Discipline Head of Exercise Sciences, Professor Stephen Bird shares his insights on RMIT's Exercise and Sport Science program.
What is exercise and sport science?
Exercise and sport science is about taking a scientific approach to understanding the effects of exercise and training on health and sporting performance. This understanding has to be based on good research.
When working with clients, a sport/exercise scientist will collect information (data), relate it to our understanding of exercise, and then devise strategies to benefit the client’s health and/or their sport.
The field of sport science is receiving greater recognition at all levels: from the elite to the junior and recreational. Everyone wants to get the most from their sport and the application of sport science can help someone achieve this.
It’s not about pushing someone to breaking point – quite the reverse. Some of what we do is identifying and preventing risk of injury or overtraining. We are also focused on maximising the effectiveness of time spent training while promoting the enjoyment and fun of exercise.
Exercise science is a growing field with a focus on exercise for health reasons rather than training specifically for sport. It’s about reducing the risk of disease, such as Type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, osteoporosis and a loss of muscle mass as we age (sarcopaenia). When working with older clients it’s also about enabling someone to maintain or regain their functional capacity to undertake every day and recreational activities.
On the whole, working in this field can be very satisfying – whether it’s through helping an individual to attain success in sport or recover from an injury.
Who needs exercise scientists?
Given the range of activities that exercise and sport scientists are involved in, almost everybody.
We work with all ages – from children through to the elderly – in rehabilitation; prevention and reduction of disease; prevention or at least reducing the effects associated with ageing; and mental health promotion.
In a health setting, accredited exercise physiologists can work alongside other health professionals such as physiotherapists, providing expertise on what exercise will benefit a person and designing their work out program. This can be for those recovering in hospital from musculoskeletal injuries, heart attacks or other conditions. People may also be referred to an exercise physiologist by a general practitioner as part of a strategy to reduce their risk of suffering from disease.
In a sporting context, sport scientists will work alongside support staff and coaches to assess fitness (physiology) and skills using biomechanics and motor skill assessments.
Who is suited to this field? Is there a particular background or skill set required?
To be a good exercise and sport scientist you need to be passionate about exercise and you need to be committed to learning. It’s important to work confidently, safely and effectively in this field so you must be willing to regularly update your skills.
Typically you need to enjoy working with people – whether they are individual clients, teams or colleagues. You also need to be hard-working as some of the tasks require long hours.
What can students expect from the undergraduate program at RMIT?
At RMIT, we cover both exercise for health and sport performance, and while there can be some overlap, there are many areas in which they are distinctly different. For example, prescribing exercise to benefit the muscles of an elderly person is health-related, while determining the best training program for an Olympic athlete is about performance.
Within sport and exercise science there are a number of related disciplines which include biomechanics, exercise physiology, psychology, sociology, motor learning and skill development. Many of these areas are linked to exercise and sport science in order to assist in prescription and programming.
Our degree provides a balance of theory and practice that builds as the program progresses. All students receive hands-on experience in labs to develop essential skills and they get the opportunity to apply these in their placements, which are built into the program.
During the program, students complete a minimum of 140 hours of work integrated learning over three years. These placements can be located within recreation centres, sports teams, rehabilitation clinics and research units.
What makes this program unique?
The emphasis on engagement and hands-on experience is what gives this program the edge. In order to provide this we have kept class numbers relatively small compared to other programs. This means is that every student receives a more intensive experience as they develop their skills in laboratory assessments, exercise prescription and so on. With larger cohorts there’s a risk that many students will be ‘observers’ rather than actively engaged participants.
Our graduates are also eligible to enrol in post-graduate studies that will provide them with accreditation as an exercise physiologist.
What are some of the burgeoning careers in this area?
The growth of Australia’s aging population and an increase in our sedentary lifestyle is creating a need for more expertise in the health sector.
RMIT graduates are finding work as personal trainers and exercise supervisors embedded in professional sports teams such as the Australian Football League (AFL). They are also finding work in recreation and leisure centres, sports institutes and in research.
At the postgraduate level, an accredited exercise physiologist can attain a Medicare provider number and thereby receive referrals for exercise, which is becoming increasingly prevalent in the healthcare system.