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. We have focused on including more international experts and female-related topics and perspectives in 2022. As always, our topic area covers all ages and fitness levels as well as some more focused information about specific sports & activities.  

We are excited to present our Highlighted Symposium, both in person and virtually, “Out to Pasture or Let it Ride: Determining the Fate of Fitness Testing in Youth” on Thursday, June 2nd, 9:30-11:30 a.m. Speakers will include Leah Robinson, Ph.D., FACSM, “Evolution of Youth Fitness Testing”; Dawn P. Coe, Ph.D., FACSM, “Has Youth Fitness Testing Been Misguided?”; Shannon Siegel, Ph.D., FACSM, “Pros and Cons of Youth Fitness Testing” and Rebecca A. Battista, Ph.D., FACSM, “Youth Fitness Testing: What Should the Goal Be and How Should We Achieve It?” This Symposium, chaired by Karin A. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., FACSM will highlight the pros and cons and future directions of fitness testing in terms of health, development and participation in physical activity and sport of youth.  

We have also planned a diverse range of tutorial lectures on using biomarkers for exercise and nutrition programming (Shawn Arent, Ph.D., FACSM); exercise variability and response (Robert Ross, Ph.D.) and resistance and power training in dancers (Barry Parker, Ph.D., and Jessica Sansone, Ph.D.) and older adults (Anoop T. Balachandran, Ph.D.), respectively. Free Communications, rapid fire and thematic poster sessions provide a wonderful opportunity to see several presentations 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 sessions will include Running and Fitness Assessment. The rapid-fire session will be a dynamic presentation on Blood Flow Restriction Training. Our traditional slide presentations will focus on this year’s theme of Women in Sport. 

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; cognitive function; blood flow restriction; cardiovascular, resistance & interval training; military/service personnel; recovery; running; soccer; fitness testing; COVID-19 and women-specific research and training. 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 2022 ACSM Annual Meeting in San Diego to learn more about fitness assessment, training and performance. Recommendations to maximize your experience include making sure to review the entire program as there are related sessions listed under various categories including a summary of training effects from the HERITAGE study (Genetics) and physical fitness in pregnancy (Athlete Care); and keep on the lookout for additional virtual content. 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!

Register for the ACSM 2022 Annual Meeting

Melissa Wehnert Roti, PhD, FACSM, ACSM-EP, ACSM-GEI, and Kimberly Reich, Ph.D., ACSM-EP, EIM-II