William J. Kraemer, Ph.D.
Professor of Kinesiology
Professor of Physiology and Neurobiology
Professor of Medicine

Dr. William J. Kraemer is a full professor in the Department of Kinesiology in the Neag School of Education working in the Human Performance Laboratory at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT since 2001. He also holds and an appointment as a full professor in the Department of Physiology and Neurobiology along with an appointment as a Professor of Medicine at the UCONN Health Center/School of Medicine with with the Center on Aging.. He also worked as Director of Research for four years in the Neag School of Education. He is also an affliliate with the UConn Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention. a Internationally, Dr Kraemer holds an adjunct professor appointments in the School of Exercise, Biomedical, and Health Sciences and with the Department of Exercise and Sport Sciences at Edith Cowan University, in Joondalup Australia and also with the Department of Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä, in Jyväskylä, Finland From 1998 until June of 2001, Dr. Kraemer held the John and Janice Fisher Endowed Chair in Exercise Physiology and full Professor at Ball State University in Muncie, IN, where he was director of the Human Performance Laboratory as well as the head of the graduate programs in Bioenergetics. Additionally, he was a full Professor of Physiology and Biophysics at the Indiana University School of Medicine. Prior to his 1998 appointment at Ball State University he held the rank of a full Professor of Applied Physiology at the Pennsylvania State University. At Penn State he had served from 1989-1998 as Director of the Laboratory for Sports Medicine and was Director of Research for the Center for Sports Medicine on the University Park campus which was a collaborative endeavor with the College of Medicine, the College of Health and Human Development and Intercollegiate Athletics at Penn State. Dr Kraemer also held an appointment in the Department of Orthopedics in the College of Medicine at Penn State's Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Hershey PA. He also served as the Associate Director for the Center for Cell Research at Penn State and helped to coordinate the Center’s programs for the commercial development of space. As an investigator he participated in a diverse cellular research program including research projects on two space shuttle missions for NASA. He also held a primary appointment in the Department of Kinesiology, along with other joint appointments in the Inter-college Program in Physiology where he acted as a course coordinator, Noll Physiological Research Center, and an original member of the university’s Gerontology Center. He was a prime contributor to research coordination and collaborative research initiatives as Penn State. In addition he was a founding participant in the PSU Applied Research Laboratory's Non-lethal Warfare Institute. Prior to his appointment at Penn State, Dr Kraemer had started his academic career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Sport, Leisure and Exercise Sciences at the University of Connecticut from 1987-1989 working in the Human Performance Laboratory and heading up the Athletic Training Program in the days of time related certifications. Prior to his appointment at the University of Connecticut, he was a commissioned officer (Captain) in the U.S. Army’s Medical Service Corp and was stationed at the U.S. Army's Research Institute of Environmental Medicine in Natick, Massachusetts working in military R @ D where he conducted research related to soldier fitness, stress physiology, soldier combat demands, environmental physiology resistance training, and ergonomics. As a research physiologist and biochemist he was the head of the Exercise Biochemistry Laboratory within Exercise Physiology Division. He also held an appointment as an adjunct Professor at Boston University. Dr. Kraemer received his doctoral degree from the University of Wyoming in 1984 in the Department of Zoology and Physiology with his major fields of study being physiology and biochemistry with a minor in biostatistics. He received a master’s degree from the University of Wyoming in exercise physiology in the School of Allied Health. After his masters degree he taught and coached at Carroll College and was an assistant professor in the Department of Physical Education and the Department of Biology. He also served as the Carroll College’s head wrestling coach setting a school record for season dual meet wins, a member of the football staff as an assistant coach, and was the head strength and conditioning coach and one of the first members of the National Strength and Conditioning Association in 1978 then called the National Strength Coaches Association. His work in the department spanned from heading up student teaching supervisions in physical education to supervising the sports medicine program and supervising the health education program. Prior to his college, university, and scientific career, Dr. Kraemer also taught health and physical education and coached football, wrestling and track and field along with serving as a strength coach in the secondary school systems in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Dr. Kraemer received his undergraduate degree at the University of Wisconsin – LaCrosse where he was a four year letterman in football earning conference honors while majoring in both Physical Education and Health Education. Dr. Kraemer is currently a member and Fellow in the American College of Sports Medicine and has served as a member of the ACSM's Board of Trustees and Administrative Council. He is a past president of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Dr. Kraemer was among the first group of members inducted as Fellows in the NSCA in 2007. Dr. Kraemer is also a Fellow in the International Society of Sports Nutrition and the American College of Nutrition. He is also a member of the American Physiological Society and the Endocrine Society. Dr. Kraemer serves on numerous scientific journal editorial boards and is the current Editor-In-Chief of the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, an Editor for the European Journal of Applied Physiology and an Associate Editor for Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise and is on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Applied Physiology. Dr. Kraemer has also been a sport science liaison for the United States Olympic Committee to USA tennis, team handball, basketball, wrestling, and soccer. He has also served three different terms as a member of the United States Tennis Association's (USTA) Sport Science Committee. He has authored and co-authored over 360 peer reviewed manuscripts in the scientific literature related to sports medicine, endocrinology of exercise, nutritional supplementation, exercise, military fitness, sports science, and resistance exercise and training. Dr Kraemer recently (2012 copyright) published with Dr. Steven Fleck and Dr. Michael Deschenes (UConn Alumnus) a new textbook entitled "Exercise Physiology: Integrating Theory and Application". He has also authored or co-authored 10 other books in the areas of strength training and endocrinology of exercise and is working with his colleague, Dr Steven Fleck on a historic 4th Edition of their classic text book, Designing Resistance Training Programs. He was selected by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to edit (Dr. Kraemer and Dr Keijo Häkkinen’s) the Medical Commission’s book on “Strength Training for Athletes” which was published in 2002 and is also was an editor (Dr. Kraemer and Dr. Alan Rogol) for the IOC’s Encyclopedia of Sports Medicine’s Endocrinology of Exercise and Sport which was published in 2005. Considered by many to be one of the world’s preeminent scholars in the physiology and endocrinology of resistance training, Dr Kraemer’s work has spanned from the cell to the whole human being in the quest for greater understanding and knowledge in the area of exercise and sport science. Notes: ======= Dr. Kraemer was also honored by the NSCA by having the Outstanding Sport Scientist Award named in his honor in 2006. Now the...... "William J. Kraemer Outstanding Sports Scientist Award". ========== During Dr Kraemer's sabbatical in the Spring of 2009, in the Department of Biology of Physical Activity at the University of Jyväskylä, in Jyväskylä, Finland, for collaborative work with the department and university spanning over 18 years, he was awarded the University Medal for his contributions. He was the first non-citizen of Finland to be awarded this prestigious award previously awarded to such people as former Presidents of Finland. ========== In April, 2009, Dr Kraemer was awared the University of Connecticut, Neag School of Education's Outstanding Research Award, given to a senior faculty member each year for their career accomplishments in research. ========== In the fall of 2009, Dr Kraemer was inducted into the Marshfield High School Athletic Hall of Fame for his accomplishments as a high school athlete in football, wrestling and track and field. (Marshfield, Wisconsin). ========= Dr. Kraemer was also awarded in the Fall of 2009, the UConn Alumni Association’s Faculty Research Excellence Award (SCIENCES) given to one faculty member at the University each year for their prolific career records of scholarship, grant work and publications. ======= Other Selected Honors and Awards are noted below:

•Ph.D., Physiology and Biochemistry, Minor: Biostatistics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

•M. S., Exercise Physiology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY

•B.S., Health Education and Physical Education, University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse, LaCrosse, WI

« Full C.V. »

Contact Information: 

Gampel - 203

Phone: (860) 486-6892
         : (860) 486-6814
Fax: (860)486-6898

Email: william.kraemer@uconn.edu

Office Hours:
By Appointment

Mailing Address:
Human Performance Laboratory
Department of Kinesiology, Unit 1110
University of Connecticut
Storrs, CT 06269-1110

Current Courses Taught:

Exercise Endocrinology

Fundamentals and Theory of Resistance Training

Advanced Physiology of Resistance Training

Research Methods and Techniques in Exercise Science

Muscle Physiology

Honors/Awards:

2005 - University of Connecticut - Provost’s Research Excellence Award

2004 - Peter V. Karpovich Award, Springfield College

2002 - Educator of the Year, National Strength and Conditioning Association

1994- Lifetime Achievement Award - National Strength and Conditioning Association

1992 - Outstanding Sport Scientist Award- National Strength and Conditioning Association

Associations/Committees/Outreach:

American College of Sports Medicine

National Strength and Conditioning Association

American Physiological Society

Endocrine Society

International Society of Sports Nutrition

American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance.

The Council of Science Editors

American Alliance of Health, Physical Education and Dance

In the News:

Exercise scientist recognized for research accomplishments

Advance Notations

PubMED Publications Search - Type in the blank box Kraemer WJ

Optimizing Strength Training New Book Published July 2007

Kraemer Publishes New Text Book on Exercise Physiology

Areas of Expertise:

Exercise Endocrinology

Exercise & Aging

Exercise & Nutrition

Resistance Exercise/Training

Exercise & Women

Sports Medicine

Strength & Conditioning

Youth Fitness

Physical Performance

Sports Medicine

Funded Research:

Endocrinology/Muscle Physiology

Women's Exercise and Health Issues

Aging

Nutritional Supplements

Special Populations

Diet Programs

Military Fitness and Demands

Sports Medicine

Selected Publications/Presentations:

Holviala J, Kraemer WJ, Sillanpää E, Karppinen H, Avela J, Kauhanen A, Häkkinen A, Häkkinen K. Effects of strength, endurance and combined training on muscle strength, walking speed and dynamic balance in aging men. Eur J Appl Physiol. Apr;112(4):1335-47, 2012

Fragala MS, Kraemer WJ, Mastro AM, Denegar CR, Volek JS, Kupchak BR, Häkkinen K, Anderson JM, Maresh CM. Glucocorticoid receptor expression on human B cells in response to acute heavy resistance exercise. Neuroimmunomodulation. 18(3):156-64, 2011

Jepsen KJ, Centi A, Duarte GF, Galloway K, Goldman H, Hampson N, Lappe JM, Cullen DM, Greeves J, Izard R, Nindl BC, Kraemer WJ, Negus CH, Evans RK. Biological constraints that limit compensation of a common skeletal trait variant lead to inequivalence of tibial function among healthy young adults. J Bone Miner Res. Dec;26(12):2872-85, 2011

Dunn-Lewis C, Flanagan SD, Comstock BA, Maresh CM, Volek JS, Denegar CR, Kupchak BR, Kraemer WJ. Recovery patterns in electroencephalographic global field power during maximal isometric force production. J Strength Cond Res. Oct;25(10):2818-27, 2011

Thomas GA, Kraemer WJ, Kennett MJ, Comstock BA, Maresh CM, Denegar CR, Volek JS, Hymer WC. Immunoreactive and bioactive growth hormone responses to resistance exercise in men who are lean or obese. J Appl Physiol. Aug;111(2):465-72, 2011

Fragala MS, Kraemer WJ, Mastro AM, Denegar CR, Volek JS, Häkkinen K, Anderson JM, Lee EC, Maresh CM. Leukocyte Beta-2-adrenergic receptor expression in response to resistance exercise. Med Sci Sports Exerc. Aug;43(8):1422-32, 2011

Kraemer WJ, Joseph MF, Volek JS, Hoffman JR, Ratamess NA, Newton RU, Fragala MS, French DN, Rubin MA, Scheett TP, McGuigan MR, Thomas GA, Gomez AL, Häkkinen K, Maresh CM. Endogenous opioid peptide responses to opioid and anti-inflammatory medications following eccentric exercise-induced muscle damage. Peptides. Jan;31(1):88-93., 2010

Spiering BA, Kraemer WJ, Vingren JL, Ratamess NA, Anderson JM, Armstrong LE, Nindl BC, Volek JS, Häkkinen K, Maresh CM Elevated endogenous testosterone concentrations potentiate muscle androgen receptor responses to resistance exercise. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. Apr;114(3-5):195-9, 2009

Kraemer WJ, Hatfield DL, Volek JS, Fragala MS, Vingren JL, Anderson JM, Spiering BA, Thomas GA, Ho JY, Quann EE, Izquierdo M, Häkkinen K, Maresh CM Effects of amino acids supplement on physiological adaptations to resistance training. Med Sci Sports Exerc. May;41(5):1111-21, 2009

Kraemer WJ and Fleck SJ, Optimizing Strength Training - Designing Nonlinear Periodization Workouts, Human Kinetics Publishers, Champaign, IL 2007