NASM-PES Exam Questions

Correct answer: Inversion

Inversion is correct because this involves moving the foot toward the mid-line of the body. This movement occurs laterally. Inversion and its opposite movement, eversion, relate specifically to the movement of the calcaneus and tarsals in the frontal plane.

Flexion and dorsiflexion are incorrect because these movements occurs in the sagittal plane. Supination is incorrect because this movement occurs in the transverse plane.

Correct answer: Point your toes inward

The back squat is one of the best exercises for increasing leg, back, and core strength. Here are some important cues to give your athlete as they perform the back squat.

• Take a deep breath
• Descend in a controlled manner
• Drive your hips back
• Keep your chest up
• Lower yourself until you can't go any lower with correct form (go to parallel)
• Breathe out as you push yourself upward
• Tighten the core
• Stay strong as you re-rack

Correct answer: Hyponatremia

When a client overconsumes hypotonic fluids and loses excessive sodium, the result can be hyponatremia. Hypotonic fluids have a lower concentration of solutes compared to body fluids, and if the intake is high, the body may not have enough time to excrete the excess fluids, leading to the dilution of sodium levels in the blood. This can cause various symptoms such as headaches, nausea, vomiting, seizures, and in severe cases, coma and death. Therefore, it is important for clients to consume fluids in moderation and replace lost sodium during prolonged or intense exercise sessions.

Correct answer: Mid trapezius

When you notice that your client's shoulders are elevating during the pushing assessment, it's essential to focus on strengthening the mid trapezius muscles. 

The mid trapezius muscles are part of the trapezius muscle group, which is a large, diamond-shaped muscle located in the upper back. The mid trapezius fibers primarily function in scapular retraction and depression, which helps stabilize the shoulder blades and maintain proper shoulder alignment.

Elevated shoulders during the pushing assessment can indicate weakness in the mid trapezius muscles, as well as potential tightness in the upper trapezius and levator scapulae muscles. 

Strengthening the mid trapezius can help to correct this imbalance and promote proper shoulder positioning during pushing movements. This, in turn, can improve overall movement quality, decrease the risk of injury, and enhance performance in various upper body exercises.

Correct answer: Glycogen

Gluconeogenesis is a metabolic pathway that occurs in the liver and kidneys in response to low levels of glucose in the body. It is the process of synthesizing glucose from non-carbohydrate sources such as amino acids, lactate, and glycerol.

During gluconeogenesis, the liver and kidneys convert these non-carbohydrate sources into glucose. This process requires the use of several enzymes and substrates, including pyruvate, oxaloacetate, and glucose-6-phosphatase. The resulting glucose is then released into the bloodstream and used by the body for energy.

Gluconeogenesis is an important process for maintaining blood glucose levels during periods of fasting, prolonged exercise, or low carbohydrate intake. It also plays a crucial role in providing energy to the brain, red blood cells, and other glucose-dependent tissues.

Glycogen, on the other hand, is a storage form of glucose in the body, primarily found in the liver and muscle tissue. When blood glucose levels drop, glycogen is broken down into glucose and released into the bloodstream to maintain blood glucose levels.

In other words, you can't use glycogen during gluconeogenesis because there wouldn't be a need for this process if the body had adequate supplies of glucose.

Correct answer: Push-up test

The push-up test would be an appropriate upper-body strength assessment for a soccer player. Soccer involves a lot of running and kicking, but upper body strength is still important for various aspects of the game, such as shielding the ball from opponents, jostling for position, and throwing the ball in from the sidelines. The push-up test can measure the muscular endurance and strength of the chest, triceps, and shoulders, which are all important muscle groups for soccer players.

Correct answer: Superset heavy and light loads

In order to create the necessary adaptations to enhance the body's ability to recruit a large number of motor units and increase the rate of activation, you should use a training program protocol that involves supersetting heavy and light loads. 

The concept behind supersetting heavy and light loads is to perform a heavy, near-maximal strength exercise followed by a lighter, explosive exercise that targets the same muscle group. This combination stimulates the nervous system and allows for increased motor unit recruitment and activation during the lighter, explosive exercise.

Correct answer: Sphygmomanometer

One important piece of information for a trainer is the body fat percentage of the client, especially if the goal is to alter body fat composition.

The best ways to measure a client's body fat percentage include the following:

• Skinfold measurements with calipers
• Underwater weighing
• Bioelectrical impedance

Blood pressure is measured by using a sphygmomanometer, which is made up of an inflatable cuff, a pressure meter with an inflation bulb or valve, and a stethoscope.

Correct answer: Hook grip

The grip technique called when the index and middle fingers squeeze down on the thumb is called the "hook grip" or simply "hooking." This grip is commonly used in Olympic weightlifting exercises, such as the snatch and the clean and jerk, to provide a secure and stable grip on the barbell during heavy lifts.

The hook grip works by effectively locking the thumb between the fingers and the bar, creating a stronger grip that helps to prevent the bar from slipping out of the lifter's hands. It allows the lifter to maintain a solid hold on the bar throughout the entire movement, which is especially important during the explosive phases of the lift.

The pistol grip is similar to a hammer grip where the palms face one another.

A mixed grip involves one hand that is in an overhand grip and one hand that is in an underhand grip.

An over-under grip isn't an actual type of grip.

Correct answer: Arch of the low back

Arch of the low back is correct because this compensation is often seen in athletes with lower crossed syndrome (tight hip flexors and low back muscles, inactive posterior chain). Compensations of the lumbo-pelvic-hip complex are best observed from the lateral view during the overhead squat. Excessive forward lean of the torso, which is typically a result of similar muscular imbalances, can also be observed from this viewing position.

Knee valgus is incorrect because this is typically due to overactivity of the biceps femoris, adductor complex, TFL, and vastus lateralis.

Turning out of the feet is incorrect because this compensation is not associated with low back muscle imbalance.

Arms falling forward is incorrect because this compensation is due to underactive muscles of the upper back.

Correct answer: Sagittal / Quadriceps

Your client's workout on the stair master machine primarily takes place in the sagittal plane of motion, which is one of the three fundamental planes of motion in human anatomy. The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right sections and primarily involves movements such as flexion and extension. When using the stair master, your client moves their legs in a repetitive stepping motion, alternating between flexion and extension of the hips and knees.

The primary target muscle of the stair master exercise is the quadriceps, which is a group of four muscles located at the front of the thigh. These muscles include the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and vastus intermedius. The quadriceps play a crucial role in extending the knee and flexing the hip, making them particularly important for walking, running, and climbing stairs.

Here are the three planes of motion:

• Sagittal Plane: The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right halves. Movements in this plane occur forward or backward along the midline of the body. Examples of sagittal plane movements include walking, running, and bicep curls.
• Frontal Plane: The frontal plane divides the body into front and back halves. Movements in this plane occur side-to-side or laterally. Examples of frontal plane movements include jumping jacks, side lunges, and lateral raises.
• Transverse Plane: The transverse plane divides the body into upper and lower halves. Movements in this plane occur horizontally, rotating around the vertical axis of the body. Examples of transverse plane movements include trunk rotation, twisting, and throwing a frisbee.

Correct answer: Drawing-in maneuver

Drawing-in maneuver is correct because the transverse abdomens, internal obliques, lumbar multifidus, pelvic floor muscles and diaphragm have all been shown to activate when the navel is pulled in toward the spine. However, during Olympic lifts such as the clean and jerk, activating the local stabilizers must be combined with global stabilization through bracing and obtaining a neutral spine posture through scapular retraction. This will increase performance of the exercise and reduce the likelihood of injuring oneself during the exercise.

Bracing is incorrect because this is used to activate the global stabilization system.

Retracting the scapula is incorrect because this is used to place the spine in a neutral position.

Hooking the grip is incorrect because this improves grip strength on the bar.

Correct answer: Cable row on a single leg

Cable row on a single leg is correct because this is a stabilization exercise. It is not characterized by an explosive or fast tempo. This exercise may still be a part of her training program, but would be in the early phases as a precursor to other, more intense training.

Hurdle jump is incorrect because this is a plyometric exercise.

Power clean is incorrect because this is an Olympic lift derivative.

Overhead medicine ball throw is incorrect because this is a total-body power exercise.

Correct answer: Power

Power is correct because the Olympic lifts are the primary resistance training exercises designed to enhance power. The power phase (phase 5) is the phase in which these exercises progress from technique work to becoming the main lifts with higher intensities. An athlete must have sufficient flexibility, core strength and neuromuscular efficiency to perform these exercises.

Hypertrophy is incorrect because the phase does not use explosive movements.

Maximal strength is incorrect because this phase may include technique work for these exercises, but they are not the integral lifts of this phase.

Stabilization is incorrect because these exercises are too intense for this type of training.

Correct answer: Muscle soreness

The importance of recovery days to an athlete's health and progress should be clear. As stress accumulates during a training cycle, careful monitoring of sleep, nutrition, and wellness is important to ensure recovery and regeneration between workouts. Signs of overtraining include the following:

• Inability to reach training zones that were previously attainable
• Disrupted sleep patterns
• Workouts described by the athlete as "draining"
• Lack of feeling refreshed in the morning or following sufficient recovery time

Correct answer: Calves

Given the constant strain on the calf muscles, NASM recommends a stretching intervention program for increasing dorsiflexion. Keep in mind that this might require more stretching than your athlete is currently accustomed to, and certainly far more than the hamstrings protocol suggested by Bandy.

Correct answer: Piriformis

Piriformis is correct because placing the body in this position allows the foam roller to place pressure on that musculature. Self-myofascial release is a flexibility technique that focuses on the neural and fascial systems of the body. The goal is to alleviate myofascial trigger points and areas of hyperirritability located within a band of muscle.

Iliotibial band is incorrect because, although one leg is crossed over the other, the foam roller is placed under the thigh.

Thoracic spine is incorrect because this exercise involves laying back on the foam roller, not sitting on it.

Quadriceps is incorrect because this self-myofascial release exercise involves laying in a prone position with the foam roller under the thighs.

Correct answer: Muscle size

Muscle size is correct because, although this may affect the amount of force that can result from the stretch-shortening cycle, it does not affect the ability of the muscle to utilize this reflex. A single muscle fiber can use the stretch-shortening cycle as effectively and efficiently as thousands as muscle fibers. The stretch-shortening cycle utilizes both a neural and elastic component to produce increased force production.

Duration of plyometric action, magnitude of stretch, and velocity of stretch are incorrect because these all affect the ability to utilize the stored potential energy during a plyometric exercise.

Correct answer: Performing the exercise in a static position

Performing the exercise in a static position is correct because performing exercises dynamically would be the progression. Increased need of proprioception is the key to progression and external resistance is added as each movement is mastered appropriately. Balance training exercises are used to improve the interaction of the active and passive restraints imposed by the muscular system, reflexive actions imposed by the peripheral nervous system and anticipatory feed-forward control imposed by the central nervous system.

Perform the exercise on an unstable surface, perform the exercise with eyes closed and perform the exercise on a single leg are incorrect because these are all progressions of balance training exercises.

Correct answer: Interdependent

Interdependent is correct because this describes a mutual reliance of the muscles that are involved in any given athletic movement. The central nervous system is in charge of ensuring this interdependence for the human movement system to function. Neuromuscular efficiency, along with functional strength is developed through integrated training.

Independent is incorrect because these muscles must function together in order for neuromuscular efficiency to occur.

Dependent is incorrect because this indicates a reliance on the other muscles in order to function that is not mutual.

Impartial is incorrect because this would indicate that the muscles involved in the movement do not rely on each other for fluid movement.