2021 Version

NSCA-CPT Practice Exam

Take this free NSCA Certified Personal Trainer practice exam to get an idea of the type of questions that appear on the actual certification exam.

The NSCA Certified Personal Trainer exam is comprised of 155 multiple-choice questions based on four subject areas. These subject areas are as follows:

Client Consultation and Assessment
Program Planning
Techniques of Exercise
Safety, Emergency Procedures and Legal Issues

For complete practice, check out the NSCA-CPT Practice Exam Kit with 300 questions and fully explained answers. It was written by Christy Hamilton, a certified personal trainer and health and fitness writer, holding certifications as an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor and an ACSM Inclusive Fitness Trainer.

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Client Consultation and Assessments

1.	Which of the following is a questionnaire that serves as a non-invasive, minimal health-risk appraisal designed to determine contraindications to exercise?
		a. Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)
		b. Readiness to Change Questionnaire
		c. Health History Questionnaire
		d. Liability Waiver
The PAR-Q is a simple questionnaire designed to screen for readiness for low to moderate intensity training. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

2.	In which situation should the trainer refer the client to a dietitian?
		a. Bill wants advice on losing 100 pounds
		b. Shelly would like to learn how to eat healthier
		c. Bob has cardiovascular disease and would like to lose 30 pounds
		d. Gina is interested in cutting calories to lose weight
Personal trainers should refer their clients to a dietitian if the client is in a disease state. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

3.	What information does the Health History Questionnaire collect?
		a. Evidence of disclosure.
		b. Previous exercise history including adherence experience.
		c. Detailed medical and health information.
		d. Fitness measurement data.
The health history questionnaire collects detailed information about an individual's health background such as medications, surgeries, family history and lifestyle information. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

4.	What information does the Informed Consent form collect?
		a. Evidence of disclosure.
		b. Previous exercise history.
		c. Detailed medical and health information.
		d. Fitness measurement data.
The informed consent form is where your client acknowledges their "assumption of risk", serves as evidence of disclosure of risks and communicates the potential dangers of exercise. It does not release liability. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

5.	What blood pressure measurement is considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease?
		a. 130/70 mmHg
		b. 120/80 mmHg
		c. 121/81 mmHg
		d. 140/90 mmHg
An individual with blood pressure greater than or equal to 140 mmHg systolic and/or 90 mmHg diastolic is considered to be hypertensive, or high blood pressure, making it a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Program Planning

6.	What is the correct sequence of connective tissue found within the muscle from largest to smallest?
		a. Endomysium, perimysium, epimysium
		b. Perimysium, endomysium, epimysium
		c. Epimysium, perimysium, endomysium
		d. Epimysium, endomysium, perimysium
This shows the order of connective tissues from largest to smallest. Epimysium encases the muscle, perimysium acts as connective tissue between muscle fibers and endomysium encases each single muscle fiber, or cell. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

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7.	What is the fuel source in the sliding filament theory?
		a. Amino acids
		b. Fatty acids
		c. Creatine phosphate
		d. Adenosine triphosphate
Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the fuel source in the sliding filament theory. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

8.	What is considered the basic contractile unit of a muscle?
		a. Muscle fiber
		b. Actin
		c. Myosin
		d. Sarcomere
The sarcomere is found within each muscle fiber (cell) and contains both actin and myosin. It is considered the basic contractile unit of a muscle. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

9.	Torque produces ___________________.
		a. Angular velocity
		b. Linear acceleration
		c. Angular acceleration
		d. Force
Torque produces angular acceleration, while force creates linear acceleration. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

10.	What is the biomechanical definition of Work?
		a. Mass x acceleration
		b. Distance x time
		c. Force x distance
		d. Force x time
Work is the product of force times the distance through which an object moved. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Techniques of Exercise

11.	Beth is a 28-year-old woman who is looking to improve her overall fitness. How long should she rest for in between sets on a leg press exercise?
		a. Less than 30 seconds
		b. 30-90 seconds
		c. 2-5 minutes
		d. 30-60 seconds
A person exercising for the purpose of general fitness should rest for 30-90 seconds in between sets of a resistance exercise. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

12.	Abigail has been training with you for a year. She has begun seeing less results lately and is becoming discouraged. What is the best way to increase the results she is getting when she has reached a plateau and is unable to increase resistance or number of repetitions?
		a. Decrease number of repetitions for a short period of time.
		b. Decrease resistance for a short period of time.
		c. Increase training frequency to more days per week.
		d. Change the exercise modality.
When a client begins to experience diminishing returns due to having reached their full genetic potential, introducing a new form of exercise will change the stimulus and force their body to continue changing. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

13.	What is the general idea behind periodization?
		a. Changing the training exercise.
		b. Increasing resistance by 5%.
		c. Exercising the appropriate muscles.
		d. Varying training intensity and volume.
Periodization is about intentionally varying the components of training, especially volume and intensity, over specific segments of time. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

14.	Which training modality cannot utilize a 5% increase in training intensity as effectively?
		a. Training for muscular strength
		b. Training for hypertrophy
		c. Training for muscular endurance
		d. None of the above
When training for hypertrophy an individual performs a large number of exercises with short recovery periods, which does not facilitate a simple 5% increase for every exercise. Therefore, when training for hypertrophy intensity increases are determined on an individual basis. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

15.	James has been training for and competing in triathlons for 5 years. He wants to increase running speed and cycling power. How many times should you suggest he train per week?
		a. 2-3
		b. 3-4
		c. 4-6
		d. 4-7
An athlete with advanced skill like James should train no less than 4 times a week and can train up to 7 if done properly. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Safety, Emergency Procedures and Legal Issues

16.	Which of the following is an absolute contraindication to stretching?
		a. Presence of osteoporosis
		b. Joint swelling
		c. Prolonged immobilization of muscles
		d. A healing fracture site
While some conditions may pose slight concern and require extra consideration while stretching, a healing fracture site should never be stretched, no matter what. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

17.	When on the treadmill your client becomes dizzy and passes out. She hits her head on the ground. She is unconscious and non-responsive. What is an appropriate action to take?
		a. Go to a phone and call 911.
		b. Gently move her out of the way of bystanders and prop her head with a pillow.
		c. Have a coworker call 911 while you stay with her.
		d. Begin CPR.
It is necessary to call 911 if your client is unconscious, but you should never leave your client. You should never move someone with a possible head or neck injury unless they are somewhere life threatening. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

18.	Howard is a diabetic client whom you have been training for 3 months. While exercising he begins to show signs of hypoglycemia. What is the best course of action?
		a. Discontinue the exercise and have Howard sit down, give him something sugary to drink and monitor him.
		b. Give Howard a sugary drink and continue the exercise, monitoring him.
		c. Have Howard discontinue the exercise and give him a protein bar and diet drink.
		d. Contact EMS as this is a potential life-threatening situation.
You should discontinue exercise at the first signs of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). It is not yet necessary to contact EMS. It is important to give the person something sugary to eat or drink as opposed to anything with artificial sweeteners or only protein. He should be monitored in case he loses consciousness. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

19.	Upon approaching a client who is unconscious and non-responsive, what should you check and in which order?
		a. Circulation, breathing and airway
		b. Breathing, airway and circulation
		c. Airway, breathing and circulation
		d. Airway, circulation and breathing
The ABCs are Airway, Breathing and Circulation, in that order. This will ensure that the most life-threatening issues are addressed first. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

20.	You are training a client with Epilepsy and he begins having a seizure on the leg press machine. Which of the following is an appropriate action to take?
		a. Restrain him so he does not fall
		b. Put your pen in his mouth to keep him from biting his tongue
		c. Administer the client's medication
		d. Assist him to the ground if necessary
Assisting a client to the ground and placing him or her in a prone or side-lying position is an option. The rest are not acceptable. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Quality starts with who wrote the material.

Our practice exam writer

Theresa McCabe

is a certified ACE personal trainer who has trained personal trainers as both a lecturer and program director for over twenty years. She has helped others prepare for the ACE exam through the Athletics and Fitness Association of America and has taught continuing education courses.

Dirk Timm

is an ACE certified personal trainer with over five years of experience as a personal trainer and fitness director and is a health and fitness writer through the Personal Training Development Center.

Christy Hamilton

is a health and fitness writer who held the ACE CPT for five years, as well as certifications as an NSCA Certified Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor and ACSM Inclusive Fitness Trainer.

Susan Hill

is a health and fitness writer who held the ACE CPT for ten years and now focuses on golf fitness training and has worked and trained on tour.

The ACE Personal Trainer exam is comprised of 150 multiple-choice questions based on four subject areas. These subject areas are broken down as follows:

Client Interviews & Assessments (31%)

Program Design & Implementation (33%)

Program Progression, Modifications & Maintenance (19%)

Professional Role & Responsibilities (17%)

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