Journal of Professional Exercise Physiology
ISSN 1550-963X
January 2013 Vol 11 No 1
The Paradox of Exercise Science
Tommy Boone, PhD, MPH, MAM, MBA
Professor of Exercise Physiology
Department of Exercise Physiology
The College of St. Scholastica
Duluth, MN 55811
Failure to change in face of not recognizing a problem is a morally hazardous activity,
especially when the exercise science degree isn't just disappointing, but impotent.
Whether or not students, faculty, and others get the importance of the American Society of
Exercise Physiologists (ASEP) is both a personal measure of their insight and their willingness to
consider the facts. Without question, it is a signal either that they recognize the value in taking
the time to read an essay on exercise physiology versus another article on the physiology of
training soccer players. Imagine, the alternative, that is, the day when exercise physiologists take
the time to talk about their own code of ethics, standards of practice, and professionalism. No
doubt such conversations will be among the first-ever in exercise physiology as an emerging
profession of healthcare.
Imagine by 2050, "exercise physiology therapy” will be provided by Board Certified
exercise physiologists who are doctors of exercise physiology. That would be a good
thing, right?
Whether exercise physiologists get that exercise is medicine and, therefore, exercise physiology
is equally important to healthcare as it is to athletics, one must wonder! Indeed, they are (i.e., the
academic exercise physiologists) extremely slow in coming to terms with their professional
reality. No, they are not “physiologists.” No, they are not “exercise scientists.”” Honestly, it is
not complicated. If they have a degree in exercise physiology, they are exercise physiologists. If
they have a degree in exercise science, kinesiology, or human performance, then, they cannot use
the professional title "Exercise physiologist" unless they sit for the ASEP Board Certification
exam and pass it. That’s it, and nothing else. Get serious!
While it is reasonable at the present time to provide non-exercise physiology majors the
opportunity to work as exercise physiologists via the EPC exam, it is natural to expect this ASEP
approach to uphold the change process will over time come to an end. Meaning, there must
come a major change in thinking when all exercise physiologists graduate with an exercise
physiology degree. Anything less than this thinking is simply crooked thinking. Thus, for now
the point is this: Practically speaking, the way forward out of this mess of academic lack of
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insight and professionalism is to look backward into how and why exercise physiology got this
way.
The truth is that a degree in exercise science is essentially 95% the same as a degree in physical
education without the coaching courses. Most college teachers know this point all too well and
yet, they act on the surface as though it is something different. While it may have been okay to
change the name from physical education to either kinesiology or exercise science in the 60s or
70s, especially with the discontent that was centered against physical education programs, it is
wrong to continue the misrepresentation to the public sector. For certain, neither major is
exercise physiology. Similarly, sports science is not exercise physiology. Human performance
is not exercise physiology.
An academic degree has value only when it makes things happen and only when it gives control
over one’s life. Exercise science does not make things happen. It has to go. Why? Because the
rite of passage imposed on all college graduates requires them to demonstrate independence,
financially speaking. This is a big thing, as it should be. College is supposed to make it happen
financially. It is suppose to help students assume the responsibility for ordering and controlling
their world. It is their path and opportunity toward personal freedom and success.
Exercise physiology is such an academic degree! It is the right step to freedom because it is
inseparable from healthcare. This is certainly not the case with the related degree programs.
There is nothing more urgent than thinking straight, thinking differently from the sports medicine
rhetoric, and changing directions to avoid continuing the waste of time with the meaningless
degree programs. Well-educated men and women in academia appear completely unaware of
what this point and why it is important, and yet every one of them, as parents, would not want
their children in college wasting time and/or money majoring in exercise science. Their failure
to see the problems is unacceptable. Just because things have always been done a certain way
does not make it right. The very idea of continuing "as is" makes no sense. As one example
among many, the following statement from a university web page illustrates this point:
The major in Exercise Science focuses on the study of human performance
within a biophysical context, including aspects of anatomy, physiology,
chemistry, physics, biology, nutrition, and computer science. The study of
human performance is thus a cross-disciplinary subject field and is referred to
as the academic discipline of Exercise Science. For the major in Exercise
Science, courses taken outside the department include: physics, chemistry,
math, and computer science. These courses provide the foundation for the
Exercise Science courses that apply the basic scientific principles to the study
of movement.
The first sentence begins with the statement: "The major in Exercise Science focuses on the
study of human performance." The truth is that the term "human performance" means
everything and yet nothing! Without the will to define it with precision there is no target or
focus to its meaning. To press the point, what does the term "biophysical context?" Actually, it
is meaningless (given the context in which it is used). To avoid beating a dead horse, it has
relatively little if anything to do with exercise science. Of course the authors of the exercise
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science paragraph are not that interested in clarifying the context. They simply want to keep the
students majoring in exercise science so they can keep their college jobs. It isn’t complicated at
all.
No doubt what they are implying is the mind-body connection to exercise, health, and wellbeing. But, if that is the case, why not say it in a concrete form? Here, is another part of the
commercialization of academic majors. The paragraph is dressed up in fancy words, such that
the students will be impressed with what they are going to study. For example, the paragraph
mentions: "…various aspects of anatomy, physiology, chemistry, physics, biology, nutrition, and
computer science." What does "various aspects" mean? At first glance, this sounds a little
strange. Is this sentence even true? "The study of exercise science is thus a cross-disciplinary
subject field and is referred to as the academic discipline of Exercise Science."
In other words, the "cross-disciplinary subject" matter constitutes the "discipline of exercise
science." Why not meditate over this point just for a second? "Discipline" versus "Profession."
The "profession of something” is always career-driven. This is not true for the "discipline of
something," such as exercise science. For one thing, there are no financially credible career for
exercise science graduates by title in the public sector. Remember, it is a discipline. There are
physical therapy jobs for physical therapists in the public sector because physical therapy is a
profession. There are nursing jobs for nurses in the public sector. There are jobs for other
professionals as well. This is not rocket science.
Emerson said: "What is the hardest task in the world?" His answer might
surprise you. "To think," Emerson said. Without question this must be true
as it is clear that so many exercise physiologists are not thinking. Most of
their students are victims of the mass failure of their faculty to take up the
importance of "how to think about exercise physiology." Why not take up
the challenge to change exercise science to exercise physiology? In fact, it
makes all the sense in the world to do so. If the reader is troubled by my
comments, why not sleep on them? Maybe tomorrow it will be easier to
wake up with the willingness to go a different path. After all, as Winston
Churchill said: "The price of greatness is responsibility."
Okay, how about the following statement? "For the major in Exercise Science, courses taken
outside the department include: physics, chemistry, math, and computer science." It makes
sense, right? Well, not really, at least not in the belief that the students are getting something
special for their tuition dollars. Guess what? All students in college take the same courses. It is
simply the repetition of the same dogma. It is not new or important. In fact, it is simply part of
the advertisement to make the students believe they are majoring in a degree program that will
get them a "real" job. Students (and their parents) have no idea that the product they are buying
is faulty, problematic, and in most cases, worthless. Read the last sentence again, "These courses
provide the foundation for the Exercise Science courses that apply the basic scientific principles
to the study of movement." In other words, the emphasis is on the "study of movement" and not
the collective academic content organized to promote professionalism and career-driven
opportunities.
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To move this along, even when department websites use the words -- career opportunities -- note
how it is used. “ Career opportunities include athletic training, biomechanics, exercise
physiology, fitness management, medicine, and pre-physical therapy. One doesn't have to be a
lawyer to read the fine print, which is very important. Opportunities for employment exist in
athletic training.” No, this is not true unless the college graduate is accepted into an athletic
training major and successfully completes it. It is the same for biomechanics, exercise
physiology, medicine, and physical therapy. The bottom line is that the sentence and the
advertisement itself is deceptively written and completely false. Therefore, the intent of the
sentence is to mislead students (and parents) into thinking there is value to the academic major of
which there is none.
Failure to change when a problem is recognized is a morally hazardous activity,
especially when it isn't just disappointing, but impotent.
There are actually "three" types of jobs the exercise science major is likely to locate. They are
exercise leader, exercise technician, and Wal-Mart. Unquestionably, this should spark huge
concerns. First, why would a student pay thousands of dollars in college tuition today to be an
"exercise leader" and often times without full medical benefits? Second, with the existence of
thousands of weekend warrior certified trainers throughout the United States, the pay per hour is
not sufficient to raise a family. No wonder they want to call themselves an exercise physiologist
to get an edge on all of the non-college graduates. Students are daydreaming to think that jobs in
exercise rehabilitation centers are logically connected to the major in exercise science. Also, as
much as I rather not bring out this point: The idea that there are "exercise technician" jobs died
years ago with the sports medicine exercise technology certification. Students ought to be living
in the moment, not in the failed rhetoric of yesterday!
Okay, so what is the answer to this failed degree program? Knowing that exercise science is not
a profession and that it is not a career-driven degree, and knowing that students and parents will
be frustrated and even mad, it is important that the chair and faculty update their thinking. They
must start living in the 21st century. The way to do that is to support the ASEP perspective.
Exercise physiology is a healthcare profession and, therefore, those responsible for the degree
program must embrace the following points:

Exercise Physiology is the identification of physiological mechanisms underlying
physical activity, the comprehensive delivery of treatment services concerned with the
analysis, improvement, and maintenance of health and fitness, rehabilitation of heart
disease and other diseases and/or disabilities, and the professional guidance and counsel
of athletes and others interested in athletics, sports training, and human adaptability to
acute and chronic exercise.

Exercise Physiologist is a healthcare professional who either has an academic degree in
exercise physiology or who is certified by ASEP to practice exercise physiology [via the
Exercise Physiologist Certified exam (EPC)], or who has a doctorate degree in exercise
physiology from an accredited college or university.
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
Establishing and implementing standards of practice are major functions of a
professional organization. The purpose of the standards is to describe the responsibilities
for which exercise physiologists are accountable. The Exercise Physiology Practice
involves four important areas: (a) promoting health and wellness; (b) preventing illness
and disability; (c) restoring health; and (d) helping athletes reach their potential in sports
training and performance.

ASEP is important for many reasons, but one in particular is to promote the
professionalism in exercise physiology. Hence, implicit within the ASEP web pages is
the notion that exercise physiology is a healthcare profession. The bulk of the
epidemiologic evidence and the scientific papers by exercise physiologists support the
health benefits of regular exercise. Moreover, it is clear that an active lifestyle protects
from many diseases. Now, with the ASEP Board Certification as the gold standard for
exercise physiologists the supervision, safety, and care of clients are increasingly evident
throughout the public sector.
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