Christopher Kotarsky

Visiting Assistant Professor for Health and Human Physiological Sciences Department

Phone:  518-580-8353
Fax:  518-580-8356
Email:  ckotarsk@skidmore.edu 
Location: Sports and Recreation Center Office 239B

Education:

• Ph.D. North Dakota State University, 2020
• M.S. North Dakota State University, 2016
• B.S. The University of Akron, 2014 

Courses:

• HP 111: Introduction to Exercise Physiology - Lab 

Current Research Interests:

Dr. Kotarsky is broadly interested in the age-related decline of muscle mass and strength (i.e. sarcopenia and dynapenia) among sedentary and/or undernourished, overweight/obese populations. This is an important topic as obesity prevalence and incidences of physical dysfunction continue to rise in the U.S. population, along with obesity-related conditions (e.g., cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancers). He is also concerned with how these age-related declines of strength relative to muscle mass (muscle quality) may impair activities of daily living and lead to the loss of functional independence later in life. While diet and exercise improve many consequences associated with these variables, these strategies are not always nutrient sufficient and manageable long-term. Dr. Kotarsky wishes to investigate novel strategies for the reduction of fat mass and improvement of metabolic disease risk, while diminishing the loss of muscle mass and strength associated with obesity and aging.

Recent Publications:

• Dicks, N.D., Kotarsky, C.J., Trautman, K.A., Barry, A.M., Keith, J.F., Mitchell, S., Byun, W., Stastny, S.H., & Hackney, K.J. (2020). Contribution of protein intake and concurrent exercise to skeletal muscle quality with aging. The Journal of Frailty & Aging, 1-6. DOI: 10.14283/jfa.2019.40.
• Kotarsky, C.J., Christensen, B.K., Miller, J.S., & Hackney, K. (2018). Effect of progressive calisthenic push-up training on muscle strength and thickness. Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 32(3), 651-659. DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000002345.
• Taylor, A., Kotarsky, C., Bond, C., & Hackney, K. (2018). Occupational specific strength predicts astronaut-related task performance in a weighted suit. Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance, 89(1), 58-62. DOI: 10.3357/AMHP.4961.2018.