ACE Study Guide
Beth is a 28-year-old woman who is looking to improve her overall fitness. How long should she rest for in between sets on a leg press exercise?
30-90 seconds
James has been training for and competing in triathlons for 5 years. He wants to increase running speed and cycling power. How many times should you suggest he train per week?
4-7
Andrew is a 35-year-old man who is looking to increase strength in his upper body. How long should he rest in between sets of a bench press exercise?
2-5 minutes
An ACE certified personal trainer must complete how many continuing education hours in what period of time to keep their certification active?
20 hours in 2 years
Your client has a goal of increasing multiple effort power. How many repetitions should she perform during the typical set?
3-5
How long should an entire periodized program last?
Multiple months
Where should you spot a dumbbell movement?
At the wrists
Which of the following is not a method of managing risk?
Incrementing
During communication it is important to give about _____ of distance to respect the clients personal space.
1.5 to 4 feet
Veronica is 62-year-old woman who has come to you for help. Last year she had a knee replacement surgery and has not been exercising at all since her physical therapy ended 6 months ago. She has been smoking cigarettes for the past 45 years. Her father died of a myocardial infarction when he was 54 and her mother died of the same thing when she was 66. Veronica has a BMI of 23. Systolic BP = 138 mmHg, Diastolic BP = 88 mmHg. LDL cholesterol = 130 mg/dl, HDL cholesterol = 59. According to ACSM guidelines how many risk factors does Veronica have and what is her risk classification?
5 factors, moderate risk
Which increase in intensity is standard in a linear progression model for a novice or intermediate trainee?
5%
What intensity should aerobic exercise be prescribed at for individuals with type II diabetes?
50-80% of HRR
A 23 year old female client wants to begin a resistance training program with you to optimize her health and wellbeing, while building muscle. Which intensity prescription should you focus on?
70-80% 1RM
Bill is training at 80-90% of his 1 repetition maximum on leg press. How long should he typically wait before training his legs again?
72 hours
Which of the following is an absolute contraindication to stretching?
A healing fracture site
You have been working with Judy for 1 month now. Her initial goals were to gain strength in her lower body and you have been working on body weight squats and lunges. She can perform 3 sets of 15 squats without a struggle. What is the best course of action to continue to increase her lower body strength significantly?
Add resistance to her squats and lunges.
Which of the following environmental testing conditions can most confound results of a physiologic assessment?
An ambient air temperature of 96 degrees Fahrenheit
Which of the following is within the ACE personal trainer's scope of practice?
Assisting a client in setting realistic fitness goals.
Which of the following assessments cannot determine actual body fat composition?
BMI
Which of the following movements should be performed first on an upper body day in a resistance training program?
Barbell bench press
If you discover during your initial evaluation that your client has rotator cuff tendinitis, what should you do?
Begin training the client without medical clearance, designing a modified exercise program that would not exacerbate the condition.
Which of the following medications produces a lower heart rate at rest and while exercising?
Beta Blockers
Which of the following is an example of what is generally measured in a physiologic assessment?
Both resting vital signs and joint flexibility
Beta Blockers
Decrease heart rate and decrease blood pressure
What phenomena can be expected as an individual progresses from an intermediate to advanced trainee?
Diminishing returns
What is an example of the "tell, show, do" technique used in the early stages of training?
Explaining the proper way to perform an exercise, showing your client, and then allowing them to try the exercise.
All of the following are positive risk factors except
Fasting plasma glucose of 80 mg/dl
During an initial assessment, what planes of the body can you use a plumbline to observe?
Frontal, Sagittal, and Transverse Planes
Which of the following is a positive risk factor?
HDL cholesterol at 37 mg/dl
All of the following do not need a doctors clearance except which?
Heart murmur
Which is not a phase in the ACE integrated training model?
Heart training
Shelly is a 29-year-old woman who you recently took through a thorough health-risk appraisal. She is motivated and wants to begin exercising. During the appraisal, you found that her BMI is 32, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year and is taking medication for it. Shelly has been walking at a moderate intensity for at least 60 minutes for the past 6 months. Her systolic BP is 138 mmHg and diastolic is 87 mmHg. LDL cholesterol = 125, HDL = 55. What is her risk classification and risk factor count according to ACSM guidelines?
High risk, 1 factor
When spotting a barbell where should your hands be?
Immediately behind the client with hands just below the barbell, but not touching it, only touching the barbell when the client is at risk.
When prescribing static stretches during a resistance training workout, when should the static stretches be performed?
Immediately following the workout
Which of the following is NOT a symptom of inflammation at a joint?
Increased range of motion
This form states that the client is acknowledging having been notified about the risks associated with exercise.
Informed Consent
Which of the following is a form that notifies the client of the risk associated with exercise?
Informed Consent form
Personal trainers often work as independent contractors. What individual type of insurance is most recommended to purchase when working as an independent contractor in the fitness industry?
Liability insurance
Daily stress and barriers to being active would most likely be found in which of the following questionnaires?
Lifestyle Questionnaire
What are the three levels of a periodized program?
Microcycles, mesocycles, and macrocycles
A 55 year old sedentary man, with a family history of smoking and diabetes mellitus comes to your studio, looking for a personal trainer. However, he states during his health history evaluation that he has no signs or symptoms of cardiovascular disease. Which risk category for cardiovascular disease would he fall under?
Moderate ; two risk factors
A 44 year old man name Roger comes to you wanting to exercise. After a thorough health-risk appraisal you learn than his father had diabetes and smoked cigarettes, he quit smoking last year, he alternates between exercising on the stationary bike and treadmill 3 days per week for 30-45 per session during his lunch break at work. He has a BMI of 31, Systolic BP 142 mmHg, Diastolic BP 88 mmHg, and a total serum cholesterol of 187 mg/dl. What risk classification is Roger and how many risk factors does he have if any according to ACSM guidelines?
Moderate risk, 2 factors
This questionnaire is limited by its lack of detail and may overlook important health conditions, medications, and past injuries.
PAR-Q
Which of the following questionnaires would be used as a prerequisite to start a moderate intensity fitness program?
PAR-Q
Saying things like, "I understand, 125 feels like your ideal weight." Is an example of which positive listening skill?
Paraphrasing
Your client tells you that he understands that his family has a history of heart disease and that being overweight can increase his risk for such conditions. He is still wary of beginning any kind of exercise program and says that he has never had any weight loss success in the past. According to the Theoretical Model of Behavioral Change, what stage of change is your client in?
Precontemplation
In which stage of the Theoretical Model of Behavior Change is a client ready to adopt and live a healthy lifestyle?
Preparation
Asking additional questions in an attempt to gather more information and encourage the client to talk further would best describe which term?
Probing
Personal trainers should learn to recognize clients who have eating disorders, such as bulimia and anorexia. In terms of professional responsibilities, which of the following should a personal trainer undertake as part of their practice with clients with eating disorders?
Recommend the client consult a registered dietician
A client discusses how they are not comfortable working out in open spaces because they feel that people stare. The trainer responds by saying, "It sounds like you are don't like exercising in public", before suggesting a different area to workout. Which of the following communication techniques is the trainer using?
Reflecting
When training a client to activate their core for the purpose of gaining proximal stability, what exercise modality should come first in the progression?
Sagittal plane shoulder movements with one arm raised off the floor
Which form of non-verbal communication should not be used during the initial investigation stage of the trainer-client relationship?
Sitting with arms crossed
Which of the following would be the most accurate way to measure a clients blood pressure?
Sitting with feet flat on the floor using right or left arm
According to the ACE Integrated Fitness Training Model, what step in the training process best follows the testing of resting measures such as heart rate and blood pressure?
Static Posture
The trainer and client have been working out for the past two weeks when the trainer becomes aware that the client has had multiple back injuries in the past. The client wants to continue to exercise as their back is not hurting that day. What is the best course of action for the trainer to take?
Stop the session and have the client receive medical clearance from their doctor before scheduling another training session
Which of the following is appropriate according to the ACE personal trainer's scope of practice?
Teaching a client self myo-fascial releasing techniques.
Which method of feedback on exercise difficulty should you discuss with your client during the initial interview?
The Borg Rating of Perceived Exertion Scale
A client wants to increase the strength of her upper back muscles. Which of the following exercises will help the least with this goal?
The seated machine back extension
Why is it necessary for the personal trainer to have a client fill out a risk stratification before beginning exercise?
To discover the potential presence of diseases to the cardiopulmonary system
What is an example of non-verbal communication?
Tone of voice, facial expressions, body language
A 38 year old male client wants to improve his body composition, and comes to you for assistance. He works 60 hours a week in a high stress job and is also a father of a young baby. Due to this, the client has limited availability for training and can only meet twice per week with you to train. Which of the following is most helpful in achieving his goals for you prescribe?
Two days of circuit resistance training
What can submaximal cycle ergometer testing predict?
VO2 Max
Which of the following variables can be adjusted to account for progression in a standard resistance training or cardiorespiratory exercise program?
Volume, Frequency, Intensity
Which of the following is an example of a good open-ended question?
What made you decide to pursue personal training?
Shelly is a 29-year-old woman who you recently took through a thorough health-risk appraisal. She is motivated and wants to begin exercising. During the appraisal, you found that her BMI is 32, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes last year and is taking medication for it. Shelly has been walking at a moderate intensity for at least 60 minutes for the past 6 months. Her systolic BP is 138 mmHg and diastolic is 87 mmHg. LDL cholesterol = 125, HDL = 55. Would she need to have a medical exam before engaging in moderate exercise?
Yes
Cardiovascular disease characterized by hardening of arteries as well as thickening of arterial walls and loss of elasticity.
atherosclerosis
How long should your client rest between sets when training for muscular endurance?
less than 30 seconds
Continually exercising with poor form can cause repetitive stress and lead to
overuse injuries
This sign or symptom is synonymous with ischemia
pain (tightness) or discomfort in jaw
Which is most common location for detecting a pulse?
radial artery
What is an umbrella liability policy?
A policy that covers multiple types of insurances
Which of the following is typically considered by clients to be the most important factor in creating a positive first impression?
A trainer who communicates well
A blood pressure of 142/92 is considered
High
In what stage of the client-trainer relationship are health-history and lifestyle questionnaires administered?
Investigation Stage ; The investigation stage occurs between the rapport stage and planning stage
Kristin is in for her second session and you are conducting fitness assessments. While you are checking her body fat percentage you ask her about types of exercise she prefers to do. What stage of the client-trainer relationship are you in with Kristin?
Investigation Stage ; This is an example of gathering information, which you should do before the planning stage.
Bob is a 30-year-old man looking to increase muscular endurance for distance running. How long should he rest in between sets on the leg extension machine?
Less than 30 seconds
During initial assessments, a client's pulse can be manually taken at all of the following locations except:
Pulmonary artery
Dan is a new client whom you are meeting with for the first time today. He will most likely be evaluating you as a trainer through both your verbal and non-verbal communication. What stage of the client-trainer relationship are you in with Dan?
Rapport Stage
What is suggested when a client answers yes to one or more of the PAR-Q questions?
Receive a doctors clearance before beginning exercise
