NSCA-CPT Practice Questions

The optimal area for body weight training in a gym is which of the following?

49 sq ft.

A personal trainer was asked to help design a home gym. Where should the personal trainer recommend the mirrors be placed?

Position bottom edge at a minimum of 20in (51cm) off the floor

Which of the following muscle groups are concentrically involved during the upward movement phase of the lead leg of the step-up exercise?

Quadriceps

Which of the following joint actions occurs during the concentric phase of the front squat?

Hip Extension

Which of the following identifies the change in biomechanics from walking to running?

Foot strikes shifts from being in front of the body while walking to under the hips while running

Which method of stretching will improve end range of motion through activation of the Golgi tendon organ?

PNF Stretching

When training a client to use a stair stepper, which of the following recommendations should be made?

Stand up-right and take deep steps (4 - 8in or 10 - 20cm)

Which of the following actions is most appropriate when performing a back hyperextension exercise on a stability ball?

Clasp the hands behind the head.

Which of the following best describes proper technique when using skipping as a plyometric activity?

Drive the toes of the lead leg in a dorsiflexed position while raising the leg forward and up to 90 degrees of hip and knee flexion

What plane of motion is a wide grip pull up performed in?

Frontal

Which of the following best describes proper technique when instructing a client to perform preacher curls?

Keep the upper torso against the pad and perpendicular to the floor.

When performing the bench press, the anterior deltoid acts in which manner?

Synergist

Performance of which of the following exercises will result in the greatest activation of the erector spinae?

Supine hip lift on a ball

A client's excessive posterior pelvic tilt has been linked to their low back pain. A stretching program should focus on which of the following musculature?

Hamstrings

Which of the following exercises is most appropriate to include for a client beginning a plyometric program for the first time?

Jump to box

Which of the following drills would be best for improving stride frequency?

Ankling

What motivational technique is practiced when a client states "I enjoy doing squats"?

Positive self talk

Which of the following training loads and volumes would be most appropriate for a 45-year-old client who has been training 3 days per week for approximately 6 months and wishes to develop muscular hypertrophy?

Performing 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions at 70%-75% of the 1RM

Which of the following best describes the concentric force-velocity relationship of skeletal muscle during maximal effort?

Velocity increases, concentric force decreases

Which of the following identifies why a client's foot strike lands in front of their center of gravity?

Overstriding

Which stretching technique most closely stimulates movements that occur in activities in daily living?

Dynamic Stretching

If an athlete is performing a movement commonly referred to as a "negative"; they are employing which of the following muscle actions?

Eccentric

Which of the following physiological adaptations is most likely to occur in response to an aerobic endurance training program?

Enhanced ventricular hypertrophy

Which of the following is an example of a closed kinetic chain exercise?

Push-up

Which of the following is classified as a high intensity plyometric drill?

Depth Jump

Which of the following guidelines are appropriate for a personal trainer to follow when training a pregnant client?

Avoid exercises while lying on the back after the first trimester

Which of the following decreases with chronic resistance training and increases with chronic aerobic capacity?

Mitochondrial density

Which of the following medications may affect a normal increase in heart rate during exercise?

Beta Blockers

Which of the following describes systolic blood pressure?

Force exerted against arterial walls during myocardial contraction

Which of the following factors is the first step when determining if a client can begin an exercise program without medical clearance?

Current level of structured physical activity

A client currently weighs 250lbs (113kg) and consumes 60% carbohydrates, 25% fat, and 15% protein for a total of 2500 calories. Approximately how any g/kg/day of protein is the client consuming?

0.8g/kg/day

How might a personal trainer determine what factors will have a positive impact on a new client's training success?

Review the client's lifestyle questionnaire

When should the client-trainer form agreement be completed?

following the initial client consultation

Which of the following instructions should be provided to a client prior to performing a blood pressure measurement?

refrain from smoking or ingesting caffeine at least 30 minutes prior to BP measurements

When should the personal trainer administer an informed consent form to the client?

During completion of the health appraisal process

Which of the following fitness assessments is most appropriate for determining a client's relative upper body strength?

Max bench press divided by clients body weight

When should the personal trainer administer the client-personal trainer agreement?

At the initial client consultation meeting

A 35-year-old as started working with a personal trainer. The results of his fitness evaluation is as follows: Resting HR = 80bpm, Blood pressure = 143/78mmHg. The client's blood pressure is categorized as which of the following?

Stage 2 hypertension

When should the client fill out the medical history form?

During the health appraisal screening

A personal trainer wants to assess a client's muscular strength, muscular power, and aerobic endurance. Which of the following assessments are most appropriate?

3 RM front squat, 3RM clean, vertical jump, 12-min run

Which should be completed after the initial interview?

Client's goals

A client complains of chronic hamstring strains when running the bases during softball. She is currently pain free but would like to be prepared for the start of the upcoming season. Which of the following exercises will benefit this client most?

Multi-directional lunges

During a workout at a client's home, the client asks the personal trainer to adjust the music volume during a workout. The client begins his third set of the bench press exercise without being spotted. The bar drops on his chest, and he sustains a serious injury. which of the following described the potential liability of the personal trainer?

Liable, because the personal trainer was negligent

Your new client informs you that she has diabetes and is taking insulin. What is the most important thing to do for this client?

Refer her to a physician prior to beginning an exercise program

Which of the following assessments will best predict the individuals VO2max?

12 minute run/walk

The PNF hamstring begins with which of the following?

Passive pre-stretch

Using the Karvonen formula, what is the target heart rate of a 50-year-old client (with a resting heart rate of 70 beats per minute) who is prescribed an exercise training intensity of 60%?

130 beats per minute

Which of the following personal training clients are best prepared for the addition of plyometrics to their program?

A 58-year-old female masters-level tennis player returning to play after 1 year who has been resistance training for 4 months

When developing a resistance training program for a group of prepubescent children, the personal trainer should observe which of the following guidelines?

select multi- and single-joint exercises for the program

A client is putting together a home gym with various pieces of equipment. What is the minimum recommended space needed between the equipment?

18 in (46cm)

When should the personal trainer administer an informed consent form to a client?

During completion of the health appraisal process

What load and rep scheme is most appropriate for someone wanting to improve their strength?

4 repetitions at 90% of 1RM

Which isn't a technical error that is common in the preacher curl exercise?

Flex the handles to within 4 to 6 inches of the shoulders

Which area of the law will someone file a suit under if the client injures herself by slipping on a wet floor in the weight room?

Tort law

Which one is a description of a good landing form for plyometrics?

Shoulders over the knees

If you are designing a new gym, how much square footage should we allow one treadmill that is 6 feet long and 3 feet wide?

108 sq ft

Of these, what is the most valid measurement of max lower body strength

One repetition maximum leg press

How many ground contacts per session should a 22 year old athlete that is experienced with resistance training and olympic lifts, perform in plyometrics?

100-120

Due to chronic aerobic training, all of these increased in skeletal muscle except?

Type II muscle fiber cross-sectional area

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is a condition that affects mainly which system?

Respiratory

Tight hip adductors and weak gluteus medias muscles can lead to which compensation?

Knees moving inward

Which of the following is an example of a possible adaption to tendons and ligaments based on resistance training?

Increase collagen production

Muscular power takes what two performance factors into account?

Force and velocity

What type of flexibility training induces a passive stretch that does not activate the stretch reflex within the muscle?

Static Stretching

What questions should you as a victim of a fall who is conscious?

Medical History

All resistance training machines should be placed at least ________ feet apart

2 feet

What tempo should the metronome be set for correct performance of the ymca step test?

96 beats per minute

Which of the following methods should be used when collecting a skinfold measurement of the calf?

Take a vertical skinfold on the medial side of the calf 1 cm (0.4in) above the mark and measure at maximal girth

Which of the following measures would demonstrate a better than average level of cardiorespiratory fitness in a 32 year old male recreational athlete?

VO2max of 57ml/kg/min (average is 48.0 --> 24.4 youngest to oldest)

Which one of the following is a positive risk factor for CVD?

Male - 46 years old (males >45 females >55)

What would be an appropriate recommendation for daily protein consumption for an athlete client weighing 209lb (95kg)?

180g (1.4-2.0 per kg of bwt for athletes, 0.8g for sedentary adults)

A client will be performing a series of fitness assessments in a week's time. Which of the following instructions should be provided prior to testing?

Attempt to sleep a minimum of 6 - 8 hours at night before testing.

A 45 year old female has not been physically active for over three years. Her health history shows no indication of medical issues nor disease but both parents had heart disease in their 60s. What is the appropriate recommendation?

a medical clearance is not necessary for light exercise

At what point does the rate of lactate production by the muscles exceed the rate of clearance?

Lactate threshold

Resistance training - induced adaptations within which of the following structures are responsible for the initial increase in muscle strength?

Motor Unit

Extensive reliance upon which of the following energy systems is associated with lactate accumulation of the muscle?

Fast glycolysis

A muscle's ability to sustain maximal force production without undue fatigue is primarily dependent on which of the following factors?

ability to replenish ATP

Which of the following pairs of exercises is an example of a superset?

Leg (knee) extension, leg (knee) curl

An 18-year-old previously sedentary female client with a BMI of 27 has been attempting to exercise regularly without much success. She is seeking a structured program that will progress over time. Which of the following initial activities and duration would be an appropriate reccomendation?

Walk 2 mi (2.8km) in 30 min daily.

Which type of landing surface would result in an extended amortization phase during plyometric training?

An exercise mat

Participation in aerobic endurance training results in which of the following physiological adaptations?

Increased glycogen stores

What factor differentiates power from work?

time

Which of the following protocols is most appropriate for a 73 year old experienced client who is seeking to improve their strength?

1 set of 4 - 6 reps at 85%

Which of the following should be used to calculate the volume-load of a resistance training session?

total reps x load

When developing a program to increase range of motion, what factor typically has a positive influence on the range of motion of all joints?

Temperature

A personal trainer is designing a program for a client with 9 months of experience weight training. The clients 1RM back squat is 150lbs (68kg). Which of the following protocols is most important for hypertrophy training?

3 sets of 8 - 12 reps of 125lbs

Which of the following series of stretches would be most appropriate prior to a heavy resistance training session inclusive of cleans and squats?

Walking knee tuck, inverted hamstring stretch, lunge walk, side step squats

Which of the following exercises will allow a client to concentrically contract the erector spinae?

Back extension

The arm action of the front stroke when swimming provides approximately what percentage of the total force used to propel the body through the water?

80 - 90%

Which of the following would aid in the improvement of a clients running technique?

Drive the elbow to the rear of the trunk during arm swing

Which of the following actions would require correction when performing the step-up exercise?

Pushing off the floor with the foot of the trailing leg

What are the primary muscles involved in the performance of the flat dumbbell fly exercise?

pectoralis major, serratus anterior, anterior deltoids

A client demonstrates shortened step length when running but is seeking to improve their pace. Which of the following should be reccomended?

Increase gluteus maximus strength

How often should mock emergencies be conducted to ensure a rapid and effective response?

once every 3 months

Which of the following is a sign of overtraining?

increased resting diastolic blood pressure

Providing variety within a clients training program such as alternating activities and the exercise provided on any given day as well as intensity with which they are performed can lead to which of the following?

Reduction in risk of overuse injuries

An avid treadmill runner uses the treadmill to train during inclement weather conditions. What adjustment should be made to compensate for real-world conditions?

Set the gradient to 1%

During the recovery phase of sprinting, the ankle should be in which of the following positions?

Dorsiflexion

When using a stair climber, which of the following actions can result in the excessive stress on the lower back?

Reversing the body position and face away from the stair climber.

When performing the abdominal crunch on a stability ball, how should a client's body be positioned?

Supine with the lumbar to lower thoracic region of the spine on the apex of the ball.