Exercise Science Resource Center
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Exercise Science

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Exercise science explores movement and how exercise impacts physical fitness. Many different professionals — such as physical therapists, personal trainers, and dietitians — practice some aspect of exercise science. Knowledge about the biomechanics, physiology, and psychology of the human body can be used to optimize performance, prevent injuries, and achieve better overall health.

 While many areas of exercise science are specialized, aspects of it can be applied at home to fine-tune workouts and help you reach your goals.

FAQ

What are the benefits of exercise science?

Exercise science teaches us how to optimize physical performance and overall health with movement. Practitioners trained in this field can help people tailor their workouts, movement patterns, motivational strategies, and diets to achieve specific fitness or performance goals.

Exercise strengthens muscles and bones, improves heart health, enhances how the body uses energy, reduces injury risks, helps stabilize blood sugar levels, and boosts mental health. Different types of exercise — such as aerobic exercise or strength training — can affect the body differently.

Eating enough calories and protein can help you build more muscle and recover faster. The timing of macronutrients in your diet matters for performance too. The best types of foods to eat and when depend on the type of exercise you have planned.

Strong muscles better support joints, absorb impact, and maintain proper body alignment — all reducing the risk of strains, sprains, and fractures. Strong bones from weight-bearing exercise are more resistant to fractures, and falls are less likely with improved stability.

Physiology, biomechanics, sports psychology, motor control, and nutrition are key areas of study and practice. Exercise science researchers study how exercise affects the body, brain, and overall health.

   Poll

What's your top motivator for sticking with your exercise routine?

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Scott Haak, PT, DPT, MTC, CSCS

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Scott Haak, PT, DPT, has been a member of the Mayo Clinic staff since 2000. Dr. Haak serves as faculty for the Sports Medicine Fellowship program at Mayo Clinic Florida. He is cert...

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Kara Andrew, RDN, LDN, is the director of health promotion for Memorial Hospital in Carthage, Illinois. She is also licensed as an exercise physiologist and certified in lifestyle ...

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Dr. Michael Yang is a neurologist and headache specialist at Emplify Health, and an adjunct professor of neurology at the University of Wisconsin Madison School of Medicine.

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Lynn Grieger is a registered dietitian-nutritionist, certified diabetes care and education specialist, certified personal trainer, and certified health and wellness coach. She comp...

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Tara Collingwood, RDN

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Tara Collingwood, RDN, is a board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, an American College of Sports Medicine–certified personal trainer, and a media spokesperson. As a sports...

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Resources
  1. What Is Exercise Science? James Madison University.

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