ACE Personal Trainer Certification Test

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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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Client Interviews and Assessments

1.	This Questionnaire 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.

Client Interviews and Assessments

2.	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.

Client Interviews and Assessments

3.	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 Design and Implementation

4.	Saying things like, "I understand, 125 feels like your ideal weight," is an example of which positive listening skill?
		a. Encouraging
		b. Planning
		c. Questioning
		d. Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing is a great way to show the client that you are listening as well as to make sure you are hearing what they are saying correctly. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Program Design and Implementation

5.	What is an example of the "tell, show, do" technique used in the early stages of training?
		a. Telling your client to show you how to correctly perform an exercise.
		b. Showing your client proper form of every exercise and allowing them to try it on their own later.
		c. Explaining the proper way to perform an exercise, showing your client, and then allowing them to try the exercise.
		d. Watching the client perform the exercise and giving feedback about the proper form.
As a trainer you should always explain how to perform the exercise and show your client how it should look before they perform it. You should also allow them to try it immediately after, while you are with them. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

ACE Personal Trainer Certification Test

Client Interviews and Assessments

Program Design and Implementation

Program Progression and Modification

Professional Conduct, Safety and Risk Management

Program Design and Implementation

6.	What is the recommended frequency of cardiorespiratory training generally accepted by ACSM for healthy adults?
		a. 2-3 days per week
		b. 5-7 days per week
		c. 1-2 days per week
		d. 3-5 days per week
ACSM gives a general guideline of 3-5 days of cardiorespiratory exercise per week for healthy adults. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Program Progression and Modification

7.	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.

Program Progression and Modification

8.	Mary has been training with you for 2 weeks. She can currently perform 45 sit-ups in 2 minutes. What is the best way to progress?
		a. Add resistance to her sit-ups.
		b. Aim for 60 sit-ups in 2 minutes.
		c. Aim for 80 sit-ups in 2minutes.
		d. Aim for 80 sit-ups in 3 minutes.
It is important to stay within the 2-minute range, or anaerobic range, when performing strength training. Therefore, increasing the number of repetitions performed during the 2-minute time frame is the best way to progress with a body weight exercise. Incorrect answer. Please choose another answer.

Program Progression and Modification

9.	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.

Professional Conduct, Safety and Risk Management

10.	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.

Professional Conduct, Safety and Risk Management

11.	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.

Professional Conduct, Safety and Risk Management

12.	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.