Courses Taught

Exercise, Sports, and Fitness Activities

Love of Sports: Luge, road racing, marathoning, gymnastics, and soccer.

Love of Fitness Activities: Jogging, cycling, strength training, and swimming.

Love of Physical Activities: Walking, yard work, and gardening.

Click Here for an Interview with Werner Hoeger

Fitness & Wellness Titles

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An Interview With Werner Hoeger

Dr. Hoeger:

Based on your many years of research and experience, we would like to ask you some of the most common questions that people ask at conferences and through our marketing contacts about your philosophy and writings.

Why should students take a fitness/wellness course?

Most people go to school to learn how to make a living, but a fitness and wellness course will teach students how to live-how to truly live life to its fullest potential.  Making a good living won't help people unless they live a wellness lifestyle that will allow them to enjoy what they have.

What recommendations can you make to help a person get started?

First, do some preliminary health and fitness screening to make sure it's safe for you to exercise.  Next, undergo a fitness assessment to find out where you're at. Use the results as a starting point for your exercise prescription. The best way to start is in a structured program -- a school course, a health club, a YMCA.  You need to learn sound principles of exercise prescription and training so you can implement a program that will truly provide benefits.

How do you suggest helping students make lasting behavior changes?

Research studies during the last three decades have convincingly documented the benefits of physical activity and healthy lifestyles.  And although the scientific evidence continues to mount each day and the data are impressive, most people are still unable to adhere to a healthy lifestyle program.  Behavior change starts with education. I discuss the importance and benefits of implementing a lifetime fitness and wellness program. Throughout most chapters in my books, however, I give specific guidelines/behavioral modification techniques and motivational strategies that will help students stay with the program.

On what do you base your objectives?

Quite simply on a higher quality of life.  I firmly believe that as long as we live, we should try to live and enjoy life to its fullest.  To do so, we need to be physically active, eat right, work effectively, socialize, and play.

What are your health fitness and physical fitness-norms based on?

For cardiorespiratory endurance and body composition, the health fitness standards are based on research linking minimum fitness levels with lower risk for chronic diseases.  The physical fitness standards were developed according to data from leading national fitness organizations and institutions.

Fitness experts don't agree on standards for muscular strength and flexibility.  I've chosen the 50 and 60 percentile ranks for the health fitness standard and believe that, as a minimum, we need to be "average" or slightly above average to enjoy good health.

If a person is going to do only one thing to improve health, what would it be?

This is a common question.  It's a mistake to think, though, that you can modify just one factor and enjoy wellness.  Wellness requires a constant and deliberate effort to change unhealthy behaviors.  But take it step by step: work on one or two behaviors at a time.  Being involved in a regular physical activity program and proper nutrition are two behaviors I would work on.  Others should follow, depending on your lifestyle.

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