NASM-PES Exam Questions

Correct answer: 3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 70-85% 1RM

When designing a program for a client who wants to put on 10 pounds of muscle mass, the most appropriate acute variable to focus on would be performing 3-4 sets of 8-12 repetitions at 70-85% of their one-repetition maximum (1RM). The 1RM refers to the maximum amount of weight a person can lift for a single repetition of a specific exercise. Working within this intensity range and with this volume will effectively target muscle hypertrophy, which is the growth and increase in the size of muscle cells.

Training at 70-85% of 1RM allows the client to perform exercises with a challenging weight that will provide enough stimulus for the muscles to grow. The 8-12 repetition range is considered ideal for muscle hypertrophy, as it provides an optimal balance between the mechanical tension, metabolic stress, and muscle damage needed to trigger growth. Performing 3-4 sets per exercise allows for an adequate volume that further supports muscle hypertrophy while still enabling recovery between sessions.

• 1-3 sets of 12-25 reps at 50-70% 1RM are for endurance exercises.
• 3-6 sets of 1-5 reps at 85-100% 1RM are for maximal strength exercises.
• 3-4 sets of 1-10 reps at 30-45% 1RM are for power exercises.

Correct answer: Performing all sets of an exercise/body part before moving on

A horizontal loading program is a type of strength training program where the client performs all sets of an exercise or body part before moving on to the next exercise or body part. This approach helps to increase the overall volume and intensity of the workout, allowing for more time and focus to be placed on each individual exercise or body part.

During a horizontal loading program, the client typically performs a certain number of sets and reps for a particular exercise or body part, then moves on to the next exercise or body part. For example, the client may perform three sets of squats, followed by three sets of bench presses, then three sets of pull-ups, and so on.

The horizontal loading program allows for more targeted training and a greater focus on individual muscle groups. It also allows for more recovery time between exercises, as each muscle group is given a break while the client performs sets for other muscle groups.

Overall, the horizontal loading program is a valuable strength training program for individuals who want to increase overall muscle mass and strength, while maintaining proper form and avoiding the risk of overtraining or injury.

Correct answer: Exercise selection

Exercise selection is correct because which exercise is used will not dictate the amount of rest needed as much as the intensity at which that exercise is performed. For example, a squat is considered a more intense exercise than a biceps curl. However, an athlete performing a squat with 50% of 1RM will not require as much rest as an athlete performing the biceps curl with 95% of 1RM.

Training intensity, general fitness level of the athlete, and nutritional status of the athlete are incorrect because they are factors in determining appropriate rest intervals for an athlete.

Correct answer: 185 lbs. Bench Press

The 185 lbs. Bench Press is a strength assessment specifically designed for basketball players. It involves the athlete bench pressing 185 pounds for as many repetitions as possible. The test measures upper body strength and endurance, which are important factors for basketball players in performing tasks such as shooting, rebounding, and defending.

Correct answer: Intervals

One method of metabolic energy system training is steady state training. This form of training can be broken down into three categories:

1. Long-slow distance: Performed for a specified longer period of time, at a low-to-moderate-training intensity.
2. Race pace: Performed at the same pace as you would maintain during an event.
3. Percent of maximum heart rate pace: Involves calculating a percentage of the race pace and performing the workouts at that intensity.

Intervals are a separate form of training that focus on higher-intensity effort for shorter periods of time.

Correct answer: 100% of ATP/CP

When designing a training program, it is important to consider the appropriate rest periods to ensure that your client has sufficient time to recover their energy stores, particularly adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and creatine phosphate (CP). These energy sources play a crucial role in providing the power needed for short, high-intensity exercises.

If you provide your client with three minutes of rest between sets or exercises, they will restore nearly 100% of their ATP/CP stores. This is important because ATP and CP are the primary energy sources used during high-intensity, short-duration activities, such as sprinting or heavy resistance training.

Allowing for adequate rest periods helps to ensure that your client can maintain their performance level throughout their training session, as it provides enough time for their body to replenish ATP and CP stores. This, in turn, enables them to continue to produce the high levels of force and power necessary for their exercises.

• 50% of ATP/CP is restored in 20-30 seconds
• 75% of ATP/CP is restored in 40 seconds
• 85-90% of ATP/CP is restored in 60 seconds

Correct answer: 90 minutes

90 minutes is correct because this is the duration at which muscle glycogen stores become a limiting factor. Carbohydrate loading can almost double the concentration of muscle glycogen. It is typically performed by consuming a normal, mixed diet for three days, followed by three days of a high-carbohydrate diet.

60 minutes and 30 minutes are incorrect because muscle glycogen is not a limiting factor for endurance performance at this duration.

200 minutes is incorrect because, although carbohydrate loading will benefit exercise of this duration, it can greatly affect endurance exercise before this point.

Correct answer: 3–6 mg per kilogram of body weight

Caffeine is considered the most widely used drug in the world, and it's of special interest to athletes because numerous studies have demonstrated the benefits of this stimulant for performance.

The dosage of caffeine that is considered to have the most ergogenic effect for athletes is 3–6 mg per kilogram of body weight.

As an example, let's say you have an athlete that weighs 70 kilograms (~155 pounds). The ideal dosage of caffeine for this athlete would be somewhere between 210–420 mg.

Correct answer: Motor development

Motor development refers to the changes in motor behavior that occur over the lifespan, from infancy to old age. It includes the acquisition of new motor skills, the refinement of existing skills, and the decline of motor function associated with aging or injury.

In the case of your client, they have progressed from basic Olympic lifts to more complicated variations, such as the snatch exercise from the floor to overhead. This represents a significant change in their motor behavior and highlights the development of new motor skills.

As your client has gained more experience and developed their strength and technique, they have been able to progress to more complex and demanding movements. This is an example of motor development, where the nervous system adapts and improves in response to the demands of physical activity.

Correct answer: Power

The one-arm rotational chest pass is categorized as a power exercise. This type of exercise focuses on developing the ability to generate force quickly and efficiently. It combines elements of strength and speed, allowing the athlete to enhance their explosive capabilities. 

In the one-arm rotational chest pass, the participant engages the muscles of the upper body, particularly the chest and shoulders, while also utilizing the core for rotational force, resulting in a powerful, dynamic movement.

Strength training focuses on increasing the amount of force that a muscle or muscle group can exert. This is often achieved through exercises involving heavier weights with fewer repetitions. The primary aim of strength training is to enhance your muscular strength and the ability to resist force.

Functional training, on the other hand, aims to train the body for activities performed in daily life. These exercises usually involve compound movements that engage multiple muscle groups and joints together, mimicking everyday tasks or specific actions in sports. The focus of functional training is not just on strengthening individual muscles but also on improving coordination, balance, and flexibility.

Hypertrophy training is designed to maximize the size of the muscles. It typically involves lifting moderate to heavy weights for a moderate number of repetitions, usually in the range of 6-12 reps per set. By causing microscopic damage to the muscle fibers, hypertrophy training stimulates the body to repair and grow the muscles during recovery, leading to increased muscle size.

Correct answer: All of these

All of these is correct because they describe, along with specific continuing education, the educational and professional requirements of a registered dietitian. Completing these requirements allows one to assess and prescribe specific nutrients. The dietitian possesses the skills and abilities to calculate, counsel, or prescribe an individualized nutrition or weight management plan.

Correct answer: Remain the same

Remain the same is correct because this will allow the spine to remain in a safe position and the hips and barbell to rise at the same speed. The first pull of the clean and jerk exercise involves lifting the barbell from the floor to knee height primarily through extension of the knees and hips. This Olympic lift is used to improve rate of force development through a total body movement.

Increase rapidly is incorrect because this would likely pull the bar into the body.

Decrease is incorrect because this would indicate the hips are rising more rapidly than the barbell.

Increase slowly is incorrect because this increased angle occurs during the scoop, not the first pull.

Correct answer: When the pressure in the cuff decreases

The Double-Leg Lowering Test is a performance assessment that can effectively assess neuromuscular control and strength of the core.

The client is asked to lie down, and a flat blood pressure cuff is placed under the lumbar spine. The cuff is raised to 40 mm Hg, and the client's legs are maintained in full extension at 90 degrees.

The client is then asked to perform a drawing-in maneuver, then slowly lower his/her legs toward the ground.

The test is over when the cuff decreases in pressure from the back arching or the pressure increasing, as the client allows the abdominal wall to protrude and compensate with the rectus abdominis and obliques.

Correct answer: Radial artery

For a basic resting heart rate assessment, the radial artery is located on the thumb side of the wrist. 

Place the tips of your index and middle fingers over the radial artery, applying gentle pressure. Do not use your thumb, as it has its own pulse, which can interfere with the accuracy of the measurement.

Count the number of beats for a full minute, or for 30 seconds, and multiply by 2, to obtain the resting heart rate. It is best to perform the assessment when the individual is relaxed, preferably after sitting or lying down for at least 5 minutes.

The carotid artery is a pair of large blood vessels, composed of the internal and external carotid arteries, that supply oxygen-rich blood to the head and neck, branching off from the aorta in the chest and ascending through the neck.

The dorsalis pedis artery is a blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the dorsal surface of the foot, originating from the anterior tibial artery as it crosses the ankle joint.

The brachial artery is a major blood vessel that supplies oxygen-rich blood to the upper arm, originating from the axillary artery and extending down the arm before branching into the radial and ulnar arteries at the elbow.

Correct answer: 25% / 7-15 seconds

During neuromuscular stretching, after the trainer passively moves the limb until the first resistance barrier is noted, the client should apply an agonist contraction for 7-15 seconds, at an intensity of 25% of maximum effort. 

This contraction should be followed by a passive stretch where the trainer moves the limb to the new point of resistance, and the process is repeated for a few more cycles.

Neuromuscular stretching aims to improve neuromuscular efficiency by stimulating the muscle spindles and Golgi tendon organs, ultimately increasing flexibility and range of motion.

Correct answer: Head migrates forward

The single-leg squat assessment is a functional movement evaluation that helps identify muscle imbalances, postural distortions, and potential movement compensations in an individual. This assessment involves having the client perform a single-leg squat while the assessor observes their form and identifies any deviations from proper alignment.

To perform the single-leg squat assessment, follow these steps:

1. Have the client stand with their feet hip-width apart, arms relaxed by their sides, or placed on their hips.
2. Ask the client to lift one foot off the ground, maintaining balance on the supporting leg.
3. Instruct the client to slowly squat down on the supporting leg, bending the knee and lowering their hips towards the ground. The non-supporting leg should remain straight and off the ground.
4. Observe the client's form during the squat, paying particular attention to their hip, knee, and ankle alignment, as well as their torso positioning.
5. Repeat the assessment on the other leg.

During the single-leg squat assessment, the following common postural distortion compensations may be observed:

• Knee moves inward
• Hip hike
• Hip drop
• Torso rotates inward
• Torso rotates outward

Head migration is related to upper body movement assessment. 

Correct answer: Cervical Extension

The concentric action of the sternocleidomastoid occurs when the muscle shortens under tension, producing movement. The primary functions of the sternocleidomastoid include:

• Cervical Flexion: The sternocleidomastoid works bilaterally (both sides contracting simultaneously) to bring the chin towards the chest, flexing the neck.
• Cervical Lateral Flexion: When one side of the sternocleidomastoid contracts, it causes lateral flexion of the neck, tilting the head towards the shoulder on the same side.
• Cervical Rotation: When one side of the sternocleidomastoid contracts, it rotates the head to the opposite side, turning the face in the opposite direction of the contracting muscle.

During these movements, the sternocleidomastoid shortens concentrically to generate force and produce the desired head and neck motion.

Correct answer: Occurs in the sagittal plane only

Occurs in the sagittal plane only is correct because functional athletic activities are multi-planar. Functional athletic movement does not occur with isolated muscle function. Thus, training to improve performance in functional athletic activities requires integrated training that focuses on improving functional strength and neuromuscular efficiency.

The other answer choices are incorrect because they are all characteristics of functional athletic activities.

Correct answer: Glutamine

Glutamine is correct because this nonessential amino acid can enhance immune effects (and prevent muscle protein) in individuals with low protein intake. This athlete should be consuming an additional 10 to 20 grams in order to reach her recommended level as an endurance athlete. Athletes who consume adequate, quality protein typically would not require glutamine supplementation because it is a nonessential amino acid that can be produced from essential amino acids.

Branched chain amino acids is incorrect because this ergogenic aid's effect is to increase protein synthesis and decrease muscle catabolism.

Caffeine is incorrect because the benefit of this ergogenic aid is to improve endurance performance.

Creatine is incorrect because this ergogenic aid is utilized to increase muscle size, strength and power.

Correct answer: Acute effect on performance

Acute effect on performance is correct because this is a one-dose ergogenic aid. Caffeine has been shown to improve oxygen consumption and time to fatigue for endurance athletes immediately after ingestion. However, these effects can be individualized, especially with different doses and, therefore, caffeine also has a conditional ergolytic effect.

Chronic effect on training adaptation is incorrect because caffeine does not permanently increase endurance performance.

Conditional ergogenic effect is incorrect because the effect of caffeine is not dependent on external factors.