Perspectives of Barry A. Franklin, PhD

In the interview, Prof. Barry A. Franklin discussed his perspectives on physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and cardiovascular health. He also unraveled how soft skills can empower superachievers. His major viewpoints are: (a) exercise benefits cardiac patients; yet, too much exercise may be risky, (b) exercise prescription should be scientifically based and varies by different objectives for each individual, (c) patients' motivation to change their behaviors matters during cardiac rehabilitation, (d) physical activities could play a protective role for dementia prevention, (e) technology and virtual approaches enable more patients to participate in cardiac rehab programs, (f) patients with heart failure may benefit even more from exercise training than other patient populations, (g) psychosocial stressors may partially explain some cardiac events, (h) novel risk factors help identify people at increased risk of cardiovascular disease, such as genetics, coronary calcium score, air pollution, and inflammation, and (i) soft skills are needed by all people, regardless of their field.