The Turkey Day milestone is fast approaching, and we’re cruising through the waning days of November. That leaves me barely enough time to squeak in a relevant note about National Career Development Month before December blows in:

Professional stasis — not unlike sedentary behavior — can have fairly dire long-term consequences, so having an annual reminder to get one’s act together, like National Career Development Month, is pretty helpful. This time around, let’s focus on a highly beneficial “next step” for ACSM certifieds: If you aren’t already, consider becoming an ACSM Certified Group Exercise Instructor^® (ACSM-GEI).

Why? Gaining your ACSM-GEI certification shows potential clients and employers that you’re ready to add safe, exciting group sessions to your repertoire, from choreographed fitness classes to high-intensity interval training (HIIT) offerings. Meanwhile, the prep work for the certification exam will provide you with useful intel about course design, equipment choices, flooring and temperature variables, the use of music, a likely range of course-takers’ learning styles, and much more.

ACSM-GEIs say they’re better compensated because of the certification and find it easier to get a 40 hour/week schedule. For their part, employers report that cert pros who are qualified both to teach clients one on one and in group settings are like unicorns — everyone wants to hire them. In short: Becoming an ACSM-GEI will quickly and meaningfully boost your career.

Do you qualify? ACSM-GEI candidates need to be 18 years or older, hold a high school diploma or the equivalent and possess an adult CPR/AED certification. If you meet those requirements, you’re eligible to take the exam.

What to do: Visit the Become an ACSM Certified Group Exercise Instructor^® page on the ACSM website and scroll down to “Prepare for Your ACSM-GEI Certification ǀ A Guided Approach,” then download the exam content outline. You can also join the official ACSM-GEI Facebook group to connect with hundreds of other candidates preparing for the exam.

After that, get your study plan together. ACSM’s Resources for the Group Exercise Instructor is the exam’s official preparation book, and ACSM’s Guidelines for the Exercise Testing and Prescription, 11th edition, is another great resource to throw into the mix. And make sure to practice with prepU’s quiz platform; that will provide you with assessment questions tailored just for you.

Once you feel prepared, you can choose to take the exam either online or in person, whichever is most comfortable for you. The in-person exams take place at participating Pearson VUE testing locations, so keep an eye out for your most convenient Pearson site.

Let’s use the tail end of this National Career Development Month to kick off a new certification journey. To wit: The ACSM-GEI cert is an ideal way to make yourself a more versatile and marketable exercise professional.

Additional content: 
Blog | How Being Dual Credentialed Can Improve Your Hiring and Salary Potential
Blog | A Day in the Life of a Group Exercise Instructor

Body fat is essential for health; fat tissue not only stores energy but is an endocrine organ that synthesizes and secretes hormones (including estrogen and testosterone) important for healthy growth and maturation. Excess fat mass during childhood and adolescence tends to track into adulthood and is associated with adverse health outcomes. Obesity prevention has become a key priority for health agencies across Canada and around the world, as nearly one in seven Canadian children and adolescents have obesity as measured by body mass index (BMI). However, BMI does not discriminate between fat and fat-free mass and often reflects healthy increases in fat-free mass during growth and maturation. As such, objective measures of fat mass are vital to improving our understanding of predictors of body fat throughout childhood and adolescence.

In our mixed-longitudinal study, published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise_®, we measured total body fat mass in over 300 boys and girls across adolescence using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. We assessed physical activity and sedentary behaviors using accelerometry and total energy intake via dietary recalls. Girls and boys mature at different ages (e.g., average age at peak height velocity is 11.5 years for girls and 13.6 years for boys) and growth of body tissues coincides with timing of maturation. Therefore, we aligned girls and boys on biological age (age at peak height velocity) instead of chronological age.

We found that boys and girls gain fat mass differently. The rate of fat mass accrual in girls was four times greater than boys at age at peak height velocity and increased across adolescence. Boys’ fat mass plateaued after age at peak height velocity. Physical activity may protect against excess fat accrual, yet only 14% of girls and 41% of boys in our study met the 60 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) recommended for health benefits. We found that MVPA negatively predicted fat mass independent of time spent in sedentary activities. For boys, every six minutes/day annual increase in MVPA was associated with 2% lower fat mass. For girls, every four minutes/day greater MVPA was associated with 3% lower fat mass.

Given divergent trajectories of fat mass accrual and physical activity participation in boys and girls, our study emphasizes the need for gender-specific approaches to health-promotion interventions. On average, adolescent girls increased fat mass by 1.4 kg/year during late childhood and adolescence, with lower rates of accrual thereafter. Body fat is particularly important for menstrual function in females. Parents, educators, coaches and sporting agencies should recognize that fat mass accrual is part of healthy growth, and that growth trajectories differ between girls and boys during adolescence.

We hope our work will serve as a building block for future studies to add robust measures of diet, sleep habits (quality and duration), parental characteristics (weight status, health outcomes, employment and education characteristics), the built environment, and socioeconomic status, as these are all related to fat mass accrual. Additionally, a longer follow-up and earlier baseline entry would help determine critical periods when health behaviors such as physical activity may play their most influential role. Exploring these research questions could significantly improve our understanding of the determinants of fat mass accrual and have public health implications across the lifespan.

Jennifer McConnell-Nzunga, Ph.D., is an analyst with Statistics Canada and an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Regina in Saskatchewan, Canada. Her research focuses on obesity, health behaviors, social determinants of health, and health care utilization using large, longitudinal, linked datasets. Dr. McConnell-Nzunga earned her Ph.D. in the social dimensions of health from the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada, where her research focused on childhood obesity measurement, classification and longitudinal determinants.

Leigh Gabel, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Faculty of Kinesiology at the University of Calgary in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Gabel’s research program focuses on the role of physical activity and exercise for musculoskeletal health. Her research uses advanced medical imaging, including DXA and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), to assess changes in muscle, fat and bone tissues across the lifespan.

Viewpoints presented in SMB commentaries reflect opinions of the authors and do not necessarily represent ACSM positions or policies. Active Voice authors who have received financial or other considerations from a commercial entity associated with their topic must disclose such relationships at the time they accept an invitation to write for SMB.

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Q: Do you have any thoughts on HIIT’s effect on cancer survivorship versus MICT, or can you reference any researchers working in this area?

A: I believe there are large trials in prostate cancer and breast cancer ongoing with HIIT — I am not sure of all the details regarding inclusion/exclusion and cancer outcomes. Kerry Courneya at the University of Alberta is a leader in Exercise RCTs in cancer. A recent example showing promise of HIIT in prostate cancer from his group can be found here.

Q: Based on the SMARTEX study and the intensity overlap, is intensity between 80-85% of peak heart rate still classified as HIIT?

A: Great question. I don’t think we have a great answer on how to classify HIIT where intervals reach ~80-85% peak heart rate. The data from the 4 X 4-min “Norwegian” HIIT model do suggest that reaching 90-95% is important, but these types of studies comparing intervals that are this “close” in intensity are difficult to conduct. Pragmatically, and from experience, the RPE and subjective experience of intervals reaching 90-95% do feel “harder” than ~80-85%, and likely there are some benefits to going a little harder if that is the goal of your HIIT workout.

Q: %HR is predominantly used to prescribe HIIT, but for patients taking beta blockers, HR may not reach target %HR? Any other strategies to better prescribe HIIT in this population, instead of using heart rate response or RPE?

A: There are some modified peak HR equations in the practical guidelines article from Jenna Taylor and colleagues I discussed in the presentation. RPE is probably the best in this case, but if you are monitoring participants and have access to treadmill speed or ergometer wattage, you could use % of peak workload as another possibility.  

Q: With exercise snacks, how much time do you need to warm up/cool down?

A: Great question. We have used a 2-3 minute warm-up in our published studies but have recently completed a stair-climbing snacks intervention in the workplace with no warm-up (other than walking to the stairwell), and in ongoing studies using whole-body exercise snacks that can be performed at your desk (or anywhere with a little bit of space) we do not incorporate a warm-up in order to make the exercise more time efficient and accessible.  

Q: Can you give a protocol for exercise snacks? How much time between?

A: We don’t know if there is an “optimal” protocol, but our published and ongoing studies use 20-60 seconds of “hard” exercise (at least 4/5 on Borg CR-10 RPE scale) performed as cycling sprints, stair-climbing, bodyweight exercises, etc. performed at least three times per day with at least one hour in between. Pragmatically, I don’t think it matters as long as some minimal dose of “hard” exercise is accumulated. We don’t know what this minimal dose of hard exercise is, but in our studies I suppose it was ~1 minute per day (3 X 20-seconds). I don’t want this to be misconstrued to suggest I am saying that one minute per day is sufficient to achieve all the health benefits of physical activity! Of interest on this “minimal dose” idea, a recent epidemiological study suggests as little as two minutes per day of vigorous “unplanned” activity (i.e., not part of a specific exercise session) was associated with reduced mortality. So I think the dose of vigorous exercise that confers health benefits might be quite small — which makes the exercise snacks approach intriguing!

Q: You might’ve touched on this. Sorry if I missed it. What about the calculation 220-age for HR max?

A: I think this equation works okay on a population basis but certainly is not perfect for an individual. We only use it as a starting point if we don’t have max test information for a participant.  

Q: What is the evidence and outcomes between AIT & a 10 x 1 model?

A: There are a few studies comparing the 4 X 4 AIT “Norwegian” model and the 10 X 1-min low-volume HIIT model. It probably depends on the outcome you are interested in. Some studies report no substantial differences between the two, whereas there is some indication that the improvement in VO2peak might be greater with the 4 X 4 model, and as I mentioned in the presentation, there are more high-quality RCTs in clinical populations using this style of HIIT. I think it makes some sense that the time spent at a very high intensity (e.g., time spent above 90% peak heart rate) is likely greater in the 4 X 4 vs. 10 X 1 HIIT, so if that characteristic of training is important for improving VO2peak then 4 X 4 may be superior for this outcome. The main potential benefit of 10 X 1 HIIT is the lower time commitment — there are really not a lot of studies supporting superiority of this HIIT format compared to standard endurance-oriented training (e.g., MICT) but appears to elicit similar adaptations/responses with less time.

Q: How do you implement exercise snacks in daily life, considering a person’s normal routine (work, study, etc.)?

A: We are currently working on this, but some ideas are to couple exercise snacks with other “habits” or activities that you do each day. For example, couple an exercise snack before/after you (a) brush your teeth, (b) make a coffee, (c) take a coffee break, (d) finish a Zoom meeting at your desk, (e) when you arrive at your office/desk, (f) before you leave your desk/office. We are also working on technology to send push notifications or text messages as reminders at pre-defined times of day according to participant schedules.

Q: Exercise snacks! Can you give an example for adding exercise snacks in daily life?

A: Some of my favorite examples/suggestions are to ascend stairs as fast and safely as possible if you work or have a meeting on a different floor, use the restroom on a higher (or lower) floor and ascend the stairs quickly on your way, or perform 20-30 seconds of jumping jacks, star jumps, or air squats in between Zoom meetings.

Q: In terms of metabolism, is it true that it boosts metabolism up to 24 hours after the session?

A: There are some studies that may show some elevation in resting metabolic rate (what is commonly called “metabolism”) for up to 24 hours after a HIIT session. However, the “extra” calories you would burn is not a lot, and if you compared this to performing a few more minutes of exercise, it would not amount to much. It is my opinion that a boost to metabolism 24 hours after a HIIT session is not a major mechanism for the health or performance benefits of HIIT.  

The views presented here are of the author, and do not necessarily reflect the positions of ACSM.

It was during the third year of my Ph.D. work at Boston University when I received a call from my undergraduate mentor at the University of Puerto Rico, and now colleague and friend, Julio Morales, Ph.D. Dr. Morales had a suggestion, he said “you should apply for the ACSM’s leadership program for minorities.” He explained what he knew about the program and guided me to where I could find more information about it. He was referring to the ACSM’s Leadership and Diversity Training Program (LDTP). The LDTP is a program aimed to support, mentor, retain and guide members from racial/ethnic minority groups throughout the ACSM Fellowship path.

In 2010 during the ACSM Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, I was part of the cohort selected as mentees for the 2010-2011 LDTP. I remember entering a private room at a restaurant near the Oriole’s baseball field, the iconic Camden Yards, and meeting a group of young individuals and their mentors that today I call brothers and sisters. Later that evening it was time for me to meet my LDTP mentor, one of the most incredibly humble human beings that I’ve ever met in my life, ACSM past president Larry Armstrong, PhD., FACSM. Since that moment Dr. Armstrong truly put me “under his wing” and there’s no major event, personal or professional, that I don’t receive a call or an email from him. As a mentor, Dr. Armstrong offered meaningful support and guidance when I asked, checked on my personal and professional successes and setbacks always with clear boundaries but genuine comfort and true professional congeniality.

In 2011, as a mentor, Dr. Armstrong asked me to develop a symposium with him for the New England ACSM chapter annual meeting, and it was an amazing experience. In 2016, I consulted him when I was offered a postdoctoral position. In 2017, Dr. Armstrong called when hurricane María devastated my beautiful Puerto Rico. And in 2019 he sent one of the most encouraging replies I’ve ever received in my life, when I asked him via email for a recommendation letter toward my fellowship application.

As you can tell by now, the role of mentors has been a very special one in my professional development. So let me introduce you another mentor and friend that ACSM and the LDTP gave me the opportunity to have in my life: ACSM past president, NiCole Keith, PhD., FACSM. I met Dr. Keith as the organizer of the LDTP in 2010 during that evening in Baltimore. Right away I realized how much she cared, not only for the program, but for all of us mentees, individually and as a collective. It was clear by her passionate speech that her goal was not only for ACSM to become a more diverse organization within its membership, but within its leadership as well.

It was Dr. Keith during the 2019 conference in Orlando who stopped me while I was walking toward the convention center and asked me “when are you applying for fellowship?” I gathered my thoughts, and with a nervous voice I replied with another question, “Can I get a recommendation letter from you?” Later that year I submitted my application for fellowship with recommendations from past president, Dr. Armstrong, and (at the time) president-elect, Dr. Keith.

Today, I’m an assistant professor, an ACSM Fellow and mentor in the LDTP. I have been a candidate for the Health Equity, Inclusion and Diversity trustee position on ACSM’s Board of Trustees, co-chair of the ACSM Minority Health and Research Special Interest Group and member of the ACSM Membership Committee. Currently I am co-chair of the Diversity Network communication sub-committee and was recently appointed as a member of the ACSM Communication and Public Information Committee. All these great opportunities were possible thanks to my participation on the LDTP.

The LDTP is not only a program where participants engage in meetings and experiences with current ACSM leaders. It’s also a program that promotes collegial and fraternal relationships among its participants and solidify the path toward a diverse and inclusive leadership of our beloved ACSM. I encourage my fellow members, colleagues and those in position of guidance and mentorship, to get involved and promote this great opportunity for your underrepresented students and mentees.

Apply for the LDTP**

Apply to be a LDTP Mentor

*“Camínalo” means “walk it” in Spanish.
**Must be logged in with ACSM ID to access application.

Mario A. Muñoz, Ph.D., FACSM, is an assistant professor in the Department of Kinesiology at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he coordinates the Human Performance and Wellness Management Program. He is an ACSM Leadership & Diversity Training Program alumnus and has been an ACSM Fellow since 2019. Dr. Muñoz served as co-chair of the ACSM Minority Health and Research Special Interest Group. Currently, Dr. Muñoz serves on the ACSM Diversity Action Committee and ACSM Communication and Public Information Committee.