Academic Profile

Dr Mert Eray Onen is the Founder and Academic Director of the European Fitness and Wellness Academy (EFWA). His academic work focuses on exercise physiology, exercise biochemistry, applied anatomy, kinesiology and training science, with particular emphasis on translating scientific principles into practical education for fitness and movement professionals.

He completed his doctorate at Marmara University in 2009 after postgraduate study in sport health sciences, and he has continued advanced doctoral study at Ege University in movement and training sciences. His higher-education teaching career began in the early 2000s and has included anatomy, kinesiology, exercise physiology, training science and related sport-science subjects.

Role at EFWA

At EFWA, Dr Onen is responsible for academic programme development and the scientific framework used across the Academy’s courses. A distinctive element of EFWA’s Pilates education is the applied anatomical analysis that accompanies practical demonstrations. This analysis explains joint actions, prime movers, stabilising muscles and relevant biomechanical considerations so that learners understand not only how an exercise is performed, but why it is performed in a particular way.

His work also supports EFWA’s broader approach to evidence-informed professional education: course content should connect movement technique with anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, safety and professional decision-making rather than treating exercises as isolated routines.

Academic Interests & Professional Contribution

His principal areas of interest include physiological responses to exercise, exercise-induced fatigue, exercise biochemistry, movement-system anatomy, kinesiology, strength and conditioning, training science and anti-doping education. He has contributed to books and academic publications in these areas and continues to work at the intersection of university teaching and professional fitness education.