Exercise: A
Different Perspective
Tommy Boone, Ph.D., MPH,
FASEP
Professor and Chair
Department of Exercise Physiology
College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN
Have you purchased new jogging
shoes lately? What about a Nordic Track or a treadmill? Perhaps,
you know of someone who has recently joined a fitness center or who has
been referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program. Walking, jogging,
and engaging in other forms of exercise for health and well-being are recognized
by the American Heart Association (AHA) as valued activities to improve
the lifestyle of Americans. The public sector realizes that exercise
improves the work of the heart. The guy next door understands that
endurance is increased, joints move better and, in general, a person feels
more in control of life.
What is interesting is that
the guy next door believes that AHA is responsible for the research that
has demonstrated the value of exercise. This article addresses the
point of view that, while AHA has issued a significant number of statements
on the benefits of physical activity, physical educators and, in particular,
exercise physiologists are actually responsible for the increased awareness
of the importance of exercise (hence, the word "exercise" physiologists)..
This is illustrated by the thousands of published research articles and
editorials when the medical community paid relatively little attention
to the value of exercise during the '50s and '60s.. Even now, the
guy next door, the colleague across the hall, the CEO of the biggest company
in your city, the car salesman, to mention a few, still don't understand
the work and dedication of decades of research by exercise physiologists.
Interestingly, the medical
community has benefited tremendously from the research published by exercise
physiologists. Specific standards and guidelines for testing, monitoring,
and training subjects of all ages, including middle age adults and cardiac
patients, exists in a major way as a direct influence of exercise physiology
work. Short- and long-term physiologic responses of major body systems
to acute and chronic exercise are common knowledge enabled by the research
efforts of exercise physiologists. In fact, much of our contemporary
understanding of the benefits and risks of exercise is realized from sport
and athletic specialty journals made possible by the successful research
by exercise physiologists.
So, in a nutshell, while
AHA is obviously important and its influence is powerful in shaping public
opinion and practice, let us not forget the primary role of exercise physiologists
in the scientific analysis of exercise. In addition, let us not forget
the individualized and collective efforts of all the exercise physiologists
who recognized the need for good solid research. Their dedication
during the early years when it wasn't popular to exercise or to do exercise-related
research helped to achieve the level of comprehension and understanding
that simply didn’t exist before their time. They undertook the challenge
to research the benefits of exercise, established the guidelines for safe
exercise, identified the adjustments throughout the cardiovascular system,
and even extended themselves to significant observations in the clinical
realm.
Surely, anyone from other
professions, including medicine, nursing, and pharmacy, have the right
to speak to their professional involvement in the support and overview
of the value of regular exercise to physical and emotional well-being,
However, as an exercise physiologist, it is important that the exercise
physiology profession is recognized as having a significant part to play
in health-promotion, wellness, and prevention. Testing and motivating
individuals to assume responsibility for their health and well-being are
recognized challenges across the spectrum of exercise physiology work.
Exercise physiology research
helped the public sector and the medical community understand the role
of intensity, duration, and frequency in exercise training. Whether
it is two or three times per week, 30 minutes or an hour, or 60% or 75%
intensity, cardiorespiratory fitness is an exercise physiology concept,
as is regular exercise and its role in stress management, weight reduction,
and health promotion. In short, physical educators knew that physical
activity increased physical fitness, and exercise physiologists knew that
regular exercise improved the function of the cardiorespiratory system,
the extraction of oxygen in the periphery and, in general, set the stage
to improved mood and self-esteem.
Hence, given the review of
the literature in exercise by exercise physiologists, the current opinion
should reflect their professional commitment to intervention strategies
in improving physical frailty, physical disabilities, and the emotional
and physical well-being of coronary heart disease patients just to mention
a few major areas of study. Their work in understanding the role
of exercise and hyperlipidemia , inactivity, obesity, and hypertension
is important in documenting the scientific benefits of exercise.
Their work has helped the public sector and athletes understand stress,
positive thinking, dangers of ergogenic drugs, and realistic training practices
and expectations.
Exercise physiologists should
take these words to heart, and find the opportunity to share the work of
their colleagues.
Copyright
©1997-2000 American Society of Exercise Physiologists. All Rights
Reserved.
ASEP
Table of Contents
Questions/comments
