Exercise and Fitness-Related Resources

Q: Where can I find good free-access exercise and fitness-related resources? A: Information on almost any topic imaginable is readily available by entering a word or phrase into an online search engine. Google searches are often a starting point for questions on any topic, and as of January 2026, daily search volume is a staggering 13.7 billion searches per day globally, with an estimated 189,815 per second (1). Although certainly convenient with the potential to uncover useful sources, exercise professionals will benefit from accessing reputable and scientifically based resources to answer questions and upon which to base exercise programs and prescriptions. This article will provide examples of resources that are available from both governmental agencies and professional organizations. As a framework for any online search, additional information on being a critical consumer of health and fitness information is found in Box 1.Box 1. Being a Critical Consumer of Online Content With the overwhelming amount of online content, consumers of that information must be discerning. Prior articles in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal® have discussed how to critically examine online sources as well as research study publications for accuracy and relevance (2–4). The following list includes some items to consider when looking at online resources (5–7): Look at the website address (URL) for ownership of the site: ◦ .gov reflects a U.S. government agency ◦ .edu identifies an educational institution ◦ .org typically indicates a nonprofit organization ◦ .com reflects a commercial website (note, information on commercial sites can be good but care must be taken in separating marketing/promotion from useful insights) Review the “About us” or “Contact us” information ◦ Examine the purpose/mission of the website ◦ See if there is a way to contact the organization that manages the site Check for currency of information ◦ Look for “last updated” or other indications of when content was written or revised Investigate how/if information is reviewed ◦ Check if there is an editorial board or other means of showing that content is reviewed by experts in the field A tutorial is available from the National Library of Medicine on evaluating internet health information (see https://medlineplus.gov/webeval/webeval.html); within the tutorial, a comparison between two websites is used to illustrate how to dig deeper when looking for quality health information online.EXAMPLES OF RESOURCES FROM GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES Healthy People 2030 is the fifth iteration of the Healthy People initiative that began in 1979. The original, Healthy People 1990, provided measurable 10-year objectives for improving health and well-being in the United States (8). Each of the subsequent iterations has built on the prior, with the current focusing on well-being with increased attention to social determinants of health and health literacy (9). The Healthy People 2030 website is packed with both data as well as insights related to health and well-being (9). The Healthy People website provides evidence-based resources related to physical activity, which are a great starting place on many topics, such as fall prevention, enhancement of access to places for physical activity, classroom-based activity, and more (10). Linking from the Healthy People 2030 resource list is a resource from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention: Active People, Healthy NationSM (11). This national initiative is focused on helping Americans become more physically active by 2027 and includes strategies for individuals within organizations or communities. In addition, there are multimedia tools available for downloading and use, including fact sheets, presentations, and social media content (11). A major resource from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, now in its second edition. This provides evidence-based guidance for health professionals as well as policymakers for the development of programs, policies, and practices to promote physical activity (12). The recommendations on physical activity to promote health are for youth ages 3–18 and adults. This 118-page document is available as a PDF download; one of the appendices provides a list of federal physical activity resources that also may be helpful (12). More background can be found in a prior article in ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal®, “Physical Guidelines for Americans: The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Health” (13). The development of the third edition of the Physical Activity Guidelines is underway with an anticipated release in 2028 (14). Move Your Way® is the promotional campaign associated with the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, 2nd edition (15). The Move Your Way® website is focused on helping people be more active. There are materials targeted for all age groups (downloadable fact sheets, posters, videos) as well as a community playbook that provides guidance on implementing Move Your Way in the local community (15). An example of one of the downloadable fact sheets for adults is found in Box 2 and a poster for kids in Box 3.Box 2. Example of Move Your Way® Fact Sheet for AdultsFigure courtesy of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Available from: https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2021-02/PAG_MYW_FactSheet_Adults_508c.pdf.Box 3. Example of Move Your WaySM Poster for KidsFigure courtesy of the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. Available from: https://odphp.health.gov/sites/default/files/2023-12/PAG_MYW_Kids_Poster.pdf.The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has a wide range of online resources on exercise and older adults, including infographics, videos, and publications (16). For example, a downloadable booklet “Exercise and Physical Activity for Older Adults: Staying Active as You Age,” is a consumer-oriented publication that outlines the importance of physical activity for older adults, discusses the types of physical activity, reviews exercising with chronic conditions, provides tips for staying active and much more, including encouraging stories of success (17). Other resources for older adults can be found from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, including a sample weekly schedule, podcast, and more (18). Additional online resources are available covering a wide range of topics, including physical activity and fitness. For example, MedlinePlus® from the National Library of Medicine provides health information resources for the general public (19), and MyHealthFinder from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion covers a wide variety of information, including health conditions and healthy living (20). RESOURCES FROM THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF SPORTS MEDICINE American College of Sports Medicine’s (ACSM) stated mission is “to educate and empower professionals to advance the science and practice of health and human performance” (21). ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription has become the go-to book related to guidance on exercise testing and considerations related to exercise prescription for a wide range of patients and clients. The first edition was published in 1975, and currently, the 12th edition is available (22). For more on this new edition, see “Exercise Evolved: Exciting New Updates in ACSM’s Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription, 12th edition” (23). ACSM’s Position Stands are official pronouncements based on evidence-based methodology and are focused on a wide range of societal issues (24). For example, “Physical Activity Fitness, Cognitive Function, and Academic Achievement in Children” (25). Other types of official pronouncements from ACSM include the following (24): Expert consensus statements: these pronouncements blend evidence from research with the opinions of experts. The expert consensus statements are published papers, and many have PowerPoint slide sets that are available for download. For example, the “ACSM Expert Consensus Statement: Considerations and Recommendations for Prescribing Exercise and Designing Physical Activity Programs for People with Disabilities,” (26) is freely available on the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise® journal website, and a PowerPoint slide set can be downloaded from the ACSM website (27). Contemporary issues: these pronouncements address “hot topic” areas using evidence-informed methodology. For example, the health and safety of female wrestlers is addressed in a publication (28) as well as a blog, PowerPoint slides, and podcast on the ACSM webpage (27). Call to action statements: these pronouncements provide a way to comment and provide action-oriented direction on scientific or clinical challenges. For example, in 2020, there was a call to action related to COVID-19 considerations for sports and physical activity (29). Umbrella review: these pronouncements use an evidence-based methodology and are often used to update older position stands. An example is “Daily Step Counts for Measuring Physical Activity Exposure and Its Relation to Health” (30). A complete list of the ACSM official pronouncements is available on the ACSM website (https://acsm.org) under the “Education & Resources” dropdown menu, and then click on “Pronouncements & Scientific Communications.” The ACSM Resource Library (31) includes information on books as well as providing infographics, articles, videos, and publications. Various filters can be applied to narrow a search. For example, the infographic with physical activity guidelines related to cancer in Box 4 is available as an exercise professional resource (selected under “purpose”) when using the word “cancer” in the search with a format of “handout.” For another example, entering “exercise diabetes” in the search window with a “podcast” format provides three podcasts featuring Sheri Colberg, Ph.D., FACSM (“5 Things You Need to Know about Diabetes and Exercise,” “Understanding Exercise Physiology for the Diabetic Youth Athlete,” and “Being Female, Athletic, and Diabetic”) (see Box 5). Box 4. ACSM Infographic: Effects of Exercise on Health-Related Outcomes in Those With Cancer. Reprinted with permission from the American College of Sports Medicine.Adapted from ACSM.Box 5. Example of Search on ACSM Resources Webpage for Podcast AvailabilityRESOURCES FROM OTHER PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Many other professional organizations provide guidelines, scientific statements, and other types of comprehensive updates. Many of these are published on a regular basis and are excellent ways to stay up to date. Examining the reference list at the conclusion of these publications underscores the foundation of the content and is a wonderful way to quickly peruse the current research in the content area. Some select examples from other organizations are found in the Table; a couple will be highlighted in this section. Table. - Examples of professional organization guidelines, standards, updates, and scientific statements Organization Webpage Example of publication American Diabetes Association https://professional.diabetes.org/standards-of-care Standards of care in diabetes—2026 (32) (note this is published annually) American Heart Association https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements Heart disease and stroke updates (33)(note this is published annually) American Cancer Society https://www.cancer.org/health-care-professionals/american-cancer-society-prevention-early-detection-guidelines.html American Cancer Society guideline for diet and physical activity for cancer prevention (34) Society of Health and Physical Educators (SHAPE) America https://www.shapeamerica.org/advocacy/positionstatements/pa/default.aspx Active start: A statement of physical activity guidelines for children from birth to age 5, 3rd edition (35) National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) https://www.nsca.com/about-us/position-statements/ NSCA Strength and Conditioning professional standards and guidelines (36) National Athletic Trainers Association https://www.nata.org/news-publications/press-room/nata-statements National Athlete Trainers’ Association position statement: Emergency action plan development and implementation in sport (37) The American Diabetes Association (ADA) annually releases the “Standards of Care in Diabetes,” along with additional online updates related to new evidence or regulatory changes that warrant immediate attention (32). As noted in the introduction to the 2026 Standards of Care, this publication “serves as a comprehensive resource to clinicians, researchers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. It outlines key elements of diabetes care, sets treatment goals, and provides tools to assess care quality, all directed at improving diabetes care and outcomes across diverse populations” (32). These standards are reviewed internally for methodology, accuracy, clarity, and implementation, followed by an external peer review, review by association leadership, and review by the Board of Directors (32). For any exercise professional working with individuals with diabetes, this is a valuable resource in understanding more about diabetes as well as ways to support health and well-being for clients and patients. The ADA also has a comprehensive website (https://diabetes.org/) that provides consumer-oriented content about diabetes, including the types of diabetes, living with diabetes, health and wellness (e.g., fitness information), nutrition, and more. Another annual publication is the “Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics: A Report of US and Global Data from the American Heart Association” (33). Not only does this review article provide current statistics on heart and circulatory disease conditions, the report also provides insights on health behaviors (including physical activity) and other factors (e.g., cholesterol and blood pressure) that are related to cardiovascular health (33). With more than 600 pages of referenced content, this report provides in-depth, current information on a wide range of conditions (33). As with the ADA, the American Heart Association website includes healthy living topics; on the fitness page, there are videos, lay audience articles, and infographics (note, the copyright permission guidelines related to content usage at the bottom of the American Heart Association home page: https://www.heart.org/en/about-us/statements-and-policies/copyright-permission-guidelines). CONCLUSION Exercise professionals are often called upon to “translate” the science side of the field into practical, understandable, and applicable content for clients and patients. The reality of time often means that comprehensive literature reviews or development of visually appealing handouts simply is not possible. This is where knowledge of where to go to find position statements, standards of care, and the like becomes so valuable. Referring to these types of documents, as compiled by experts in the field with reliance on the current state of research and scientific understanding, allows exercise professionals to proceed based on a firm science-backed foundation when working with clients and patients. In addition, there are many free-access, downloadable consumer-oriented materials available that are of high quality and based on the current standards and recommendations that can be provided to clients and patients directly or via direction to specific websites.