Exercise physiology programs focus on the physiology of physical activity. Students learn about body mechanics. They study healthy or impaired responses. They study the effects of injury and illness on the body.

Many of us dream of becoming world-class athletes, like tennis legend Martina Navratilova, or Steve Young, the former quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers. We watch with awe at what professional athletes can do with their bodies. We all know they work hard, exercising and training many hours per day. And although it's true that most of us aren't going to become the next Tiger Woods, exercise physiologists work with all kinds of people to help them reach their physical potential.

With a degree in exercise physiology, you can work at private health clubs and fitness centers. You can lead fitness classes or even perform physical therapy. Or, you can work at rehabilitation centers, helping people recover from heart or lung surgery. You can help people with weight problems lose weight and develop a healthy lifestyle. In addition, exercise physiologists work with people of all ages and abilities. This includes athletes, older people, and people with physical disabilities.

In exercise physiology programs, you take courses that teach you how the body moves and responds to exercise. You take courses in anatomy, biology, and chemistry. You also study nutrition and how people feel about themselves when they exercise. Depending on your interests, you can specialize in different areas of exercise science. These include nutrition, athlete training, or cardiovascular systems. For example, you can concentrate on helping top athletes maintain their fitness levels, or you can help people eat better to improve their health.

A few schools offer bachelor's degrees in exercise physiology. They usually take four years to complete. In some cases, you can go to school an extra year and get a combined bachelor's and master's degree. In addition, about 90 schools offer graduate degrees in exercise physiology, which typically take three to five years after you complete your bachelor's degree.