shils, E. (1983). The Academic Ethic.
Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press.
2. Tepper, S.H. (2005). Advanced Clinical Practice: Exercise Programs
Making them Safe and Effective. July 30-31, 2005 Dartmouth Hitchcock
Medical Center, Lebanon, NH. American Physical Therapy Association.
[Online]. http://www.apta.org/
3. The Chronicle of Higher Education. (2005). Chronicle Careers.
[Online]. http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000416221-01
4. Washington State University Spokane (2005). Exercise Physiology and
Metabolism. [Online].
http://www.spokane.wsu.edu/academic/exercisemetabolism/
5. California State University Chico (2005). The Bachelor of Science in
Exercise Physiology. [Online].
http://www.csuchico.edu/catalog/cat03/programs/phed/bs_exer.html
6. East Carolina University. (2005). Exercise Physiology Degree
7. University of Miami Coral Gables. (2005). Program Information:
Exercise Physiology B.S.Ed. [Online].
http://www.education.miami.edu/Program/Programs.asp?Program_ID=72&Src=Undergraduate
8. University of Massachusetts Lowell. (2005). Program of Study:
Exercise Physiology. [Online].
http://www.uml.edu/dept/PT/programs/ep.htm
9. West Virginia University. (2005). Bachelor of Science in Exercise
Physiology. [Online]. http://www.hsc.wvu.edu/som/ep/degrees/bachelor.htm
10. West Liberty State College. (2005). B.S. in Exercise Physiology.
[Online].
http://www.wlsc.edu/Academics/Education/PhysEd/x_curriculum.asp
11. University of Southern Maine. (2005). Exercise Physiology Major.
[Online]. http://www.usm.maine.edu/sportsmed/esm.html
12. Ohio Northern University. (2005). Suggested Curriculum for Exercise
Physiology Major. [Online].
http://www.onu.edu/a+s/hpss/exercisephysiology/curriculum/research.html
13. Lynchburg College. (2005). Exercise Physiology Major. [Online].
https://www.lynchburg.edu/academic/exercise/
14. Concordia University Wisconsin. (2005). The Exercise Physiology
Major. [Online].
http://www.cuw.edu/Academics/programs/hhp/exercise_physiology/
Ask the Professor: Your Inside Scoop on
Tough Questions
with Dr.
Don Diboll (July's guest: Dr. Lonnie Lowery)
Note: Ask the Professor is intended for informational
purposes only. It is not to be taken as healthcare advice. Please do
not submit questions of a personal nature (e.g. fitness programs,
nutrition advice solicitation, etc.) Thanks.
Q.) As a weightlifter,
I actually like getting a bit sore on the day after exercise. I feel
like I've accomplished something. Is this a good idea for guys like me?
When the soreness is gone, most guys I know get right back in the gym
for more.
-A frequent question
A.) This is a
common question when I speak to young men who are into lifting. And one
that's not easily answered. In a nutshell, eccentric contractions
(lowering of the weight, a.k.a. "negatives") do induce considerable
soreness - and muscle hypertrophy. The use of delayed onset muscle
soreness (DOMS) as a guide in determining when to retrain a muscle
group, however, has limited utility. Muscle soreness generally peaks
24-48 hours post exercise but other physiological stress markers can
linger much longer. Many are "reset" by five days post-exercise but
even then some remain! In fact, about two years ago, a graduate student
of mine presented a poster on the lack of relationship between DOMS and
other markers of muscle micro-trauma.
It can be said that,
when utilizing a technique such as negatives, waiting 5-7 days before
retraining a sore muscle is prudent. And don't worry about detraining
(loss of strength and size); it doesn't occur in such a short time
frame.
Why ASEP?
ASEP offers a downloadable PowerPoint presentation you
should see: "Why Join ASEP?" (just click the link!)
ASEP
Contact Information
Please use this web page (click above) and new email address: contact@asep.org
ASEP is a member of
the Health Profession Network
Check out the HPN Links!
And keep in mind: For
more information on professional scope of practice, professional
standards and code of ethics for exercise physiologists, accreditation
of academic programs, board certification examination, and other
important tasks already completed by ASEP in establishing a profession,
visit: www.asep.org
Copyright
©1997-2005 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved. All materials posted on this site are subject to
copyrights owned by the American Society of Exercise Physiologists
(ASEP). Any reproduction, retransmission, or republication (in whole or
in part) of any document or information found on this site is expressly
prohibited, unless otherwise agreed to by ASEP and expressly granted in
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All other rights reserved.