Science Spotlight | Late September 2026
ACSM’s From Around the Field Science Webinar Series Open to Students ACSM’s From Around the Field Science webinar series is designed to provide ACSM students and members with an opportunity to learn about the diverse science our members conduct. Join us for informal discussions with our ACSM members to hear more about what they study, […]
Hot Topic | Energy Balance: A Key Component to Female Athlete Well-Being
Sports participation among women and girls has dramatically increased over the past decade, reflected in a record numbers of girls competing in high school and collegiate sports and women competing in the recent Olympic and Paralympic Games. For women and girls, sport participation is associated with opportunities to develop physical competence, improve components of fitness, […]
Active Voice | Can Being More Active Prime Your Brain to Benefit More from Exercise?
A single bout of exercise can sharpen thinking. But does everyone’s brain respond in the same way? Probably not. The lifestyles of those who participate in exercise sessions will likely differ from person to person. Some spend much of their day sitting, while others accumulate considerably more light and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. We wondered whether […]
Science Spotlight | September 2026 Highlights
Submit your letter of interest for PCORI Engagement Funding Opportunities The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) has opened the Engagement Award Program funding opportunities for the Fall 2026 cycle. These opportunities support efforts to bring more patients, caregivers, clinicians and other healthcare decision makers into the research process. Letters of Intent (LOI) are open for the following announcements: Capacity Building Dissemination Initiative Convening Support Building Capacity for Small Organizations […]
Science Spotlight | Late August 2026
ACSM publishes roundtable statement on Components of Fitness! In August, ACSM published a new specialty communication “The Components of Fitness: A Roundtable Statement by the American College of Sports Medicine” in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal. This statement provides consensus and recommendations for an updated, evidence-based framework in understanding the components of physical fitness. The five updated components presented in the statement include: “The ACSM roundtable statement on the components of […]
Hot Topic | What Myosin Fragmentation is Teaching Us about Exercise and Atrophy
If you coach, train, or treat athletes and patients, you’re aware that skeletal muscle adapts to the balance between building up (protein synthesis) and breaking down (protein breakdown). We’ve gotten remarkably good at measuring the “building up” side through stable isotope tracer methods, with newer methods enabling participants to orally consume them. The “breaking down” […]
Science Spotlight | August 2026 Highlights
ACSM journal sites have been updated! The ACSM journal websites have a new look and features. You can now find issue highlights from the Editors-in-Chief and featured articles about journal websites, along with the latest information about journal initiatives, calls for papers, and more. Access to all the ACSM journals can be found here: ACSM Journals Congratulations to the ACSM journals for […]
Active Voice | With Resistance Training, Load is Only Half the Story
For decades, one question has dominated resistance-training research: How much weight should we lift? Many studies have compared heavy and light loads to identify the optimal stimulus for maximizing strength and muscle hypertrophy. These investigations have shaped coaching practice, informed resistance-training guidelines, and fueled one of the longest-running debates in exercise science. Yet this question […]
Hot Topic | Being Outside Makes You Feel Better
Nature as a therapeutic intervention is a practice that dates back centuries but has only recently gained empirical legitimacy. From Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing) in Japan to green exercise initiatives in urban areas of the United States and Europe, nature-based approaches to health are gaining traction. Mental health disorders, including anxiety, depression, and stress-related conditions, are […]
Science Spotlight | ACSM Publishes new Call to Action Statement
In July, ACSM published a new pronouncement titled, “Intentional Examination of the Social Determinants of Health in Clinical Practice and Research: An ACSM Call to Action Statement” in the Translational Journal of the American College of Sports Medicine (TJACSM). The statement was chaired by Tamerah N. Hunt, PhD, ATC, FACSM, with additional members of the […]
