Brief Biographic:
I am a long-time resident of Ithaca with family and roots in Long Island and NYC. Ithaca College provides a wonderful place for my career endeavors because it allows opportunities for sharing the latest wellness and exercise physiology information with interested students and colleagues. Moreover, my position allows me to work with others pursuing research to create new knowlede in these very exciting fields. Outside of work, I love hiking the beautiful parks in the area with my lifelong partner and wife Colleen. I also enjoy golfing at the local courses in the summertime. Running, and 3-4 days/week in the Ithaca College Wellness Clinic, help me with maintaining fitness. I have two wonderful sons who are living in San Diego and Atlanta and we visit each other as often as we can. I am thankful for all these blessings and opportunities.
Education:
Ph.D., Physiology of Exercise, May 1984
Support Areas: Biochemistry, Physiology, Psychology of Sport
University of Maryland, College Park, MD
M.S., Physical Education, specializing in Exercise Physiology, August 1980
Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
B.S., Physical Education, Minor: Education, June 1979
City University of New York, Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, New York
Courses Taught:
ExSS-32100 Exercise Physiology
ExSS-46400 Cardiopulmonary Assessment for Exercise
ExSS-44800 Pathophysiology, Limited Capacity and Exercise
ExSS-64800 Advanced Mechanisms of Strength & Conditioning
ExSS-47300 & -47400 Internship in Clinical Exercise Science
Research Interests:
I am most interested in maximizing the effects of exercise programming for health, wellness, and performance. I am currently working on related projects with both graduate and undergraduate students. In one project, the undergrads are examining the ability of clients in the Wellness Clinic to adhere to target heart rate during exercise. In others current studies, we are looking at blood lactate recovery during high intensity intervals, the effects of meditation on blood pressure in borderline hypertensives, and the relatinship between core strength, reactive agility and balance in female soccer players. We are also presently running a long-term (2.5 years) study of the effects of wellness coaching on health outcomes in Ithaca College employees. Finally, I consult for PlusOne Health Management in Manhattan, NY as we examine the impact of information and facility access on wellness in a corporate setting. This is an exciting time for research in exercise & sport sciences with many new projects in the hopper!
Recent Scholarship:
Serviente, C. and Sforzo, G.A. "Waist Circumference: A simple yet complicated clnical measure." ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, in press, 2013.
Sforzo, G.A., M. Kaye, N. Ngai, and D. Calleri. “Free Choice Access to Multi-Point Wellness Education and Related Services Positively Impact Employee Wellness: A Randomized and Controlled Trial“ J. Occup. & Environ. Med. 54:471-477, 2012.
Czapla, R., Sforzo, G.A. & D. King. "Optimizing power output by varying repetition tempo." J. of Strength & Conditioning Research. 25:3029-3034, 2011.
Johnson, I., .JC. Ives, & G.A. Sforzo. “Components of reactive agility in football players.” N. American Soc Sport and Phys Act Conference, Burlington, VT, 2011. (J. Sport & Exerc Psych, 33:S80).
Sforzo, GA, Dubey, A., & T. Swensen. “Manipulating the Extent of Delayed Onst Muscle Soreness” ACSM Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, 2011. (Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(5):s1617).
Pryor J, GA Sforzo, & T. Swensen. ”The effect of betaine on nitric oxide and cardiovascular response to exercise.” ACSM Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, 2011. (Med Sci Sports Exerc 43(5):s591).
Shah, J., G.A. Sforzo, & J. Ives. "The effect of distraction on exercise steady state." Abstract presented at American College of Sports Medicine National meeting, Baltimore, MD, June 2010.
Anderson, C.E., G.A. Sforzo, & .J.A. Sigg. "The effects of combining elastic and free weight resistance on strength and power in athletes," J. of Strength & Conditioning Research: 22:567-574, 2008.
John D., G.A. Sforzo, & T. Swensen, "Monitoring exercise heart rate using manual palpation," ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal, 11; 14-18, 2007.
Cowley, P.M., T. Swensen, and G.A. Sforzo. "Resistance Training on a Stability Ball," International Journal of Sports Medicine, 28:829-835, 2007.