Expertise:
Wearable Technology, Fitness Technology, Health Promotion, Exercise Intervention, Physical Activity Promotion, Health Behavior, Fitness Testing, Sports Medicine, Fitness Devices, Personalized Workouts, Exercise MonitorsZakkoyya Lewis-Trammell is an expert in how people move and how to help them move better. In her research, she explores how personalized exercise plans and wearable technologies can improve fitness, injury prevention and clinical care.
The mission of her lab is to “promote health-related fitness and overall wellness through physical activity interventions that leverage fitness technologies, grounded in principles of Self-Determination Theory.” Current research projects include assessing fitness apps, concept development of a Handheld Resistance Exercise Device (HRED) for older adults and a study on whether enjoyment of exercise directly impacts physical fitness or indirectly through changes in exercise participation.
A new research project will evaluate the validity and reliability of fitness apps, determining their accuracy through frequency, intensity, time and type principles for exercise prescription and compare them to the gold-standard measurement tools.
Lewis-Trammell is an advocate of the Exercise is Medicine, the global health initiative to make physical activity assessment and promotion a standard part of clinical care.
Recent Grants and Fellowships:
- Co-PI: Southern California Center for Latino Health, Pilot Project Program, “Encouraging Nutrition, exercise, and Resilience in Growing Youth (ENERGY) Study,” Pending, (2025)
- Collaborator: Cal Poly Pomona, Research Scholarly and Creative Arts, “Project LIFT: Research Development for an Older Adult Fitness Device,” $10,000 (2025)
- Co-PI: (2023)
- Cal Poly Pomona, Research Scholarly and Creative Arts, “Formative investigation of fitness wearable devices and social media intervention design,” $5,000 (2019)
- American Heart Association, “TAME HEALTH: Testing Activity Monitors’ Effect on Health,” $26,000 (2016)
Selected Publications:
- “Learn by Doing: A Flipped Classroom Approach to Teaching Exercise Testing and Prescription,” Educational Practices in Kinesiology, Vol. 5, No. 1, Article 5, 2025
- “Learn by Doing: A CURE approach to teaching exercise testing and prescription,” Educational Practices in Kinesiology, Vol. 5, No. 1, Article 3, 2025
- With C. Antonio, L. Horiguchi, E. Nunez-Ortiz, Russell Chen, and Lara Killick, “Feasibility of Implementing an Older Adult Resistance Training Program in a Community Setting,” International Journal of Exercise: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 14, Iss. 4, Article 134, 2024
- With R.N. Harrison, B.D. Clocksin, A.T. Auslander and L. Killick, “Chair Fitness Program for Improved Strength and Physical Function for Older Adults: A Pilot Comparative Effectiveness Study,” Recent Progress in Nutrition, Vol. 3, No. 3, 2023, DOI: 10.21926/rpn.2303016
- With M.C. Swartz, M.C. Robertson, U. Christopherson, S.J. Wells, J.Bai, M.D. Swartz, H.C. Silva, E. Martinez and E.J. Lyons, “Assessing the Suitability of a Virtual ‘Pink Warrior’ for Older Breast Cancer Survivors during COVID-19: A Pilot Study,” Life, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2023
- With K. Hansen, M. Narasaki-Jara, L. Killick, M. Kwon, L. Chase and S. Lemez, “Embedding Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into a Kinesiology Curriculum: A Detailed Report of a Curriculum Redesign,” Social Sciences, Vol. 11, No. 7, 2022
- With S. Danayan, “The Protocol and Feasibility Results of a Preliminary Instagram-Based Physical Activity Promotion Study,” Technologies, Vol. 9, No. 4, Article 70, 2021
- With M. Cannon, G. Rubio, M.C. Swartz and E.J. Lyons, “Analysis of the Behavioral Change and Utility Features of Electronic Activity Monitors,” Technologies, Vol. 8, No. 4, Article 75, 2020
- With K.J. Ottenbacher, S.R. Fisher, K. Jennings, A.F. Brown, M.C. Swartz, E. Martinez and E.J. Lyons, “Effect of Electronic Activity Monitors and Pedometers on Health; Results from the TAME Health Pilot Randomized Pragmatic Trial,” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(18):6800, 2020
- With L. Pritting, AL. Picazo, M. Jean Marie-Tucker, “The utility of wearable fitness trackers and implications for increased engagement: An exploratory, mixed methods observational study,” Digital Health, 6:1-12, 2020
- With M.C. Swartz, E. Martinez and E.J. Lyons, “Descriptive Analysis of Social Support Patterns of Middle-Aged and Older Adults within a Physical Activity Application,” JMIR Aging, 2(2): e12496, 2019
Interviews:
- “Our favorite fitness trackers: tested and reviewed,” NBC News, April 16, 2025
- “Peloton Guide Review: The Strength-Training Smart Camera Faces Strong Competition,” The Wall Street Journal, April 5, 2022
- “The Best Fitness Apps for Working Out at Home,” The Wall Street Journal, Jan. 9, 2022
- “Which Fitness Tracker Is Best For You? Apple Watch vs. Fitbit vs. Oura vs. Garmin vs. Whoop,” The Wall Street Journal, Dec. 5, 2021
Education:
B.S., Athletic Training, Loyola Marymount University
Ph.D., Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston