Len Kravitz
Len Kravitz, PhD is a professor and program coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico where he recently received the Presidential Award of Distinction and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year award. In addition to being a 2016 inductee into the National Fitness Hall of Fame, Dr. Kravitz was awarded the Fitness Educator of the Year by the American Council on Exercise. Just recently, ACSM honored him with writing the 'Paper of the Year' for the ACSM Health and Fitness Journal.View FitConnect Profile
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Although the list of exercise benefits is impressive, it is apparent that just hearing about them does not assure consistent exercise compliance in most individuals. Regular exercise is a complex, multifactorial behavior that fitness professionals and scientists need to understand better in order to help clients stay active and healthy.
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Magee, C.A., et al. 2010. Examining the pathways linking chronic sleep restriction to obesity. Journal of Obesity, 2010, doi:10:1155/2010/821710.
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Irvine, C., & Taylor, N.F. 2009. Progressive resistance exercise improves glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review. Australian Journal of Physiotherapy, 55, 237–46.
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Lloyd-Jones, D.M., et al., on behalf of the American Heart Association Strategic Planning Task Force and Statistics Committee. 2010. Defining and setting national goals for cardiovascular health promotion and disease reduction: The American Heart Association’s Strategic Impact Goal through 2020 and beyond. Circulation, 121, 586–613.
The American Heart Association (AHA) recently issued its proactive agenda for the next decade by releasing a strategic plan for measuring, monitoring and improving the cardiovascular health of Americans.
Exercise professionals regularly exclaim the benefits of exercise for maintaining and improving bone mineral density and bone health. They describe the benefits of gravitational weight-bearing exercise (i.e., ground-impact activities, such as walking, running and jumping) and muscle-loading activities, such as weight training. However, scientists are currently debating which exercise intervention provides more beneficial bone health adaptations.
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A plethora of scientific evidence clearly
depicts how regular aerobic exercise and resistance training can help to prevent and/or manage hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes,
osteoporosis, arthritis, stress, colon cancer, abnormal cholesterol levels and depression (Kravitz 2007). More recently, research on the favorable effects of exercise and brain function has been emerging.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC 2009), by 2030 the portion of the U.S. population aged 65 and older will double to about 71 million. The growing number of older Americans will put unique demands on public health, aging services and the nation’s healthcare system. The CDC suggests that chronic diseases (e.g., cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes) place a profound health and economic burden on older adults, owing to associated long-term illness, diminished quality of life and greater healthcare costs.
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In his research paper, Hill notes that body weight and obesity are increasing in all segments of the population in most, if not all, countries around the world. Further, although most people are aware that
a sedentary existence, combined with overeating, has negative health consequences, many are not able to make and sustain the changes to combat this way of life. Moreover, most people who do achieve weight loss goals regain the weight over time. Is it inevitable that our society will eventually be obese?
A primary function of muscles is to create tension and produce force for movement of the body’s skeletal system. The intrinsic capacity of muscles to go through a full or optimal range of motion is called flexibility. It is developed through the use of various streching procedures.
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The recent American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) position stand on physical activity intervention strategies for weight loss reflects an update from the previous guidelines, synthesizing all published data–based research from 1999 to the beginning of 2009.
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A primary function of muscles is to create tension and produce force for movement of the body’s skeletal system. The intrinsic property of muscles and joints to go through a full or optimal range of motion (ROM) is referred to as flexibility. It is developed through the use of various stretching procedures. Presently, uncertainty exists about some proposed benefits of flexibility, including its effect on injury avoidance, muscle soreness prevention, muscular strength training and performance improvement.
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For years, researchers and exercise professionals have been proclaiming the health benefits of regular cardiovascular exercise. There is strong scientific evidence that moderate- to vigorous-intensity exercise plays a significant role in preventing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity and some cancers (ACSM 2006).
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As personal trainers, you are continually seeking new and better programs to help clients attain their aerobic activity goals and maximize caloric expenditure in their endurance workouts. To help you better understand fat burning, caloric expenditure and exercise, here are answers to four controversial questions on this subject.
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The new report from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) regarding progression models in resistance training for healthy adults adds to the previous 2002 position stand, which established a structure for guiding healthy adults to develop muscular fitness (i.e., muscular strength, hypertrophy, power and muscular endurance). This latest review defines and
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Research on women’s health is surging with medical developments and new study findings on exercise benefits,
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Many people engage in aerobic activities to advance their health status, lessen disease risk, modify body composition, reduce stress and improve cardiovascular fitness. There are numerous exercise devices and modes to choose from that help them achieve these goals. Fitness professionals and personal trainers are continually seeking new and better programs to help clients attain…
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Maximal aerobic power is a useful, meaningful and motivational physiological measurement that all types of fitness professionals use to track their clients’ progress. It is also associated with the performance of vigorous bouts of exercise in competitive cardiorespiratory events.
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Water is colorless, tasteless and odorless. Because of its numerous and diverse functions in the body, it is often regarded as the most important nutrient. Most people can survive no more than 7 days without water (Williams 2005). Although there is rigorous proof of its benefits, scientists still have trouble objectively advising people how much they need to drink daily to maintain favorable health. This article will plunge in for a look at this mysterious nutrient called H2O.
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Human aging is associated with a loss of muscle mass, a deficit in muscular strength and impairment in performing some activities of daily life. Typically, these changes start to occur about age 40 and progressively worsen with aging. Sarcopenia can be defined as natural, age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and muscle function. It is…
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