2023 Tillman Scholar

Adam Whisler

Army
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions
Ph.D., Human and Sports Performance

“Throughout my time in combat, I have seen fitness be the difference between life and death. I aim to empower servicemembers with tools to optimize their fitness for improved health.”

Adam is a former Army officer turned tactical strength and conditioning specialist with a passion for improving the holistic health and fitness of the military community. While serving seven years in the infantry, Adam witnessed the deleterious health effects that soldiers in his units encountered through routine occupational demands, field training, and combat deployments. 

With limited access to health and fitness professionals, soldiers frequently battled injuries, struggled to exceed fitness standards, and fought to avoid permanent disabilities. Fueled by these experiences, Adam’s innovative approach to coaching led him to develop an expert system artificial intelligence model to individualize workout programs for each service member. This allows him to focus on coaching military service members through personalized lifestyle shifts and behavior changes that will facilitate vast improvements to their holistic health. 

Adam’s program has revolutionized how he trains and prepares service members for the demands of the military. It has improved physical performance, decreased injury rates, and enhanced adherence to a training routine. Adam’s experiences in combat have demonstrated that a soldier’s fitness can be the difference between life and death. He has now made it his life’s mission to improve the holistic health and fitness of the military. 

Earning a Ph.D. in human performance will allow Adam to research optimal programming, develop his artificial intelligence model, and improve his instructional abilities to teach, coach, and mentor our nation’s servicemembers.