Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, CSCS,*D, ACSM-EP, FACSM, has been involved in the health and fitness industry since 1995. He currently works as a personal trainer, exercise physiologist, fitness educator, speaker, author, subject matter expert, and adjunct professor and is based in Greece. He holds a bachelor’s degree in physical education and sport science, a master’s degree in exercise and health, a doctorate in clinical exercise physiology, and numerous certifications through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), and National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). His primary research interest is the study of hybrid-type, multicomponent interval training in obesity. He has authored over 100 international peer-reviewed publications on exercise, including research articles, textbook chapters, and translated books.

He has won multiple awards for his fitness expertise: He received global recognition as a 2017 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year finalist, the 2018 IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year, the 2019 IDEA China Fitness Innovator, the 2020 NSCA Personal Trainer of the Year, a 2020 MedFit Professional of the Year finalist, the 2021 PFP Trainer of the Year, a 2021 ACSM Certified Professional of the Year finalist, and the 2022 ACSM Certified Professional of the Year.

He has been a member of EuropeActive’s Professional Standards Committee, leading the technical experts group that developed educational standards for the occupational role of Weight Management Exercise Specialist. He has served on several committees for ACSM and NSCA, is an ACSM fellow, and is a member of the NSCA board of directors. Lastly, he is the founder of the International Obesity Exercise Training Institute (IOETI), teaching internationally approved continuing education courses in 45 countries across five continents and empowering over 3,000 fitness professionals since 2017.

Foreword
Dr. Walter R. Thompson

Part I. The Science
Chapter 1. Understanding Overweight and Obesity
Renee Rogers, PhD, and Sara Kovacs, PhD

Chapter 2. The Role of an Exercise Professional
Christie L. Ward-Ritacco, PhD, and Alison C. Berg, PhD

Chapter 3. The Role of Exercise in Weight Management and Obesity
John M. Jakicic, PhD, and Landon Deru, PhD

Chapter 4. Coaching Lifestyle Modification and Behavior Change
Rachelle Acitelli Reed, PhD, and Susie Reiner, PhD

Part II. The Assessment
Chapter 5. Exercise Preparticipation Interview and Health Screening
Deborah Riebe, PhD, and Christie L. Ward-Ritacco, PhD

Chapter 6. Health-Related Physical Fitness Assessments
Meir Magal, PhD, and Kathleen S. Thomas, PhD

Part III. The Application
Chapter 7. Warm-Up Concepts
Amy Bantham, PhD, Rachele Pojednic, PhD, and Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD

Chapter 8. Muscular Fitness
Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, Michael Stack, BS, and Kia Williams, MS

Chapter 9. Neuromotor Fitness
Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, Leslie A. Stenger, EdD, and Elizabeth Kovar, MA

Chapter 10. Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Tony NuÑez, PhD, Elizabeth Kovar, MA, and Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD

Chapter 11. Flexibility Training and Cool-Down Techniques
Elizabeth Kovar, MA, and Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD

Part IV. The Programming
Chapter 12. Program Design
Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, and Anoop Balachandran, PhD

Chapter 13. Sample Workouts
Alexios Batrakoulis, PhD, Rodiel Kirby Baloy, DPT, John Bauer, Vula Bolou, Lee Boyce, Ryan Carver, BS, Christine M. Conti, MEd, Grace DeSimone, BA, Brett Klika, BS, Lauren Korzan, MA, Jonathan Mike, PhD, Michael Piercy, MS, Keli Roberts, Melody Schoenfeld, MS, Lauren Shroyer, MS, and Summer Sides

Chapter 14. Case Study Scenarios
Stephanie Cooper, PhD, Daniel Green, BA, Farel B. Hruska, Michael R. Mantell, PhD, Tracy L. Markley, Cherie O’Neill (Kroh), EdD, Brian Richey, BS, Jonathan Ross, Louise Valentine, MPH, Maurice Williams, MS, and Mary Yoke, PhD

Appendix. Chapter Quiz and Case Study Answers
Glossary
Index