NASM Practice Exam

Javier has recently earned his NASM Certified Personal Trainer credential and is starting to apply to health clubs for his first job as a personal trainer. Which job from his previous non-fitness industry work experience demonstrates qualities that would best be applicable to personal training?

Restaurant server

Which statement accurately describes the physical benefits of SAQ training?

SAQ training decreases the risk of osteopenia.

A client is asked to record what exercises they perform, how much they eat, and how much they sleep. Which of these strategies is the client using?

Self-monitoring

The upper trapezius works with what muscle as a force couple to create upward rotation of the scapula?

Serratus anterior

What training tip would enhance the benefits of resistance training by helping increase growth hormone, testosterone, and epinephrine?

Slowing down the speed of contractions during the eccentric and concentric phases

Which sense provides information about changes in pressure on the skin, muscle length, and joint angles?

Somatosensory system

When progressing a client to more-dynamic plyometric exercises, what is the first element that should be increased?

Stabilization, form, and mechanics during landing

What is the primary function of the local muscles of the core?

Stabilize vertebral segments

Which of the following types of balance occurs when an individual seeks to maintain postural control in a stationary position?

Static balance

The difference between the end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes is referred to as what?

Stroke volume

When working in a health club, what piece of equipment would it be essential to know the location of?

The AED, in case the personal trainer will need to perform CPR on a health club member

Core stability is best described as:

The ability to resist external resistance in the lumbar spine while the extremities are actively moving

What is an example of an external factor that may influence the risk of falling in older adults?

The environment

Which of the following is a major nutritional contributor to muscle protein synthesis?

The essential amino acids

What is the ventilatory threshold 1 (VT1)?

The point at which the body switches to using carbohydrates to provide at least half the fuel for exercise

Why is the arching quadriceps stretch considered a controversial lower-body stretch?

The stretch provides excessive stress on the kneecap and other tissues in the front knee

What is bioenergetics?

The study of the ways in which food is turned into energy

Which of the following is true of protein shakes?

They are convenient options for increasing protein intake.

What is Bernadette's waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) if she is measured with a waist circumference of 28 inches and a hip circumference of 33 inches?

0.85

What are the recommended training variables for self-myofascial rolling?

1 to 3 sets, hold each tender area for 30 seconds

How much fluid is recommended for rehydration after an intense training session or event?

1.25 times the amount of body weight lost during the activity

Current sports nutrition guidelines from the International Society of Sports Nutrition recommend what range of protein for most exercising individuals?

1.4 to 2.0 g/kg of body weight

Low-intensity activity burns a higher proportion of fat as fuel, but if someone wanted to burn the most total calories from any substrate, which of the following activities would be most effective?

20 minutes of moderate-intensity activity

From the choices provided, what would be most recommended for SAQ drills per session with beginner clients?

4 to 6 drills

What is the most appropriate SAQ program design for a beginner adult who is apparently healthy?

4 to 6 drills with limited inertia and unpredictability, such as cone shuffles and agility ladder drills

What is a sufficient amount of time for a cardiorespiratory cool-down?

5 to 10 minutes

How many B vitamins are there?

8

What is forecasting?

A business management technique that helps predict how much work is needed to meet a revenue goal

What is acidosis in muscle?

A decrease in pH, which can lead to feelings of fatigue

What ideally should follow a day of high-intensity training in stage 3?

A stage 1 day (recovery day) should follow a hard stage 3 training day.

What is the peripheral heart action system?

A variation of circuit training that alternates upper body and lower body exercises throughout the circuit

Which of the following conditions would produce nutritional ketosis in the body?

A very low-carbohydrate diet

What is the high-energy compound used by the body to do work?

ATP

What is defined as the level of commitment to a behavior or plan of action?

Adherence

The process of diffusion of oxygen and carbon dioxide gases in and out of the bloodstream occurs in what structure or structures?

Alveolar sacs

What are the building blocks of body proteins?

Amino acids

What is a drop set?

An approach that involves performing a set to failure, then removing a small percentage of the load and continuing with the set

The PAR-Q+ and preparticipation process reflects what three health indicators?

An individual's current level of physical activity, the presence of signs and symptoms of disease, and the individual's desired exercise intensity

Which muscles are typically underactive when the feet turn out?

Anterior and posterior tibialis

Which term best describes motion at the joint surface?

Arthrokinematics

Which of the following statements would be accurate with regard to muscle force and velocity during a concentric contraction?

As the velocity of the muscle action increases, its ability to produce force decreases.

Where is the appropriate location to take a waist circumference measurement?

At the narrowest point of the waist, below the rib cage and just above the top of the hip bones (while standing)

Which of the following would be an appropriate Phase 2 superset?

Bench press and stability ball push-ups

Which of the following is true about the biologically active forms of vitamins?

Biologically active forms are most effective for augmenting body levels.

For someone training in the Muscular Development phase, which of the following changes would be optimal?

Body fat loss

If someone were performing repeated sprints with each sprint lasting between 30 and 90 seconds, which energy system would be contributing the most to ATP production during this activity?

Glycolysis

The deep longitudinal subsystem includes which of the following muscle groups?

Hamstrings and erector spinae

Which pressing exercise would be appropriate for someone who has high levels of upper-body strength but has no equipment because they are traveling?

Handstand push-up

Which statement best demonstrates empathy?

I know that finding time to exercise is hard. I struggle to get it done sometimes as well.

Which benefit will positively affect the body through integrated training?

Improved sleep

Catecholamines are responsible for which of the following actions?

Increased lipolysis

Which of the following variations of a hop exercise would be the most difficult from a deceleration and balance standpoint?

Multiplanar single-leg box hop-down with stabilization

What principle describes the nervous system's ability to recruit the correct muscles to perform movement?

Neuromuscular efficiency

In which of the following pairs are both foods considered to be allergens?

Dairy and shellfish

Which type of assessment assesses the alignment of the body while in motion?

Dynamic posture assessment

Which source of social support has been shown to be particularly important for older adults?

Family

Mac, an NASM-CPT, has been working as a personal trainer at a health club for almost 3 years. He has consistently received positive job evaluations, making him eligible for a promotion. What opportunity would be the most appropriate to pursue, given his experience?

Fitness manager

Which exercise would be most appropriate for the power movement of Phase 5 (Power Training) superset?

Front medicine ball oblique throw

Why are proper frontside mechanics in sprinting important?

Frontside mechanics align the lead leg to optimally apply force into the ground to help propel the body forward.

Which of the following nutrition topics are within the scope of practice for a Certified Personal Trainer?

General guidance on the importance of nutrition for health and performance

What population is the VT2 talk test appropriate for?

Individuals with performance goals

A client who has been training consistently for over a year has indicated that he wants to find more efficient ways to exercise at home. Which type of social support does he need?

Informational support

What component of breathing improves blood flow back to the heart?

Inspiration with a decrease in intrathoracic pressure

Implementing exercise concepts like core, balance, and agility training with resistance training methods indicates what style of training?

Integrated training

What structure in the heart transfers the electrical signal from the sinoatrial (SA) node to the atrioventricular (AV) node?

Internodal pathway

Long-term exercise adherence is associated with which type of motivation?

Intrinsic motivation

What is the most important reason not to allow the knee to cave inward during a lunge jump exercise?

It causes stress to the connective tissues.

What is the concept that describes the human body as a chain of interdependent links that work together to perform movement?

Kinetic chain

Which of the following is not considered a closed-chain exercise?

Lat pulldowns

Which statement best describes the final stage of the sales process?

Making the sale by asking for a financial commitment to solving the customer's needs

Before studying to become an NASM Certified Personal Trainer, Kim worked as a copywriter for a large ad agency. Now that she is working as a personal trainer at a fitness studio, she is looking for additional income opportunities. Which of the following would provide her with the best option for increasing her earning potential?

Marketing her services as a writer to create blogs and social media posts for her studio as well as other fitness professionals in her area

What phase of the OPT model aims to maximize prime-mover strength through the lifting of heavy loads?

Maximal Strength Training

Which muscle is classified as a local muscle involved in stabilizing the spine?

Multifidus

Which of the following statements is the most accurate when discussing strength-training machines?

Not all strength-training machines are designed to fit all body types and thus can limit the effectiveness of the intended exercise.

What is the difference between open-ended and closed-ended questions?

Open-ended allows for elaboration, while closed-ended allows for one-word answers.

What is the correct position of the hands during the standing hammer curl exercise?

Palms facing inward toward each other

Which type of assessment measures overall strength, stability, muscular endurance, and agility?

Performance assessment

Which resistance training system is most appropriate for hypertensive clients?

Peripheral heart action system

Why is it important for fitness professionals to pay attention to their personal grooming when working in a fitness facility?

Personal trainers are professionals. Having a professional appearance can help ensure that clients treat personal trainers as the professionals they are.

During which Phase of OPT should the exerciser be most concerned with increasing the speed (repetition tempo) of exercises?

Phase 5 Power

In which of the following phases of the OPT model is suspended bodyweight training considered ideal?

Phases 1 and 2

Active and dynamic stretching utilize which physiological action?

Reciprocal inhibition

What is an example of a mechanism that can lead to muscle imbalance?

Postural distortions

When using linear periodization with a client, what would you progress them to after 4 weeks of training maximal strength adaptations?

Power

Which of the following is not considered a component of fitness?

Power

What is the best choice of attire to an interview at a health club?

Professional business attire

What is the most important thing for a client to focus on when they are new to plyometric training?

Proper technique

What is defined as the awareness of the positioning and movement of body segments?

Proprioception

What might a Certified Personal Trainer do for someone in the precontemplation stage of change?

Provide them with education and knowledge

Horizontal adduction is most common during what type of movement?

Pushing

Which component of a monthly training plan should always be performed before moving to the next month's mesocycle?

Reassessment

Shorter reaction times during amortization may help reduce which of the following?

Tissue overload

What is defined as the specific outline created by a fitness professional that details the form of training, length of time, and specific exercises to be performed?

Training plan

Which disease is caused by specific medical conditions or medications, including alcohol abuse, smoking, specific diseases, or particular medications, that disrupt normal bone reformation?

Type 2 (secondary) osteoporosis

Local muscles typically consist of which type of muscle fibers?

Type I

Which term defines the degree to which a test specifically measures what it is intended to measure?

Validity

Where is it most common to take an individual's circumference measurement to assess health risk?

Waist

Which of the following is an open-ended question?

What has prevented you from reaching your goals in the past?

Which of the following is a question that may provoke resistance?

Why don't you want to change?

Which of the following is an example of an exercise modality to enrich the proprioceptive nature of an exercise?

Wobble board