Dr. Borg knew, and tried to correct, several misconceptions surrounding the construct of perceived exertion and the rating scales he introduced. For example, he cautioned not to take the presumed correspondence between a rating on his 6-20 RPE scale and heart rate "too literally" because "the meaning of a certain heart rate value as an indicator of strain depends upon age, type of exercise, environment, anxiety, and other factors." He also addressed concerns among clinicians that discrepancies between ratings of perceived exertion and heart rate may indicate lack of validity or practical value. He wrote that "neither a single RPE value nor a heart rate measure may be used alone as an accurate indicator of 'dangerous strain.' They complement each other." But perhaps his greatest pet peeve was the Cartesian divide. He wrote critically of a physiologist who declared that "he had not been interested in any psychological evaluations, since he was only interested in the physical strain of the subject." Borg's own view on this subject is captured in this aphorism: "Studying fatigue and exertion only from a physiological perspective is as impossible as dealing with color, emotion or motivation in primarily physical or only physiological terms. That is, exertion and fatigue are states with both physiological and psychological aspects."

Gunnar Borg left us his profound and insightful theoretical work, a voluminous, innovative, and systematic line of empirical research that extends over decades, several measures that can be found everywhere exercise scientists work, and, perhaps more importantly, his pleas to reject our disciplinary blinders and instead look at exercise, the subject of our great science, in all of its captivating complexity. Rest in peace, Gunnar.

The 1998 book entitled "Borg's Perceived Exertion and Pain Scales" (Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics) can be downloaded here.

Copies of the original Borg Scales for research and clinical purposes can be obtained here.

Panteleimon Ekkekakis, Ph.D., FACSM, FNAK, is a professor of exercise psychology at Iowa State University, and a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine and the National Academy of Kinesiology.

The Fitness Assessment, Exercise Training and Performance topic area covers the broadest array of topics in the fields of exercise science and sports medicine, and we have presentations for everyone from researchers, academics and practitioners to fitness professionals, educators and students. This year we have focused on including more international experts and female-related topics and perspectives. As always, our topic area covers all ages and fitness levels as well as some more focused information about specific sports and activities.

We are excited to present our Highlighted Symposium “Military Human Performance Optimization and Injury Prevention: International Perspectives” on Friday, May 29, at 3:15 p.m. Heikki Kyrolainen, Ph.D., FACSM, of the University of Jyvaskyla, will discuss ‘Human Performance Optimization in the Finnish Military’;  Julie Greeves, Ph.D., of the British Defense Forces, will discuss ‘Current Findings from the British Military Women in Close Combat Task Force’; Herb Groeller, Ph.D., of the University of Wollongong, will discuss ‘Physical and Cognitive Resilience Enhancement Strategies in the Australian Army’; and session chair Bradley Nindl, Ph.D., FACSM of the University of Pittsburgh, will discuss ‘Human Performance Optimization Science and Strategies in the US Army.’ This international group of speakers will include in their talks how the general practitioner can use this science in their own training environments.

Other exciting symposia include “4^th Trimester [Postnatal] Training: When and how to return?” by Craig Sale, Ph.D., FACSM, and Raul Artal, M.D., FACSM, on Wednesday, May 27, at 9:30 a.m.; “The Pediatric Athlete in the 21^st Century from Injury to Prevention” by Mary Lloyd Ireland, M.D., FACSM, Andrea Stracciolini, M.D., FACSM, Angela Smith, M.D., FACSM, Avery Faigenbaum, Ph.D., FACSM, and Lyle Micheli, M.D., FACSM, on Wednesday, May 27, at 3:15 p.m. and “Sex Matters in Performance: The Female of the Species are Better than the Male?” by Drs. Glyn Howatson, Ph.D., FACSM, Sandra Hunter, Ph.D., FACSM, Kirsty Hicks, Ph.D., Stuart Goodall, Ph.D., and Paul Ansdell, MSc, on Friday, May 29^th at 1:00 p.m. The more applied tutorial sessions include one by Andrew Jones, Ph.D., FACSM, on “Prescribing Endurance Training from Physiological Tests” Thursday, May 28, at 4:55 p.m. and another by Dawn Coe, Ph.D., FACSM, Karin Pfieffer, Ph.D., FACSM, Leah Robinson, Ph.D., FACSM, and Shannon Siegel, Ph.D., FACSM, on Friday, May 29, at 4:25 p.m. on “It Only Takes a Hop, Skip and a Catch: Ways to Improve Physical Activity and Sport Participation.”

Thematic poster sessions provide a wonderful opportunity to see several posters in an area of interest while also getting to hear from and interact with the presenters in a meaningful environment. This year’s thematic poster topics include aging, blood flow restriction, hormones and cytokines, pediatrics, sleep and an all-soccer session. The new format rapid fire session will be on incorporating wearables into training and performance. Don’t forget our traditional slide presentations which will include strength, size and power, exercise training, intensity and fitness, and endurance and interval training.

We don’t want to be sedentary for too long, so feel free to take activity breaks during regular sessions and remember that the poster hall allows for more opportunity to move around. As usual, there are a multitude of traditional poster sessions on the above topics as well as body composition, health and wellness, interval training, military/police/firefighters, monitoring, recovery, running, special populations, fitness testing and winter sports. With so many abstracts and interest in this topic area, there are related posters at every single poster session time, every day of the conference!

We look forward to you joining us at the 2020 ACSM Annual Meeting in San Francisco to learn more about fitness assessment, training and performance. For all our ACSM Certified professionals you can ensure you are employing the most current evidence based practices as well as earn your CEUs to maintain your certifications. Not certified? You can learn more about ACSM certification there, too! Safe travels!

Learn more about the ACSM Annual Meeting program. Ready to join us in San Francisco? Register today!

Melissa W. Roti, Ph.D., FACSM, ACSM-EP, ACSM-GEI, is a Professor and Director of the Exercise Science Program at Westfield State University. She is a member of the ACSM ActivEarth Task Force and the ACSM Annual meeting Program Committee. 
Connect with Dr. Roti on Twitter: @MelissaRoti.

Throughout my academic journey towards earning a doctoral degree in exercise science I recall time and time again wanting to earn a nationally recognized certification to validate my skills and knowledge within the field. However, I never seemed to set aside the time to make it happen. The truth is, whether you’re an undergrad, professor, or seasoned health professional and interested in becoming your best, it’s never too early or too late to challenge yourself to earn a nationally recognized certification.

One of the first courses I taught as I entered back into the academic world at Indiana University (Go Hoosiers!) was “Fitness Testing & Interpretation.” As I began to refresh my knowledge in preparation for the course it was then that I decided I would do two things:

1) encourage my students to earn a certification (either in personal training or exercise physiology)
2) work to earn a certification myself

The truth is, whether you’re an undergrad, professor, or seasoned health professional and interested in becoming your best, it’s never too early or too late to challenge yourself to earn a nationally recognized certification.

To motivate all of you out there considering whether or not you should earn a certification, I thought I would share my personal experience earning the American College of Sports Medicine Exercise Physiologist certification (ACSM-EP) and list the reasons why you should inspire others (or yourself) to go earn a gold standard ACSM certification!

 

ACSM Certifications: What’s at the core?

Certified health and fitness professionals through ACSM gain knowledge and skills essential to working with clients or patients to provide services safely and effectively. Briefly, ACSM has four core certifications geared toward health and fitness professionals, and many other specialty certifications and credentials that can be explored in more detail here.

 

ACSM’s Got you Covered: Get certified! Stay Certified!

Nearly a month ago I sat in for the ACSM-EP certification and everything leading up to the certification was a great experience! Below are a few reasons to get certified!

1) The Endless Support & Resources

ACSM does an incredible job providing you with simple steps to help you explore which certification is right for you! Once you’ve figured out what certification is in line with your passion and interest, ACSM provides endless resources to help you study, register for your exam, and pass! Below are a few of the resources I used to prepare for my exam.

• ACSM Website
• Facebook study groups
• Online Practice Questions
• Webinars

2) Certified! Check! Now what?

You did it! You’re a certified health and fitness professional. Once you’ve earned your certification there’s so much more in store for you. ACSM’s got your back! You can find the support you need to apply for jobs, build an attractive resume, and to keep up with the latest science! A few benefits after earning your ACSM certification are listed here:

• ACSM Career Center
• ACSM ceOnline Courses
• ACSM discounts from retail partners

Take Aways

If you’re new to the field or an experienced health and fitness professional, ACSM’s got a certification for you! ACSM certifications validate that as a health and fitness professional you are able to develop and implement safe, effective exercise programs, as well as modify them to meet the specific needs of clients and patients.

To gain a detailed understanding of the origination, recent modifications, processes of maintaining certifications, and recognize differences for each of ACSM’s four core professional certifications check out Meir Magal and Francis Neric’s article, “ACSM Certifications: Defining an Exercise Professional from concept to assessment” in the recent January/February issue of ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal®

Become an Alliance Member or Student Member to access the full ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal® library

Article based on: Magal, M, Neric, F. ACSM CERTIFICATIONS - Defining An Exercise Profession From Concept To Assessment ACSMs Health Fit J. 2020; 24 (1): 12-18

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Author:

 
Vanessa M. Kercher, Ph.D., SSC, M.Ed., ACSM-EP, BESS, is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Kinesiology Department for the School of Public Health at Indiana University. Dr. Kercher's research passion focuses on helping individuals optimize their physical activity experiences to promote sustainable, positive health behaviors. She serves as the digital editor of ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®. 

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When it comes to lifestyle weight loss there are lots of myths. The New Year brings more and more to the forefront as millions of Americans (approximately 45%) set resolutions to lose weight. In this blog, I bring forward my experience and the science driving how I coach clients and patients during their lifestyle weight loss journeys. Here are the top four weight loss myths I typically navigate.

Myth #1: The Need to Choose Diet Over Exercise: Weight Loss = 80% Diet + 20% Exercise

“Eat Less and Move More” is the general recommendation used to describe the likely more complicated relationship between lifestyle weight loss behaviors: diet and exercise. In reality, the key lies in trying to tip the energy balance scale. Optimally to achieve this, a combination of both reducing food intake and increasing activity is recommended. Yet, if it is simple math and diet is the driving force, it is understandable that many people choose to adopt weight loss strategies that focus on diet alone and drop the physical activity.  

As an exercise professional by training, I cannot help but steer clients and patients to incorporate exercise as a part of their weight loss strategy. This isn’t about bias (promise); science supports this rationale too. The two compelling reasons are centered around muscle loss and keeping the weight off.

Muscle Mass Loss:  When we lose body weight by cutting calories, we focus on losing fat mass but we are also losing muscle mass at the same time. Here’s where exercise come in. Studies show an attenuation, or slowing, of muscle mass loss whenever physical activity is part of the weight loss plan.

Keeping the Weight Off:  This is where exercise is our real partner. Once the weight is off, high levels of physical activity (upwards of 225-250 min/wk) seems to be important for helping keep the weight off – check out ACSM’s Position Stand. But why wait? Clients and patients should begin moving more and incorporating physical activity into their routines as early as possible during the weight loss journey. This can lead to a positive pattern of activity ahead of time.

Myth #2: I Exercised, So I Get To Eat More

Before believing this one, ask yourself – “what is the goal?” Let’s face it, some people definitely choose to use exercise as a way to burn more calories so they have “more room” for food later. In fact, many popular food tracking apps will automatically give you more calories for being active. However, this strategy is not generally recommended during weight loss.

If we are trying to create a caloric deficit with diet, we need to be accurate with calculating food intake. It’s not just reporting what we eat, but getting into the details that get to accurate caloric amounts. This means:

• weighing and measuring every food portion
• tracking all recipe ingredients
• asking waiters at restaurants the composition of meals, plus more.

This is not easy and we are not always great at this. Studies on self-monitoring accuracy have shown that adults trying to lose weight largely underreport their food intake (by up to 47%). On the flip side, when it comes to exercise, activity trackers have been shown to be 27-93% inaccurate depending on brand, and research has shown that people overreport (without trackers) exercise by up to 51%.

Overestimating activity and underestimating dietary intake are not going to help tip the energy balance scale – so how can we be more accurate? Consider using exercise as the “buffer.” Instead of allowing yourself to eat more because you exercised, let exercise be the buffer for all the inaccuracies when it comes to recording dietary intake.

Myth #3: Burning Calories through Exercise means High-Intensity Workouts and Long Sessions at the Gym

This one gets at what I am going to classify as a negative thought when it comes to beginning an exercise regimen. Unfortunately, most people that I work with walk into a first session “believing” that exercise needs to “look like this” to be effective for weight loss.

Again, the reality is that moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise is recommended, and we want to work towards burning as many calories as possible through accumulating physical activity minutes. Yet, achieving that volume can be done in a variety of ways (no one exercise mode is perfect) and more importantly the individual person needs to be considered.

• What does the person like to do when it comes to activity?
• Does the person have any injuries? Are they ready for high-intensity or long bouts of activity?
• How much time can the person realistically commit to weekly gym workouts?
• Does carrying extra body weight impact how a person’s body feels exercising or their comfort level with certain activities?
• Can the person get other activity minutes in outside of the gym?

Research shows that it is not just about the intense workout that happens in the gym. A study of 260 adults participating in a weight management program found that after 18-months, those that had greater amounts of light-intensity activity beyond structured moderate-vigorous exercise lost more weight.

All physical activity burns calories. More intensity equals greater caloric burn, but more overall volume, even at lower intensities and durations can add up too. Consider building physical activity into the entire lifestyle not just at the gym, to maximize overall volume. Activity programming should be designed to balance burning calories with individualized strategies that keep the person “moving more and sitting less” through their entire day. Even a one-minute activity break can be a move in the right direction. The new Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans support the approach that “every minute counts.”

Myth #4: Everything has to Change Immediately

Okay, this whole blog I have been encouraging physical activity in combination with reducing intake for weight loss. However, I am not naive to how difficult that can actually be. It can be a lot on the body and the mind to start doing high volumes of activity and completely changing diet patterns all at one time. This may be the reason why many people quit weight loss strategies early. The return on their investment (time, energy, commitment) is often bigger than the changes they initially see on the scale. We often don’t realize how much work it will take until we get started. But don’t fret, here are my favorite strategies based upon many of the lifestyle weight loss projects that I have been involved with.

Stacking Behaviors: Everyone is different, but we often see that people prefer to start by conquering one weight loss behavior before the other. I like to call this the trigger behavior – success in one area can fuel motivation and self-efficacy in another. This can be different for every person, so determining what the person feels more comfortable starting with (diet or exercise) may be a positive strategy. The end goal should be eventual participation in both behaviors. In our weight loss programs, we typically recommend starting with the diet and slowing overlaying activity.   

Start Low and Go Slow: This goes for both exercise and dietary strategies. Extreme changes are often not fun and not sustainable. Expecting perfection can be followed by frustration. We have to celebrate the small successes around developing positive patterns like taking a 10-minute walk each day at lunch, or meal prepping for a healthy dinner for an entire week. These patterns early on may be more important than doing the highest calorie-burning workout, or eating the perfect number of calories in a day. These patterns may be building a foundation for maintaining positive eating and activity habits for the long haul.

Make a Ramp Up Plan: We start low and go slow, but we should also try to set short term goals that strategically introduce the next positive layer of weight loss behavior. We love doing this with physical activity minutes. For example, during the first two weeks while we are targeting diet, the goal may be 100 minutes of activity spread across five to seven days (14-20 min/day). Then, every two weeks, activity minutes climb by 25 min/wk. The first bump-up is 125 minutes (17-25 min/day). With this strategy, by weeks 11 and 12, a person can be up to 225 min/wk and meeting the recommendation for weight loss maintenance. Ramp up planning can work well for both the dietary and activity goal setting.

Renee J. Rogers, Ph.D., FACSM, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health and Physical Activity and the Director, Health and Wellness Programming and Moving Health with Media Core in the Healthy Lifestyle Institute at the University of Pittsburgh.

POLAR and ACSM recently hosted an industry-presented webinar with Brett Lato, M.A., entitled Essential Elements of Heart Rate Based Training – Key concepts & practical applications for training.

Watch the full webinar on ACSM YouTube

Several questions were asked by attendees during the webinar and the answers pertaining to HR zones, optimal equations, caloric expenditure and more are below.

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Q: How to approach HR zones for populations that have chronic conditions (e.g., COPD, cardiac, cancer)?

It depends on the condition and the individual. For individuals with specific conditions, it is always best to consult and follow instructions provided by health care professionals. Using RPE along with HR can be an effective training strategy in many populations.

 

Q: I am a personal trainer and personally use Polar_® products. I would like for my clients to use Polar heart rate technology with workouts. Is wholesale pricing available for Personal Trainers?

We do offer wholesale pricing for businesses. If you own the business and operate in the United States, you can apply for a wholesale account with Polar USA. If you are planning to use this with personal training clients, I strongly suggest checking out or free application “Polar Coach.” You can register to use this at no cost at Flow.Polar.com/Coach. It is a great tool for tracking client progress as well as adjusting and prescribing training.

 

Q: How does Polar calculate caloric expenditure?

Our energy expenditure calculation is based on your measured heart rate, activity through wrist movement, and your personal information: weight, height, age, gender, resting heart rate, maximum heart rate, and your individual maximal oxygen uptake (V̇O_2max). The more personal metrics you add to your personal profile the more accurate the calculation.

 

Q: Does the Polar App only work with the Polar chest strap?

Polar has several apps for smart devices and tablets including Polar Beat (personal use), Polar Club (group exercise), Polar GoFit (physical education), Polar Team & Team Pro (Sports). Our chest straps (H9 and H10) do work with these applications. Additionally, Polar devices such as the OH1 arm band and our wrist-based devices, like Ignite, Vantage, and A370, work with the applications as well.

 

Q: I thought the Max HR formula changed in 2001 (208 - (.70 * age). They average out either formula (Karvonen). What do you recommend?

There are several calculations that can be used to estimate maximum heart rate, including the one you mentioned and others like the Fox, Tanaka, and Gulati. No matter which formula you select, it is important to note that all the formulas are based on population statistics and are intended to be no more than an estimation. Even the best estimation is still an estimation. Actual maximum heart rate for individuals can vary significantly from the estimations that the formulas provide. The only way to really know your own maximum heart rate is to have it measured on a maximal test.

I recommend using an estimation formula for an initial guide and then testing for MHR when possible. If testing is not practical, using the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) chart in combination with heart rate live training data to help identify and adjust errors from estimations.

 

Q: Can our clients rely on HR monitors on cardio equipment in the gym for accurate readings if they are not wearing a device? Treadmills, elliptical, or bike hand HR readings?

In many cases yes, but this ultimately depends on the individual’s preference for accurate and reliable data.

Pulse sensors, like the ones commonly found on fitness equipment detect your pulse through contact with your hands. They pick up small electrical signals passing through your skin and use that information to provide an estimate of exercise heart rate in beats per minute (BPM). These devices are usually accurate, but for members seeking a higher degree of reliability I suggest using either a wrist-worn optical device or the standard chest strap which takes the electrical signal directly from the SA Node.  

 

Q: Can individuals go over their maximum heart rate? What does it mean if they do?

Physically individuals cannot go over their actual maximum heart rate. Maximum heart rate is just that— it is the maximum. It cannot be exceeded. However, individuals can go over their estimated maximum heart rate. When this occurs, it simply means that the equation intended to predict Max Heart Rate did not work for them. If the maximum is exceeded, the estimation needs to be adjusted. Note: Movement artifact and arrhythmia could cause HR to exceed maximum estimation or measurement. Movement artifact can be minimized by ensuring proper fit, and anyone with a suspected arrhythmia should consult a physician.

 

Q: How do you fix an estimated Max HR that inaccurately says it’s above 100%?

Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) errors due to estimation can result in training heart rates that exceed 100%. This can be adjusted by conducting submaximal tests or by updating the original estimate using session-based maximums for reference. In this case, maximum heart rate would need to be increased. Errant HR readings exceeding 100% could also be caused by movement artifact. Errant readings can be minimized by ensuring proper use and fit of the sensor.

 

Q: How does optical HR work?

Optical Heart Rate monitoring (OHR) is a technology that is based on detecting your blood flow optically through the skin. LEDs on the monitor shine bright lights through the skin, and a built-in photodiode (sensor) detects the intensity of the light reflecting back from the skin. When your heart beats, it pumps blood through your vessels. When blood flow is stronger, less light is reflected back to the photodiode, and between beats when blood flow is weaker, more light is reflected back to the photodiode. From these variations in the intensity of the light reflecting back from your skin, the optical heart rate measurement can determine your heart rate.

 

Q: Have any of the Polar products been third-party tested for validity and reliability specifically for their Energy Expenditure predictions? Are there any published studies?

The Polar Research Index (Polar.com) is home to a database which includes third-party research.

 

Q: Does wearing the product around the clock increase the accuracy of recovery recommendations? If so, what is the ideal wear time?

Yes, it does. For ideal results a user would wear the device 24/7.

 

Q: Is it better to train at a percentage of HR max or the Karvonen method?

In my experience, this question is a matter of preference. Similar results can be achieved using either method. If you have researched and are more knowledgeable with one method of training over the other, I would suggest using the one where you are the most knowledgeable. The Karvonen formula factors in HR Reserve which could be argued is better because it considers the athlete’s current training status (fit, unfit, over trained, etc.). However, I am unsure if there is any research that proves it’s a more effective training strategy as opposed to equally effective.

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Presenter:

Brett Lato, M.A.

Brett Lato currently serves as Manager of Training & Education with Polar Electro Inc. and has worked with heart rate technology for over 10 years. In his role, he works directly with personal trainers, physical educators, fitness directors, health club owners, strength and condition staff and various collegiate and professional coaches across the country. Lato works with a team of skilled trainers at Polar who conduct hundreds of on-line and on-site trainings annually, educating professionals on how best to utilize and incorporate heart rate based training into their unique programs.

Viewpoints presented in this blog reflect opinions of the author and POLAR and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of ACSM.

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