NASM CES Final and Retake Exams – 150-
Question Complete Practice Exam
Section I: Introduction to Corrective Exercise and the CES Model (1–15)
1. What is the primary goal of the Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)?
A. To improve athletic performance
B. To identify and correct movement compensations
C. To increase muscle hypertrophy
D. To improve cardiovascular endurance
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The CES focuses on identifying and correcting movement compensations to
improve function and reduce injury risk.
2. What are the four phases of the NASM CES Corrective Exercise Continuum?
A. Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate
B. Assess, Correct, Reassess, Progress
C. Inhibit, Activate, Strengthen, Integrate
D. Assess, Inhibit, Lengthen, Integrate
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The four phases are Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, and Integrate.
3. What is the purpose of the Inhibit phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The Inhibit phase uses self-myofascial release (SMR) to reduce overactivity of
overactive muscles.
,4. What is the purpose of the Lengthen phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To increase extensibility of shortened tissues
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Lengthen phase uses stretching techniques to increase the extensibility of
shortened tissues.
5. What is the purpose of the Activate phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To increase strength and recruitment of underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Activate phase uses isolated strengthening exercises to increase strength
and recruitment of underactive muscles.
6. What is the purpose of the Integrate phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To retrain synergistic movement patterns
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Integrate phase uses integrated dynamic movements to retrain synergistic
movement patterns.
7. What is the correct order of the Corrective Exercise Continuum?
A. Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate
B. Lengthen, Inhibit, Activate, Integrate
C. Activate, Inhibit, Lengthen, Integrate
D. Integrate, Activate, Lengthen, Inhibit
, Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct order is Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate.
8. What is the primary focus of the CES assessment process?
A. Performance testing
B. Movement quality
C. Cardiovascular fitness
D. Body composition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The CES assessment process focuses on movement quality and identifying
compensations.
9. What is a movement compensation?
A. A normal movement pattern
B. An altered movement pattern due to dysfunction
C. An athletic movement pattern
D. A flexibility exercise
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A movement compensation is an altered movement pattern resulting from
muscle imbalances or joint dysfunction.
10. What is the kinetic chain?
A. The interconnected system of joints, muscles, and nerves
B. The cardiovascular system
C. The respiratory system
D. The digestive system
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The kinetic chain is the interconnected system of joints, muscles, and nerves that
work together to produce movement.
11. What is the difference between a local and global stabilization system?
, A. Local stabilizes individual joints; global stabilizes the body
B. Local stabilizes the body; global stabilizes individual joints
C. Both stabilize individual joints
D. Both stabilize the body
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The local stabilization system stabilizes individual joints, while the global
stabilization system stabilizes the body during movement.
12. What is the difference between the global stabilization system and the movement system?
A. Global stabilization stabilizes the body; movement system produces movement
B. Global stabilization produces movement; movement system stabilizes the body
C. Both stabilize the body
D. Both produce movement
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The global stabilization system stabilizes the body, while the movement system
produces movement.
13. What is neuromuscular efficiency?
A. The ability of the nervous system to recruit the correct muscles
B. The ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen
C. The ability of the respiratory system to exchange gases
D. The ability of the digestive system to absorb nutrients
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Neuromuscular efficiency is the ability of the nervous system to properly recruit
muscles to produce movement.
14. What is the purpose of the CES?
A. To identify and correct movement compensations
B. To increase athletic performance
C. To increase muscle size
D. To improve cardiovascular endurance
Question Complete Practice Exam
Section I: Introduction to Corrective Exercise and the CES Model (1–15)
1. What is the primary goal of the Corrective Exercise Specialist (CES)?
A. To improve athletic performance
B. To identify and correct movement compensations
C. To increase muscle hypertrophy
D. To improve cardiovascular endurance
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The CES focuses on identifying and correcting movement compensations to
improve function and reduce injury risk.
2. What are the four phases of the NASM CES Corrective Exercise Continuum?
A. Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate
B. Assess, Correct, Reassess, Progress
C. Inhibit, Activate, Strengthen, Integrate
D. Assess, Inhibit, Lengthen, Integrate
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The four phases are Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, and Integrate.
3. What is the purpose of the Inhibit phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The Inhibit phase uses self-myofascial release (SMR) to reduce overactivity of
overactive muscles.
,4. What is the purpose of the Lengthen phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To increase extensibility of shortened tissues
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The Lengthen phase uses stretching techniques to increase the extensibility of
shortened tissues.
5. What is the purpose of the Activate phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To increase strength and recruitment of underactive muscles
D. To integrate movement patterns
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The Activate phase uses isolated strengthening exercises to increase strength
and recruitment of underactive muscles.
6. What is the purpose of the Integrate phase?
A. To reduce overactivity of overactive muscles
B. To lengthen shortened muscles
C. To activate underactive muscles
D. To retrain synergistic movement patterns
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The Integrate phase uses integrated dynamic movements to retrain synergistic
movement patterns.
7. What is the correct order of the Corrective Exercise Continuum?
A. Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate
B. Lengthen, Inhibit, Activate, Integrate
C. Activate, Inhibit, Lengthen, Integrate
D. Integrate, Activate, Lengthen, Inhibit
, Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct order is Inhibit, Lengthen, Activate, Integrate.
8. What is the primary focus of the CES assessment process?
A. Performance testing
B. Movement quality
C. Cardiovascular fitness
D. Body composition
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The CES assessment process focuses on movement quality and identifying
compensations.
9. What is a movement compensation?
A. A normal movement pattern
B. An altered movement pattern due to dysfunction
C. An athletic movement pattern
D. A flexibility exercise
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: A movement compensation is an altered movement pattern resulting from
muscle imbalances or joint dysfunction.
10. What is the kinetic chain?
A. The interconnected system of joints, muscles, and nerves
B. The cardiovascular system
C. The respiratory system
D. The digestive system
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The kinetic chain is the interconnected system of joints, muscles, and nerves that
work together to produce movement.
11. What is the difference between a local and global stabilization system?
, A. Local stabilizes individual joints; global stabilizes the body
B. Local stabilizes the body; global stabilizes individual joints
C. Both stabilize individual joints
D. Both stabilize the body
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The local stabilization system stabilizes individual joints, while the global
stabilization system stabilizes the body during movement.
12. What is the difference between the global stabilization system and the movement system?
A. Global stabilization stabilizes the body; movement system produces movement
B. Global stabilization produces movement; movement system stabilizes the body
C. Both stabilize the body
D. Both produce movement
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The global stabilization system stabilizes the body, while the movement system
produces movement.
13. What is neuromuscular efficiency?
A. The ability of the nervous system to recruit the correct muscles
B. The ability of the cardiovascular system to deliver oxygen
C. The ability of the respiratory system to exchange gases
D. The ability of the digestive system to absorb nutrients
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Neuromuscular efficiency is the ability of the nervous system to properly recruit
muscles to produce movement.
14. What is the purpose of the CES?
A. To identify and correct movement compensations
B. To increase athletic performance
C. To increase muscle size
D. To improve cardiovascular endurance
