In academic settings across the country, faculty members are burning out—slowly, silently, and systemically. Despite the rise of well-intentioned faculty wellness programs featuring walking groups, yoga classes, and mindfulness apps, these interventions often fall short. They treat the symptoms of burnout, not the source. What’s missing is a deeper, more physiologically grounded solution—one that begins with muscle.
As stated in my recent series, Dr. Gabrielle Lyon’s (2022) Muscle-Centric Medicine (MCM) paradigm offers a timely and transformative framework for addressing the growing health crisis in higher education. At its core, MCM recognizes skeletal muscle not just as tissue for movement but as an endocrine organ that governs metabolic health, immune function, and cognitive vitality. For faculty members navigating heavy teaching loads, grant deadlines, and committee obligations, this reframe is nothing short of revolutionary.
Faculty Burnout and the Limits of Traditional Wellness Programs
Research has consistently shown that university faculty experience high rates of metabolic dysfunction, stress-related fatigue, and cognitive overload (Storoschuk et al., 2023; Tolea & Galvin, 2015). While many institutions have implemented wellness initiatives, these often default to aerobic exercise and mindfulness strategies. These approaches have value, but they rarely address the physiological wear and tear placed on academics’ bodies from prolonged sitting, poor sleep, and elevated cortisol levels.
Structured resistance training, by contrast, offers a more potent and preventive approach. Studies demonstrate that resistance training improves muscle mass and strength, enhances metabolic flexibility, and contributes to cognitive resilience—an essential asset in intellectually demanding professions (Chen et al., 2013; van Dam et al., 2018). For institutions serious about retaining talent and promoting longevity in the profession, integrating MCM into faculty wellness programming is no longer optional—it’s imperative.
Why Muscle Matters in the Ivory Tower
Skeletal muscle acts as a buffer against stress, a regulator of energy systems, and a catalyst for neurocognitive function. Through myokine release, improved insulin sensitivity, and enhanced blood flow, muscle helps maintain cognitive clarity and emotional resilience—qualities that faculty need not just to survive in academia but to thrive in it (Esmaeilzadeh et al., 2022).
What’s more, the connection between muscle strength and cognitive performance is not theoretical. To illustrate, van Dam et al. (2018) and Chen et al. (2013) both found that individuals with greater muscle mass and strength exhibit superior executive function and memory. For university faculty engaged in grant writing, research design, and high-level pedagogy, this correlation should set off alarms—and inspiration.
Resistance Training as a Strategic Wellness Investment
Despite this growing body of research, many faculty members remain underserved by their institution’s wellness offerings. This presents a tremendous opportunity for personal trainers: by partnering with university HR departments or health and exercise science programs, trainers can co-create programs that support faculty wellness while also serving as real-world learning environments for students.
Imagine a scenario where personal trainers design resistance training protocols tailored to the academic calendar—focusing on stress resilience during finals season or enhancing recovery after summer intensives. Not only would these programs reduce burnout, they would also demonstrate measurable outcomes in terms of grip strength, energy levels, and work-life satisfaction (Storoschuk et al., 2023).
Trainers entering this space must, however, come prepared. Faculty are intellectually rigorous, data-oriented, and rightly skeptical of fads. MCM offers the scientific backing necessary to build credibility while still allowing for individualized coaching and personal connection—two core pillars of sustainable habit change.
Win-Win Opportunities for Trainers and Institutions
For institutions, the benefits of MCM-based faculty programming are clear: improved retention, reduced absenteeism, and enhanced cognitive performance. For personal trainers, this is an untapped niche—one where your expertise in strength programming can not only change lives but also elevate your business model. Delivering evidence-based resistance training to faculty members positions you as a thought leader in health promotion and allows you to form meaningful, long-term partnerships within academic communities.
Programs can also be structured as interdisciplinary projects in partnership with exercise science departments, giving undergraduate students hands-on experience and fulfilling institutional goals around experiential learning. In doing so, trainers help shape the next generation of fitness professionals while simultaneously building a profitable and mission-driven business.
Conclusion: A Call to Action for Trainers
Faculty wellness is no longer a luxury—it’s a strategic imperative. As academic institutions reckon with increasing burnout rates and shrinking talent pipelines, muscle-centric interventions offer a new path forward. Personal trainers, equipped with the science of MCM and a commitment to evidence-based coaching, are ideally positioned to lead this charge.
This is more than a new service offering—it’s a professional frontier. By integrating strength training into faculty wellness initiatives, you don’t just help professors lift more—you help them lead better, think sharper, and live longer. That’s the kind of impact that redefines both fitness and education.
References
Chen, L., Nelson, D. R., Zhao, Y., Cui, Z., & Johnston, J. A. (2013). Relationship between muscle mass and muscle strength, and the impact of comorbidities: a population-based, cross-sectional study of older adults in the United States. BMC Geriatrics, 13(1), 74.
Esmaeilzadeh, S., Kumpulainen, S., & Pesola, A. J. (2022). Strength-cognitive training: A systemic review in adults and older adults, and guidelines to promote “strength exergaming” innovations. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 855703.
Lyon, Gabrielle. (2022, September 13). Muscle-centric Medicine ®. Dr. Gabrielle Lyon. https://drgabriellelyon.com/muscle-centric-medicine/
Storoschuk, K. L., Gharios, R., Potter, G. D. M., Galpin, A. J., House, B. T., & Wood, T. R. (2023). Strength and multiple types of physical activity predict cognitive function independent of low muscle mass in NHANES 1999–2002. Lifestyle Medicine, 4(4). https://doi.org/10.1002/lim2.90
Tolea, M. I., & Galvin, J. E. (2015). Sarcopenia and impairment in cognitive and physical performance. Clinical Interventions in Aging, 10, 663–671.
van Dam, R., Van Ancum, J. M., Verlaan, S., Scheerman, K., Meskers, C. G. M., & Maier, A. B. (2018). Lower cognitive function in older patients with lower muscle strength and muscle mass. Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders, 45(3-4), 243–250.
