Dr. Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., FACSM, FAACVPR, Tenured Regents Professor of Kinesiology and Health

2012 Fitness Trends

Now in its sixth consecutive year, the 2012 ACSM Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends is released. Trends have been defined as a general development that takes some time and then stays for a period (usually described as a behavior change), whereas a fad comes and goes. In the top 10 fitness trends for 2012, eight have been on the list in previous years. A few that are gone, have been relegated to the growing bucket of fitness crazes, rages, and fads. Dr. Walter R. Thompson, a tenured Regents Professor of Kinesiology and Health, joins Melanie Cole M.S. to discuss these trends and give important advice on how to best utilize these trends to get the the most from your exercise and fitness routines.

Dr. Walter R. Thompson is a tenured Regents Professor of Kinesiology and Health (College of Education) and a Professor of Nutrition (College of Health and Human Sciences) at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He is an American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) certified Program Director(r), ACSM Registered Clinical Exercise Physiologist(r), licensed Clinical Exercise Physiologist (State of Louisiana) and licensed Clinical Laboratory Director (State of Georgia). Prior to joining the faculty at Georgia State University in 1994, Dr. Thompson was a tenured Professor of Health, Human Performance and Recreation and Director of the Laboratory for Applied Physiology at the University of Southern Mississippi and Program Director for the Center for Cardiac Rehabilitation and Health Enhancement at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago. He has also held adjunct academic appointments at Northeastern Illinois University and at George Williams College. Dr. Thompson has been the Chairman of the ACSM Committee on Certification and Education and is now the Chairman Emeritus of the ACSM International Relations Committee, Chairman of the ACSM American Fitness IndexTM, and the Founding Chairman of the Committee on Accreditation for the Exercise Sciences for the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Dr. Thompson has served on the ACSM Board of Trustees and was twice elected to its Administrative Council. Dr. Thompson is currently serving as the Chair of the Joint Committee on Health Fitness Facilities Standards for NSF International where he also serves as a member of the NSF Council of Public Health Consultants. He has given lectures on health-related topics in 23 different countries (some multiple times) on the continents of Europe, Africa, North America, South America, Central America and Asia. He is a Fellow of the American College of Sports Medicine, a Fellow of the American Association for Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation and a Fellow of the Research Consortium of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance. Dr. Thompson also serves on the Sports Science Committee of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) where he is charged with the coordination of international research projects at all IPC sanctioned events. Dr. Thompson has published over 100 research-based articles on many different topics and has received over $4 million in funding for his various initiatives. He has authored or has edited 11 books. His current book project is serving as Senior Editor for ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, now in its 8th edition with an estimated first printing of 100,000 copies. His current interests include wellness coaching as a primary mechanism for behavior change and the integration of sport and physical activity for people with disabilities. Because of his personal interest in at-risk kids living in the inner city, he serves as the Executive Director of the After-School All-Stars Atlanta, a comprehensive after school initiative for middle school aged children now in nine sites with an average daily attendance of 1,800. In 2006 Dr. Thompson received the prestigious Georgia State University College of Education Faculty Service Award. That same year his program was selected by the Georgia State University President to receive the "Most Outstanding University Program" award. In 2008, the After-School All-Stars was selected to receive the "Regional Excellence Award" by the Atlanta Civic League, chaired by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin and is the recipient of the 2008 Atlanta Partners for Education A+ Summa Cum Laude Award. In 2009, his program received the prestigious Hosea William Award for Community Activism.

Melanie Cole, M.S.

11 / 29 / 2011