One of the most common questions students ask before pursuing an exercise science degree is simple: is it worth it?
In a Lionel Career Services conversation, Dr. Jason Karp, founder and CEO of KASI, author of 17 books, USA Track & Field educator, TED Talk speaker, former collegiate coach, entrepreneur, and exercise science leader, shared why the answer is yes.
His story shows that an exercise science degree can lead far beyond one job title. It can open doors in coaching, research, writing, technology, entrepreneurship, healthcare pathways, performance, and education.
Quick Answer
An exercise science degree can be worth it because it teaches students how to think, reason, analyze research, understand the human body, and apply science to performance, health, coaching, rehabilitation, technology, and entrepreneurship.
According to Dr. Jason Karp, the value of education is not only the knowledge students gain. It is the process of learning how to ask better questions, evaluate evidence, develop expertise, and contribute something meaningful to the industry.
Dr. Jason Karp is an exercise science professional whose career has included coaching, research, writing, speaking, education, entrepreneurship, and technology development. He is the founder and CEO of KASI, an author of 17 books, a USA Track & Field educator, and a former collegiate coach.
His interest in exercise science began when he was 11 years old. As a young athlete who played baseball, soccer, and track, he became fascinated by the science behind athletic performance. He wanted to understand how a pitcher throws a curveball, how athletes run fast, and what separates elite performance from average performance.
That curiosity became the foundation for his education, career, and lifelong work in exercise science.
Coaching has remained at the center of Dr. Karp’s career, including collegiate coaching and distance running education.
He has written books, articles, and educational content to help translate exercise science into practical insight.
His work with KASI shows how exercise science can connect with technology, real-time coaching, and innovation.
One of Dr. Karp’s strongest messages to students was to follow curiosity. He explained that he does not simply tell people to follow their passion, because that phrase can feel overused. Instead, he encourages students to ask what they are genuinely curious about.
For him, that curiosity started with athletic performance and led to biomechanics, exercise physiology, coaching, writing, research, business, and technology. He did not know exactly what job he would have when he was young. He only knew what he wanted to study.
The career path may become clearer after students commit to learning what truly interests them.
That is an important lesson for exercise science students. You do not need to have every career step figured out before you begin. A degree can help you explore the field, discover strengths, meet mentors, build skills, and uncover opportunities you may not have known existed.
Dr. Karp’s answer was direct: yes, an exercise science degree is worth it.
His reasoning goes beyond the credential itself. He explained that the college experience cannot be fully replicated by online searches, AI tools, or quick certifications. Classroom discussions, lab experiences, data collection, research analysis, exams, papers, thesis work, and conversations with professors all shape how students learn.
For Dr. Karp, the value of education was not only that he learned facts. It was that he developed expertise. He learned how to study a topic deeply, evaluate research, test ideas, and eventually contribute his own thinking to the field.
| What a Degree Can Build | Why It Matters |
|---|---|
| Scientific foundation | Students study anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, exercise physiology, research, and related sciences. |
| Critical thinking | Students learn how to evaluate evidence instead of simply repeating information. |
| Research literacy | Students learn how studies are designed, analyzed, interpreted, and challenged. |
| Career flexibility | Exercise science can support careers in coaching, wellness, healthcare preparation, performance, education, and technology. |
One of the most important points Dr. Karp made was that education should teach students how to think, not just what to know.
In today’s world, anyone can search online, ask an AI tool, or read a post on social media. But information is not the same as understanding. Dr. Karp warned that many people read a study, jump to a conclusion, and share it without understanding the research design, statistics, limitations, or conflicting evidence.
Exercise science students learn how to interpret information more carefully. They learn how to ask questions such as:
That ability to reason, question, and analyze can separate educated professionals from people who simply repeat what they see online.
Many people hear “exercise science” and immediately think of personal training. Personal training is one possible path, but Dr. Karp emphasized that the field is much broader.
Because exercise science is multidisciplinary, students study the human body from many angles. Depending on their goals and additional requirements, they may pursue careers or further education in coaching, personal training, physical therapy, occupational therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, medical school preparation, performance, research, or technology.
| Career Direction | How Exercise Science Helps |
|---|---|
| Coaching | Provides a foundation in performance, physiology, biomechanics, and training principles. |
| Personal training | Supports safer, more evidence-based exercise programming and client education. |
| Physical or occupational therapy preparation | Can provide foundational coursework and body systems knowledge for future graduate study. |
| Cardiac rehabilitation | Connects exercise physiology with health, recovery, and clinical exercise settings. |
| Technology and wearables | Exercise science knowledge can help improve data interpretation, app design, and performance tools. |
| Writing, speaking, and education | Professionals can translate scientific knowledge into books, articles, lectures, workshops, and public education. |
Dr. Karp believes one of the biggest future opportunities in exercise science will be the connection between technology, AI, wearable data, and human performance.
Wearables and fitness technology can measure more than ever before. But data is only useful when someone understands what it means. That is where exercise science professionals can play an important role.
Dr. Karp explained that app developers and coders may understand technology, but they may not understand running, training, biomechanics, fatigue, or coaching. Exercise science professionals who understand both the human body and technology can help bridge that gap.
The next generation of exercise science careers may include professionals who combine coaching knowledge, performance science, data analysis, AI tools, and technology development.
Dr. Karp’s own company, KASI, was built from his experience coaching runners remotely. He saw a problem: online coaching was often passive. Coaches looked at data after the workout and gave advice later.
KASI was designed to provide real-time audio coaching. It can allow a remote coach to observe workout data as it happens and speak to the runner during the session. It can also work independently by using Dr. Karp’s coaching instructions inside the app to guide runners based on what is happening during the workout.
This is a strong example of how exercise science expertise can become a technology-based solution when a professional notices a gap in the industry.
For students beginning their exercise science journey, Dr. Karp’s advice is simple: follow your curiosity.
He encouraged students not to worry too much about the exact job title at the beginning. Instead, they should study what interests them, get involved in the field, build knowledge, and allow opportunities to develop along the way.
There are seven days in a week. Do not build a life where you only live for the weekend.
That mindset is especially important for students who want a meaningful career. Exercise science can lead to many paths, but students must stay curious, keep learning, build connections, and develop the confidence to contribute something of value.
Yes. An exercise science degree can be worth it because it helps students build scientific knowledge, critical thinking, research literacy, and career flexibility across fitness, coaching, wellness, performance, healthcare preparation, and technology.
What can you do with an exercise science degree besides personal training?Exercise science graduates may pursue coaching, wellness, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy preparation, occupational therapy preparation, medical school preparation, research, education, writing, fitness technology, and entrepreneurship.
Why is a degree different from a certification?A certification can be useful for specific skills or entry-level preparation, but a degree provides broader scientific study, research analysis, critical thinking, lab experience, and deeper academic development.
How will AI affect exercise science careers?AI and wearable technology may create new opportunities for exercise science professionals who can combine knowledge of human performance with data interpretation, coaching, app development, and technology design.
What advice did Dr. Jason Karp give students?He encouraged students to follow their curiosity, study what interests them, get involved in the field, and allow career opportunities to develop through learning, experience, and contribution.
Lionel University’s exercise science programs are designed to help students build a foundation in movement, exercise physiology, strength, coaching, wellness, and human performance. For students asking whether an exercise science degree is worth it, Dr. Karp’s story is a reminder that education can open doors that may not be obvious at the beginning.
Whether students are interested in personal training, coaching, wellness, graduate study, technology, or entrepreneurship, a strong exercise science education can help them think critically, communicate professionally, and build a career around helping people move, perform, recover, and live better.
Dr. Jason Karp’s career shows that an exercise science degree can be more than preparation for a single job. It can become a launchpad for coaching, writing, research, technology, education, and entrepreneurship.
The value of the degree is not only in the courses students complete. It is in the way education teaches them to think, question, analyze, and contribute. For students who are curious about the human body, performance, movement, and health, exercise science can be a pathway to a career with many possible directions.