ACE Personal Training Lesson 6

Which of the following statements BEST demonstrates a SMART goal?

"I will run 4 days per week, progressing my run time for 10 to 40 minutes for a 5k in four months"

A client you have been working with for several months tells you that a close relative recently became seriously ill. What is the MOST appropriate response?

"I'm so sorry. I can't imagine how difficult that must be for you"

During the initial client investigation stage, what are some important questions to ask?

- "Can you describe your previous experience with physical activity?" - "What forms of activity do you like and dislike?" - "Why did you stop exercising in the past?"

What are the 5 stages of behavior change?

1. Pre-contemplation - May not see activity as relevant 2. Contemplation - Starting to consider activity 3. Preparation - Preparing to adopt an activity 4. Action - Engaging in regular activity (<6 months) 5. Maintenance - Regular activity (>6 months)

What is the MOST common excuse used by people when dropping out of an exercise program?

A lack of time

Which of the following individuals is MOST LIKELY to adhere to a supervised physical-activity program?

A middle-aged man who has prehypertension but believes he has personal control over his health

Approximately what percent of the US population meets both aerobic activity and muscle strengthening guidelines?

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, approximately 20% of U.S. adults meet both aerobic activity and muscle-strengthening guidelines. This suggests that health and fitness professionals have a significant challenge in getting people motivated to start and/or maintain an exercise program.

Which of the following factors is MOST likely unrelated to adherence levels in supervised exercise settings?

Age

What are some strategies recommended method for practicing motivational interviewing with client?

Asking probing questions, Keep the conversation friendly, and encourage clients to generate ideas.

During the investigation stage, which of the following statements BEST pertains to effective listening?

Asking the client questions and responding to answers with encouraging words and further open-ended questions

A client who is beginning to perform basic body-weight squats with fairly decent form is now ready for more specific feedback to help refine her squatting technique. Which of the following stages of learning is BEST represented in this scenario?

Associative. In the associative stage of learning, clients begin to master the basics and are ready for more specific feedback that will help them refine the motor skill so that clients do not learn the skill incorrectly, personal trainers balance the giving of appropriate feedback with the suitable amount of feedback

Clients who are beginning the basics of a particular movement and are ready for specific feedback are in which stage of motor learning?

Associative. In the associative stage of learning, clients begin to master the basics and are ready for more specific feedback that will help them refine the motor skill.

On a plane, the gentleman sitting next to you asks a number of questions about exercise, nutrition, and health. He says that he does not currently exercise, but he has been thinking about joining a gym an asks you for recommendations. Based on this information, this gentleman is MOST likely in which of the following stages of behavioral change?

Contemplation stage is still sedentary. However they are starting to consider activity as important and have begun to identify implications of being active.

Which of the following strategies is BEST for personal trainers to implement to enhance the likelihood that a client will continue working with them?

Encouraging client ownership of the program to facilitate development of intrinsic motivation

Which of the following occurs when a positive stimulus that once followed a behavior is removed and the likelihood that the behavior will reoccur is decreased?

Extinction

A loud, tense voice communicates confidence and professionalism when speaking to a new client. True or False?

False. A loud, tense voice tends to make people nervous. Personal trainers should try to develop a voice that is firm and confident to communicate professionalism.

Adherence is defined as the psychological drive that gives behavior direction and purpose. True or False?

False. For the purposes of a fitness professional, exercise adherence refers to voluntary and active involvement in an exercise program. Motivation is defined as the psychological drive that gives behavior direction and purpose.

A person who is confident that he or she can successfully participate regularly i an exercise program MOST likely?

Has high self-efficacy related to exercise

Which of the following is MOST effective in helping a client develop program adherence?

Having the client self-monitor by keeping an exercise journal

Which behavioral theory model is based on a prediction that people engage in a health behavior depending on the perceived threat they feel regarding a health problem?

Health Belief Model. The health belief model predicts that people will engage in a health behavior (e.g., exercise) based on the perceived threat they feel regarding a health problem and the pros and cons of adopting the behavior.

Which of the following strategies is the MOST effective cognitive behavioral technique that a personal trainer can implement to improve client exercise adherence?

Helping clients move from primarily external feedback to primarily internal feedback

A strong support system network can provide an individual with all of the following EXCEPT?

Intrinsic Motivation

After one year of regular personal-training sessions, your client wanted to try to continue on her own. During the following six months, you notice your client routinely exercising for one hour, four to five days of the week. Your client says she "loves coming to the gym and feels great after her workouts." You can MOST likely contribute your clients success to which of the following?

Intrinsic Motivation

Which of the following intervention strategies would be LEAST APPROPRIATE when working with someone in the precontemplation stage?

Introduce different types of exercise activities to find something the individual enjoys. This intervention is most appropriate for someone in the preparation stage.

Operant Conditioning

Is the process by which behaviors are influenced by consequences.

WHich of the following self-monitoring strategies is MOST effective for improving clients' long-term program adherence?

Journaling thoughts, experience, and emotions.

A client mentions that he prefers tactile feedback and spotting while exercising. What strategy is MOST likely indicative of which learning style?

Kinesthetic. A kinesthetic learner may prefer to be supervised with a hands-on approach and may speak about "feeling: movements, as opposed to a learner who is more auditory or visual in nature.

A new client tells you that she used to participate in local 10k and half-marathon running events before having twins. Although she had wanted to continue running, she has not been active since her children were born two years ago. Now that they are in daycare three days per week, she has begun walking a bit and wants to begin running, with an eventual goal of completing her first marathon. Based on this information, your client has MOST likely progressed through which of the following stages of behavioral change from pre-pregnancy to meeting with you today?

Maintenance, contemplation, preparation

General trends reveal that members of which of the following populations are MOST LIKELY to be performing higher levels of physical activity in unsupervised settings?

Men demonstrate higher and more consistent activity adherence than women. Lower levels of physical activity participation are seen with increasing age, fewer years of education, and low income.

More than ____% of people who start a new program will drop out within the first six months.

More than 50% of people who start a new program will drop out within the first six months.

When developing SMART goals, which of the following types of goals should be AVOIDED?

Negative goals. Setting negative goals puts the focus on the behavior that should be avoided, not the behavior to be achieved. It is important that the client is thinking about achievement, not avoidance.

Which personal attribute is the MOST reliable predictor of an individuals participation in an exercise program?

Past exercise participation

What is the MOST influential source of self-efficacy information related to exercise?

Past exercise performance

What is the most influential source of self-efficacy information?

Past performance experience is the most influential source of self-efficacy information. Personal trainers should ask clients about their previous experiences with exercise, fitness facilities, and personal trainers. These previous experiences will strongly influence self-efficacy.

________________ is the most common excuse for not exercising and for dropping out of an exercise program.

Perceived lack of time is the most common excuse for not exercising and for dropping out of an exercise program. The perception of not having enough time to exercise is likely a reflection of not being interested in or enjoying the activity, or not being committed to the activity program.

During the initial interview with a new client, a trainer learns the clients desire to exercise regularly was based on the results of a recent medical exam revealing prehypertension (blood pressure = 137/88 mmHg), dyslipidemia (total serum cholesterol = 227 mg/dL), and a family history of cardiovascular disease. Based on this information, the client's motivation to exercise is MOST likely associated with which of the following components of behavioral change?

Perceived seriousness is part of the health belief model and refers to the feeling one has about the seriousness of contracting an illness or leaving an illness untreated.

What are 3 factors affecting physical activity participation?

Personal Attributes, environmental factors, Physical-activity factors

What is the most important tool when dealing with a client who is at risk for relapse?

Planning ahead and being prepared. Personal trainers should educate their clients about the potential occurrence of a relapse and prepare them in advance, so that they are able to get back on track with their activity programs soon after experiencing a relapse.

Which of the following strategies would be MOST likely to enhance a clients willpower?

Planning in advance for moments of weak self-control.

Motivational interviewing is most commonly done during which stage of the client-trainer relationship?

Planning. Motivational interviewing refers to a method of speaking with people in a way that motivates them to make a decision to change their behavior. Motivational interviewing may help clients feel the need to become more active and make a decision to start exercising.

According to the principle of operant conditioning, which of the following consequences would be BEST for a personal trainer to use to ensure that a desired client behavior will reoccur in the future?

Positive reinforcement

What does self-efficacy mean?

Preception of one's own ability to succeed

A prospective client tells you that he has been going for 2-mile walks a couple of times each week for the past two months, and that he joined the gym because he is finally ready to adopt a more structured workout regimen. What is this individual's stage of change?

Preparation. The preparation stage is marked by some physical activity, as individuals are mentally and physically preparing to adopt an activity program. Activity during the preparation stage may be a sporadic walk, or even a periodic visit to the gym, but it is inconsistent. People in the preparation stage are ready to adopt and live an active lifestyle.

Which of the following goals BEST represents the statement "I want to bicep curl 10 lb dumbbells for 10 repetitions by April"?

Product goal. While a process goal is something a client does, such as completing a certain number of workouts per week, a product goal is something they achieve, like weight loss or a resistance lifted on a strength-training machine. A client who wants to perform a certain number of biceps curls using a specific amount of weight is working toward a product goal.

The three components of properly phrased feedback are BEST presented in what order?

Provide reinforcement for what was done well; correct errors; motivate clients to continue practicing and improving

Which of the following presents the four stages of the client-trainer relationship in their proper order?

Rapport, investigation, planning, action

What is the MOST important factor for an individual who is starting an exercise program?

Readiness to change behavior related to exercise

A personal trainer who is seeking clarification from a client by trying to restate the main points and feelings in a client's communication is using which method of effective listening?

Reflecting. The personal trainer can use the listening technique of reflecting to demonstrate understanding or seek clarification by trying to restate the main points and feelings in the client's communication. The client can correct a conclusion if it is wrong, or explore the reflection in more depth if it is correct. Reflections should help to move the conversation in productive directions as well as indicate effective listening.

Which of the following goals is MOST likely to enhance program participation and attainment?

Setting a series of progressively attainable short-term goals

Which of the following processes is the BEST example of using reinforcement to help a client progress from a quarter lunge to preforming a full lunge and then eventually adding resistance?

Shaping refers to the process of using reinforcements to gradually achieve a target behavior. This process of continually increasing the demands at an appropriate rate, accompanied by positive reinforcement, leads to the execution of the desired behavior and is a powerful behavior-control and teaching technique.

Which of the following behaviors would MOST likely help a trainer develop rapport with a client during the initial session?

Speaking with confidence; using fluid hand gestures while speaking and quit hands when listening

Which of the following body positions may be interpreted by a client as aggressiveness on the part of the trainer?

Standing with hands on hips. An open, well-balanced, erect body position communicates confidence, while a rigid, hands-on-hips stance may be interpreted as aggressive.

Which of the following processes is BEST exemplified by a client choosing a gym that is in the direct route between home and work?

Stimulus Control refers to making adjustments to the environment to increase the likelihood of healthy behaviors. Ex: bringing workout clothes in the car, writing down workout times as a weekly schedule, etc.

A client leaves a gym bag on the front seat of his car each morning as a reminder to work out on his way home from work. What behavior-change strategy is he using?

Stimulus control. Which refers to making adjustments to the environment to increase the likelihood of healthy behaviors. Simple and effective stimulus-control strategies may include choosing a gym that is in the direct route between home and work; keeping a gym bag in the car that contains all the required items for a workout; having workout clothes, socks, and shoes laid out for early morning workouts; and writing down workout times as part of a weekly schedule.

What is the MOST effective way to teach a new exercise to a client?

Tell the client what the exercise is, demonstrate the exercise, and have the client perform the exercise while providing feedback.

After several months of working with a client, a personal trainer notes that the client's self-efficacy and ability levels have improved. How should this affect the amount of external feedback the trainer provides to the client?

The trainer should taper the amount of external feedback. As self-efficacy and ability build, trainers should taper off the amount of external feedback they provide, encouraging the clients to start providing feedback for themselves. Clients must learn to reinforce their own behaviors by providing internal encouragement, error correction, and even punishment.

People with low self-efficacy are more likely to choose non-challenging tasks that are easy to accomplish. True or False?

True. People with low self-efficacy will be more likely to choose non-challenging tasks that are non-threatening and easy to accomplish. They will display minimal effort to protect themselves in the face of a challenge-since failing when not working hard will be a lesser blow to their self-efficacy than failing when doing their best-and, if faced with too many setbacks, they are likely to lose faith, give up, and drop out of the program.

Which type of exercise program has a dropout rate almost twice the rate of a moderate-intensity program?

Vigorous-intensity exercise program

When should behavior contracts and written agreements be revised or updated?

When goals are met or programs are modified

What is decisional balance?

involves the number of pros and cons perceived about adopting and/or maintaining an activity program.