Christopher Harnish, PhD, FACSM, EP-c, CSCS

senior Exercise physiologist

Specialties

Cardiology

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Call (804) 828-CHOR(2467)

Locations

Children's Pavilion

1000 East Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23219

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Areas of interest

Indices and metrics for pediatric cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET)
Pediatric cardiac fitness and rehabilitation
Exercise medicine for treatment of chronic diseases
Resistance exercise for children

Bio

Dr. Harnish is an exercise physiologist and associate professor with nearly three decades of experience working with both clinical and healthy populations, as well as recreational to professional athletes. His main clinical role at CHoR involves developing Virginia’s first pediatric cardiac rehabilitation program and conducting exercise testing and prescription. He spent a decade in higher education, including five years as Chair of the Department of Kinesiology at Mary Baldwin University, where he founded the Exercise Science program. Prior to his work in higher ed, he worked as an endurance coach, sports event promoter and even ran a small non-profit that continues today as the Richmond Cycle Corps.

In addition to his professional work, Dr. Harnish is a lifelong endurance athlete with a background in speed skating, competitive road cycling, and off-road triathlon, where he was a 2018 USAT National Champion. He lives in Church Hill with his wife, daughter and a crazy menagerie of pets.

Education

PhD Virginia Commonwealth University

MS University of South Carolina

BS Ithaca College

Research interests

Human performance optimization; Effects of pediatric exercise interventions on adherence, fundamental movement skills and cardiopulmonary fitness; Relationship between CPET metrics and congenital heart disease indices; Effect of exercise on managing congenital heart disease; Can exercise mitigate the impacts of low socioeconomic status

Publications

Harnish, CR, ME Holman. (2024) The validity and reliability of the GRIP-X hand grip dynamometer is comparable to the Smedley Type-D hand grip dynamometer. Encyclopedia. In review.

Holman, ME, and CR Harnish. (2024) Reliability and Validity of the Jumpster accelerometer-based app compared to the Vertec when completing a countermovement jump. Int J of Perf Anal Sport. In review.

Harnish, CR, TC Swensen, & D King. (2024) Methodological changes to alactic time estimation fail to improve the reliability of the 15-s maximal lactate accumulation rate (VLamax) test for cycling. J Sci Cycling. In review.

Harnish, CR, GP Swinand, & A Fisher. (2024) Making History in 1-hour: A detailed analysis of the World Cycling Hour Record from 1876 to 2022. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 56(3):454-463. 10.1249/MSS.0000000000003328

Harnish, CR, TC Swensen, & D King. (2023) Reliability of the 15-sec maximal lactate accumulation (VLaMax) test for cycling. Physiologia. 3(4), 542-551; 10.3390/physiologia3040040

Harnish, CR & B Miller. (2023). Transdermal carnosine gel fails to improve repeated Wingate performance in trained male cyclists: A randomized controlled cross-over trial. J Sport Sci Nutri. 4 (2): 106-111. DOI: 10.33545/27077012.2023.v4.i2b.193

Ferguson, HA, CR Harnish, S Klich, K Michalik, AK Dunst, T Zhou, & JG Chase. (2023) Track cycling sprint sex differences using power data. PeerJ. July 2023. DOI: 10.7717/peerj.15671

Ferguson, HA, CR Harnish, S Klich, K Michalik, AK Dunst, T Zhou, & JG Chase. (2023) Power-duration relationship comparison in competition sprint cyclists from 1-s to 20-min. Sprint performance is more than just peak power. PLOS One. 18(5). 10.1371/journal.pone.0280658

Ferguson, HA, CR Harnish JG Chase. (2021) Reply to commentary on: Using Field Based Data to Model Sprint Track Cycling Performance. Sports Med Open.

Harnish, CR, HA Ferguson, GP Swinand. (2021) Racing and training demands of off-road triathlon: A case study of national champion masters triathlete. Sports. 9(10): 136.

Ferguson, HA, T Zhou, CR Harnish JG Chase. (2021) Model of 30-S Sprint Cycling Performance: Don’t Forget the Aerobic Contribution! 11th IFAC Symposium on Biological and Medical Systems.

Ferguson, HA, CR Harnish JG Chase. (2021) Using Field Based Data to Model Sprint Track Cycling Performance. Sports Med. 7 (1): 20.

Martin, CL, E Shanley, CR Harnish, et al. (2021) The relationship between flourishing, injury status, and resilience in collegiate athletes. Int J of Sports Sci Coach. 16 (4).

Christopher, S, BA Tadlock, BJ Veroneau, CR Harnish, et al. (2020) Epidemiological profile of pain and non-steroid anti-inflammatory drug use in collegiate athletes in the United States. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders. 21(1).

Ernest, CP, B Roberts, CR Harnish, J Kutz, JM Cholewa, N Johannsen. (2018) Reporting Characteristics in Sports Nutrition. Sports. 6(4):139.

Ernest, CP, CR Harnish, J Rothschild, A Naderi. (2018) Metabolic Adaptations to Endurance Training and Nutrition. Research in Sports Medicine An International Journal 27(11).

Bullock G, C Harnish, P Plisky, A Knab. (2018) Fundamental Movement and Dynamic Balance Disparities Between Varying Competition Levels in Golfers. Int J Sports Physical Therapy. 14(4): 537-545.

Harnish, CR, J Daniels. (2018) Blood lactate and substrate use changes during Arm Crank Ergometry (ACE) and Functional Electrical Stimulation Cycling (FES) training in persons with spinal cord injury. ARC J Res Sports Med. 3 (1): 1 – 5.

Harnish, CR. (2018) Methodology for Testing the Influence of Buoyancy and Hydrodynamics on Swim Performance With and Without a Wetsuit. Research Invest Sports Med. Research & Investigations in Sports Medicine. 2(4): 1 – 5.

Harnish, CR, RT Sabo, JA Daniels, and D Caruso. (2017) The Effects of Two Weeks of Arm Crank Sprint Interval Training in Men with Chronic Spinal Cord Injury. Int J Sports Exerc Med. 3 (3): 1 – 7.

Harnish, CR, G. Bullock, S Hendrix, J Bauman. (2017) Physical, Performance, and Functional Movement Characteristics of NCAA Division III Women's Soccer and Volleyball Players. ARC J Res Sports Med. 2 (1):27 – 33.

Harnish, CR, and R Sabo. (2016) Comparison of Two Different Sprint Interval Training Work-to-Rest Ratios on Acute Inflammatory Responses. Sports Medicine-Open. 2 (20): 1 – 8.

Harnish, C.R., JA Daniels, and D Caruso. (2016) Training response to high-intensity interval training in a 42-year-old man with chronic spinal cord injury. J of Spinal Cord Med. Online: 1-4.

Caruso, D, DR Gater, and CR Harnish. (2015) Prevention of recurrent autonomic dysreflexia: a survey of current practice. Clinical Autonomic Research. 25 (5): 4 -10.

Harnish, CR, JA Daniels, R Sabo, and T Lavis. (2013) Comparison between prone and supine DXA measurements in men with chronic spinal cord injury. Int J Body Compos Res. 11 (3 & 4): 97-104.

Gorgey A.S., C.R. Harnish, J.A. Daniels, D.R. Dolbow, A. Keeley, J. Moore, and D.R. Gater. A report of anticipated benefits of functional electrical stimulation after spinal cord injury. J. Spinal Cord Med. 35(2): 107-112, 2012.

Gorgey A.S., H. Poarch, C. Harnish, J.M. Miller, D. Dolbow, and D.R. Gater. Acute effects of locomotor training on neuromuscular and metabolic profile in individuals with incomplete spinal cord injury. Neurorehabilitation. 29(1):79-83, 2011.

Dolbow D.R., J.M. Miller, C.R. Harnish, H. Poarch, A. Gorgey, and D.R. Gater. Arm crank exercise increases VO2 peak and reduces body fat in older adult with chronic paraplegia. Clin. Kinesiol. 64(4) : 51-55, 2010.

Harnish, C.R., D. King, & T. C. Swensen. Effect of cycling position on oxygen uptake and preferred cadence in trained cyclists during hill climbing at various power outputs. Euro. J. Appl. Phys. 99 (4), 2007.

Harnish, C.R., T.C. Swensen, & R.R. Pate. Methods for estimating the maximal lactate steady state in trained cyclists. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 33 (5), 2001.

Swensen, T. C., C. R. Harnish, L. Beitman, & B. Keller. Non-invasive estimation of the maximal lactate steady state in trained cyclists. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 31 (5):742-746, 1999.

Book Chapters

Demands of Competitive Cycling: Short-distance Events. Ferguson, HA, and CR Harnish. In: The Handbook of Cycling (1st ed), A. Bossi (Ed.) Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2025.

Evaluating Research Quality: Harnish, CR In: Evidence Based Practice in Sport and Exercise: A Guide to Using Research (1st ed), B. A. Arnold (Ed.). Philadelphia: FA Davis, 2016.

Bicycling: Harnish, CR. In: Sports and Recreational Activities (13th–15th ed), D. Mood, F. F. Musker, & J.E. Rink. (Ed.). St. Louis: Mosby, 2002, 2006, 2011.

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