Mixed Deck — All NASM Topics Flashcards
100 cards from real NASM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 20 Mixed Deck — All NASM Topics flashcards as text
A client who has been exercising consistently for over 6 months and is working to prevent relapse is in which stage of the Transtheoretical Model?
Answer: Maintenance
Maintenance is the stage where individuals have sustained behavior change beyond 6 months and are focused on maintaining their progress and preventing relapse.
Which energy system is primarily utilized during steady-state cardiorespiratory exercise lasting more than 2 minutes?
Answer: Oxidative (aerobic) system
The oxidative system dominates prolonged, lower-intensity activities by using oxygen to produce ATP from carbohydrates and fats efficiently.
The NASM client intake process includes collecting health history primarily to:
Answer: Identify contraindications and customize the training program safely
Health history collection allows trainers to identify medical conditions, injuries, and contraindications that affect safe program design.
What is the amortization phase in plyometric exercise?
Answer: The transitional period between the eccentric and concentric contractions
The amortization phase is the brief transitional period between the eccentric (loading) and concentric (unloading) phases; minimizing this phase maximizes power output.
What does NASM's resting heart rate classification consider 'excellent' for an adult male aged 18–25?
Answer: Below 56 bpm
A resting heart rate below 56 bpm is classified as 'excellent' for adult males 18–25, reflecting high cardiovascular efficiency.
Self-efficacy, as it relates to exercise adherence, refers to:
Answer: A client's belief in their ability to successfully perform a specific behavior
Self-efficacy is the individual's confidence in their capacity to execute a behavior successfully, and higher self-efficacy strongly predicts exercise adherence.
Dynamic stretching is most appropriately used:
Answer: As part of a warm-up before training
Dynamic stretching prepares the neuromuscular system for activity during warm-up by taking joints through controlled, sport-specific ranges of motion.
What is the functional unit of the kidney?
Answer: Nephron
The nephron is the microscopic structural and functional unit of the kidney. It is responsible for filtering blood, reabsorbing essential substances, and excreting waste products to form urine. Each kidney contains millions of nephrons, which are crucial for maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance.
What is the ethical response if a client asks for unauthorized program sharing?
Answer: Decline and explain copyright restrictions
The ethical response if a client asks for unauthorized program sharing is to decline and explain copyright restrictions. Fitness programs are often intellectual property, and sharing them without permission violates copyright laws and professional ethics. Upholding these boundaries protects the professional's work and intellectual assets.
Which term describes the exercise intensity at which the body begins to rely more heavily on anaerobic energy systems?
Answer: Ventilatory threshold
The ventilatory (lactate) threshold is the exercise intensity where lactate accumulates faster than it can be cleared, signaling the shift toward anaerobic metabolism.
Body mass index (BMI) is calculated using which two measurements?
Answer: Weight and height
BMI is calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared, providing a general indicator of body weight status.
The single-leg squat assessment primarily evaluates which movement quality?
Answer: Lower-extremity dynamic stability and balance
The single-leg squat assessment reveals dynamic stability, balance, and potential compensations at the ankle, knee, and hip on one limb.
According to NASM, quickness is BEST defined as:
Answer: The ability to react to a stimulus and change body position with maximal rate of force production
NASM defines quickness as the ability to react to a stimulus and rapidly change body position, emphasizing the reactive and neuromuscular aspects rather than sustained speed.
How many repetitions does NASM recommend for active isolated stretching to effectively lengthen a muscle?
Answer: 5–10 repetitions held 1–2 seconds each
Active isolated stretching uses 5–10 short-duration (1–2 second) repetitions per set, leveraging reciprocal inhibition without activating the stretch reflex.
Which exercise is primarily used to strengthen the quadriceps?
Answer: Leg press
The leg press is a compound exercise that primarily targets the quadriceps, the large muscle group on the front of the thigh. It also engages the glutes and hamstrings, making it an effective exercise for lower body strength development, particularly for the quads.
A lateral bound exercise is BEST classified as which type of plyometric exercise in NASM's system?
Answer: Strength plyometric
Lateral bounds are classified as strength plyometrics in NASM's OPT model (Phase 3), targeting frontal-plane power and hip strength while requiring greater neuromuscular demand than stabilization plyometrics.
Social cognitive theory suggests that behavior change is influenced by all of the following EXCEPT:
Answer: Genetic predisposition to exercise preference
Social cognitive theory focuses on the interaction of personal factors, behavior, and environment — genetic predisposition is not a component of this theory.
Which of the following is the primary goal of resistance training?
Answer: Build muscle strength and endurance
Resistance training, also known as strength training, involves working muscles against a force to increase their strength, power, and endurance. This type of exercise stimulates muscle growth (hypertrophy) and improves the ability of muscles to perform work over time, which is its primary objective.
Which component of SAQ training is defined as the ability to accelerate, decelerate, stabilize, and change direction quickly?
Answer: Agility
Agility encompasses the full movement cycle of acceleration, deceleration, stabilization, and directional change, making it the most complex component of SAQ training.
When designing a resistance training program for a client with low back pain, NASM recommends prioritizing:
Answer: Core stability exercises and movement pattern correction
Core stability training and corrective movement patterns address the underlying neuromuscular deficits that often contribute to low back pain.