Illustration by Maggie O’Connor
For sports physician chiropractor and Hillsdale College lecturer Chris Netley, less is more.
Netley has turned the Hillsdale College Physical Wellness and Dynamics course from a theoretical class into a hands-on workout program during his time as a lecturer, according to students and faculty familiar with the course. The Physical Wellness and Dynamics course is a 2-credit part of the core curriculum offered every semester.
Netley joined the college in 2020 after leaving California during the COVID-19 pandemic. During his time at Hillsdale, his sections of the course have undergone several changes to focus it on learning through “doing.”
“The changes that produce the best results are the ones that make fitness and academics simple,” Netley said. “I evaluate the success of my class based on specific metrics: academic performance, student satisfaction, confidence, and improving physical fitness. At the end of each semester, I evaluate these categories and make changes to improve the course for the next group.”
Netley said simplicity is key to his approach.
“I am looking for the minimum effective dose for everything,” Netley said. “What’s the least amount of lecture material needed to produce the optimal academic performance? What’s the least amount of homework my students need to complete in order to retain the material beyond this semester? What’s the least amount of physical fitness needed to produce the optimal strength and conditioning outcomes?”
Netley’s classes consist of 40 minutes of warm-ups and workouts followed by a 10-minute lecture. Students also complete cardio assignments outside of class.
When Netley first introduced his approach, test scores on a Physical Wellness written exam rose from 66% on a course pre-test to an average of 99% on a post-test, while physical tests showed a 41.6% improvement in dead hangs and a 23.5% increase in push-ups, according to Collegian reporting from November 2023.
Before Netley’s changes, the course focused on five components of fitness: cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition, according to previous reporting from The Collegian.
Drawing from his philosophy of the “minimum effective dose,” Netley said he streamlined the course to minimize time spent on theoretical concepts and instead spends the bulk of class time in the gym, where students undergo a strength and conditioning program tailored for the course.
Netley said this builds confidence by forming sustainable routines.
“When we make changes that simplify the process while still maximizing the outcomes, we build confidence,” Netley said. “Simple is easier to replicate than complex. In order to achieve anything worthwhile, you must be able to replicate your efforts consistently over a long period of time.”
Freshman Caleb Lee, a student in Netley’s class this semester, said he appreciates the course’s balance of exercise and lecture.
“Personally, I am a big fan of the workout-based approach,” Lee said. “Since the goal is to make you physically healthier, doing activities is more helpful than a lecture.”
Junior Cooper Vander Galien, also in Netley’s class, said the approach helps complement his workouts.
“He’s very much a hands-on-learning lecturer,” Vander Galien said. “I like trying different lifts each workout and having the chance to learn from an expert.”
Rachel Eller, a fitness instructor and residence life adviser, trained under Netley and said his main goal is to promote lifetime physical fitness. Eller now also teaches two sections of Physical Wellness and Dynamics.
“Dr. Netley has been teaching Physical Wellness longer than I have, and I’ve followed a similar teaching model,” Eller said. “The liberal arts tradition includes gymnastics — the literal training of the body — because the discipline and endurance we practice in the gym can shape our character for outside of the gym, too.”
Eller said Netley’s class structure takes into account both the physical and intellectual elements of the course.
“As Physical Wellness is the only core class involving physicality, it makes sense to give students as much opportunity as possible to practice that, while still providing time during each class for some discussion on the ‘why,’” Eller said.
Dean of Men Aaron Petersen said Netley’s approach aligns with Hillsdale’s mission in physical education to strengthen character and make physical fitness a reality for busy students.
“His revisions help students to remove the three typical obstacles to their physical fitness, which are time limitations, knowledge gaps, and lack of confidence,” Petersen said. “The class does not take a lot of time, which helps with the time limitation obstacle, and his course pedagogy was to help eliminate the knowledge and confidence obstacles, by teaching all the students how to efficiently and effectively train and to experience the results.”
Petersen said the college has undertaken a broader effort to increase physical activity among students, including overseeing recent additions of fitness equipment in student resident halls and the 2022 creation of Founder’s Gym.
“Dr. Netley’s revision of his physical wellness course sections was just a portion of his and the college’s overall efforts to increase the overall physical wellbeing of our students, to help develop our students’ strength and resilience,” Petersen said.
Looking ahead, Netley said he expects to continue making changes to his classes.
“This model of physical education relies on constant change,” he said. “It’s hard to predict the specific changes. I can only promise that the class will continue to evolve.”
