Welcome to CHAMP
A Transformative Hub for Academics, Research & Community Wellness
Merrimack’s Center for Health Advancement, Movement and Performance (CHAMP) is a cutting-edge space that brings together teaching, research and community-based health and wellness services for the New England region.
THE MISSION OF CHAMP
CHAMP serves as a transformative hub for academics, research and community wellness while providing direct experience for our students with industry-standard facilities and tools. Our Center features three distinct cores designed to address critical areas of health, wellness and human performance, including:
- Nutrition & Metabolic Core
- Sport Performance Core
- Behavior & Wellness Core
Nutrition & Metabolic Core
Experience Nutrition Beyond the Classroom
A dedicated facility equipped for advanced nutrition analysis, sweat testing, body composition assessment and metabolic testing. You’ll gain unparalleled hands-on experience with state-of-the-art tools, setting yourself apart with practical skills that go far beyond traditional classroom learning.
Sport Performance Core
Cutting-Edge Performance & Recovery
This state-of-the-art facility supports injury prevention, rehabilitation, strength conditioning and exercise physiology testing for athletes, students and community members. With advanced tools for performance enhancement and recovery, it provides a comprehensive approach to health and athletic excellence.
Behavior & Wellness Core
A Hub for Community Health & Education
Designed as a flexible, people-centered space, the center fosters collaboration with our community partners. From hosting research fairs and data-gathering sessions to running focus groups and public talks, the space adapts to a wide range of activities that strengthen community connections and inform meaningful health initiatives.
CHAMP EQUIPMENT
At the Center for Health Advancement, Movement and Performance, we’re proud to offer a wide range of cutting-edge equipment that supports hands-on learning and research. From motion analysis to strength testing, our tools help bring science and movement together for real-world impact.
Bod Pod
Metabolic Cart
Sweat sodium
Balance & Flexibility
VO₂ Max
Tuff Tread Woodway
CHAMP SERVICES MENU
Discover CHAMP’s range of services available to students, faculty, staff and the community. Services are offered in nutrition and metabolism, sport performance, and behavior and wellness.
NUTRITION & METABOLIC CORE
Blood Glucose
Blood Ketones
Blood Pressure
Body Composition
Diet Analysis & Nutrition Consultation
Height & Weight (BMI)
Metabolic Rate Assessment
Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam
Sweat Testing
SPORT PERFORMANCE CORE
Balance & Flexibility
Concussion Training
Fitness Assessment, Performance & Consultation
Hand Grip Strength
Injury Clinic
Injury Prevention
Muscular-Skeletal Power
Physical Function Analysis
VO₂ Max
BEHAVIOR & WELLNESS CORE
Healthy Lifestyle Education
Wellness Coaching
Physical Therapy & Rehab Services
Wellness Spa (Meditation, Mindfulness & Yoga)
CHAMP'S HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS
Enhanced Experiential Learning
CHAMP is a central component of the academic experience, fundamentally enhancing your learning both in and out of the classroom by bridging theory with practice.
Student Capstone Projects
CHAMP provides a rich source of real-world data for assignments and projects, teaching you how to collect, analyze and interpret scientific findings—a core skill for any health-related profession. The interdisciplinary nature of the lab’s various cores will naturally foster connections between different courses, such as linking nutrition and exercise physiology, creating a more cohesive and comprehensive curriculum.
Internship Opportunities
Graduate and undergraduate students in the School of Health Sciences staff CHAMP.
- You’ll be trained to engage in activities that match your major and professional development goals.
- Opportunities for internships, pro bono services or paid positions within the lab will allow you to build your professional portfolio and earn industry-recognized certifications.
- Athletic training students, for example, will provide injury assessment and prevention services, all under the supervision of faculty members.
- You’ll develop professional development skills in communication, hospitality and customer service areas.
- You may participate in these activities through an internship, service learning components affiliated with specific courses, or a paid job.
CERTIFICATES
The Certificate in Exercise Testing and Prescription offers advanced training in physiological testing and exercise prescription, including BOD POD, metabolic rate and VO₂ max assessments. The Certificate in Health Coaching provides coursework and 50 hours of hands-on coaching experience, preparing students to become skilled certified health coaches.
CHAMP Clinical Faculty
Faculty Focus:
Injury Prevention and Concussion Assessment
Faculty Focus:
Focus, Exercise Science and Sports Performance (Prevention and Treatment of Obesity in Adults and Children)
Faculty Focus:
Team PT Athletics, Musculoskeletal Performance Testing and Human Movement Analysis
Faculty Focus:
Focus, Exercise Science and Sports Performance (Physical Activity Promotion, Performance in Female Athletes)
Faculty Focus:
Nutrition Education and Consultations
Faculty Focus:
Sports Nutrition Assessment (Body Composition Testing, Metabolic Rate Assessment, Sweat Sodium and Hydration Plan Development, Diet Analysis)
Health Sciences and Nutrition
Faculty Focus:
Support Student Learning in Health Coaching, Health Education and Wellness Practices such as Yoga, Meditation and Mindfulness.
Faculty Focus:
Injury Prevention, Concussion Assessment and Testing, Balance and Flexibility
Faculty Focus:
Exercise Science and Sports Performance
Faculty Focus:
Exercise Science and Sports Performance (Physical Activity Promotion within Underserved Populations)
Faculty Focus:
Nutrition Education and Consultations, Health Coaching
Faculty Focus:
Balance, and Flexibility, Injury prevention, Concussion Testing
Faculty Focus:
Exercise Science and Sports Performance (Role of Exercise for Treatment and Prevention of Chronic Disease)
Faculty Focus:
Exercise Science and Sports Performance (Stress Physiology and Performance Optimization)
Faculty Focus:
Nutrition Education, Community-based Interventions and Health Disparities.
RESEARCH & RESOURCES
CHAMP provides direct experience with industry-standard facilities and tools to make graduates more competitive. Our center also serves as a research hub for external opportunities including collaborating with medical schools or organizations on research.
- Specific Interests: If you’d like to express specific interest in utilizing this facility, please contact [email protected].
- General Inquiries: For general questions about CHAMP, please contact [email protected].
CHAMP NEWS
Service Menu
Nutrition & Metabolic Core | Sport Performance Core | Behavioral & Wellness Core |
|---|---|---|
Sweat Testing | VO₂ Max | Wellness Coach |
Blood Glucose | Muscular-Skeletal Power | Healthy Lifestyle (Education) |
Blood Ketones | Balance & Flexibility | PT/Rehab Services |
Diet Analysis & Nutrition Consultation | Hand Grip Strength | Wellness Spa (Yoga, Meditation, and Mindfulness) |
Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam | Fitness Assessment, Performance Consultation | |
Metabolic Rate Assessment | Injury Prevention | |
Body Composition | Injury Clinic | |
Height & Weight (BMI) | Concussion Testing | |
Blood Pressure | Physical Function |
CHAMP SERVICES
Service Menu
REHAB SERVICES | SPORTS PERFORMANCE | HEALTH SCREENINGS | NUTRITION | BEHAVIORAL HEALTH |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Injury Clinic | Fitness Assessment | Glucose | Diet Analysis - Consultation | Wellness Coach |
Injury Prevention | V02 Max | Blood Pressure | Sweat Testing - Analysis | Nutrition Consultation |
PT/Rehab Services | Muscular-Skeletal Power | Height & Weight | Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam | Wellness Spa Yoga-Meditation |
Balance & Flexibility | Balance | Hand Grip | ||
Physical Function | Performance Consultation |
CHAMP SERVICES MENU
Discover CHAMP’s range of services available to students, faculty, staff and the community. Services are offered in nutrition and metabolism, sport performance, and behavior and wellness.
NUTRITION & METABOLIC CORE
Blood Glucose
Body Composition
Diet Analysis & Nutrition Consultation
Blood Ketones
Height & Weight (BMI)
Metabolic Rate Assessment
Blood Pressure
Sweat Testing
Nutrition-Focused Physical Exam
SPORT PERFORMANCE CORE
Balance & Flexibility
Injury Clinic
Fitness Assessment, Performance & Consultation
Concussion Training
Injury Prevention
Muscular-
Skeletal
Power
Hand Grip Strength
VO₂ Max
Physical
Function
Analysis
BEHAVIOR & WELLNESS CORE
Healthy Lifestyle Education
Wellness Coaching
Physical Therapy & Rehab Services
Wellness Spa (Meditation, Mindfulness & Yoga)
HANDS-ON LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
CHAMP offers various experiential learning opportunities for our students, focusing on best practices in health, nutrition and exercise science. These experiences include enhanced experiential learning for classes, capstones, internships and certificates for students to earn.
HANDS-ON LEARNING
Student Capstones
CHAMP offers real-world data for hands-on learning by helping students collect, analyze and interpret scientific findings. Its interdisciplinary design connects areas like nutrition and exercise physiology, creating a cohesive, experience-based curriculum that builds essential skills for success in health and human performance fields.
Student Internships
CHAMP is staffed by Health Sciences students who gain hands-on experience aligned with their majors and career goals. Through internships, service learning or paid roles, students build professional portfolios, earn certifications and develop skills in communication, customer service and injury prevention under faculty supervision.
Certificates
The Certificate in Exercise Testing and Prescription offers advanced training in physiological testing and exercise prescription, including BOD POD, metabolic rate and VO₂ max assessments. The Certificate in Health Coaching provides coursework and 50 hours of hands-on coaching experience, preparing students to become skilled certified health coaches.
CHAMP'S Hands-On Experiences For Students
Enhanced Experiential Learning for Classes
CHAMP is a central component of the academic experience, fundamentally enhancing students' learning both in and out of the classroom by bridging theory with practice.
Student Capstone Projects
CHAMP provides a rich source of real-world data for assignments and projects, teaching students how to collect, analyze and interpret scientific findings—a core skill for any health-related profession. The interdisciplinary nature of the lab's various cores will naturally foster connections between different courses, such as linking nutrition and exercise physiology, creating a more cohesive and comprehensive curriculum.
Internship Opportunities
The CHAMP is staffed by graduate and undergraduate students in School of Health Sciences. Students will be trained to engage in activities that match with their majors and professional development goals. Opportunities for internships, pro bono services or paid positions within the lab will allow students to build their professional portfolios and earn industry-recognized certifications. For example, Athletic training students will provide injury assessment and prevention services, all under supervision by faculty members. Professional development skills such as communication, hospitality and customer service will also be developed through these services. Students can participate in these activities through internship, service learning components affiliated with specific courses or a paid job.
Certificates
The Certificate in Exercise Testing and Prescription provides students with advanced training in physiological testing and exercise prescription using gold-standard laboratory methods. Students gain hands-on competency in body composition assessment (BOD POD), resting metabolic rate testing and VO₂ max testing with a metabolic cart.
The Certificate in Health Coaching provides students with the didactic coursework to become a skilled health coach, and the Center will allow students to put that skill into practice by completing 50 coaching hours with clients from the Center as part of the certification requirements.