ACSM Personal Training Exam ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Sagittal/lateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- left/right
Frontal/coronal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- anterior/posterior
Transverse/Horizontal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- superior/inferior (all twisting)
Anterior/posterior - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- front/back
Superficial/deep - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- close to the surface/below surface
Proximal/distal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- close to the trunk/farther from the trunk
Medial/lateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- closer to the midline/farther from midline
Superior/inferior - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- above/below
Ipsilateral/contralateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- same side/opposite side
Unilateral/bilateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- one side/both sides
Supine/prone - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- laying face up/face down
Abduction/adduction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- away from midline/toward midline
Flexion/extension - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- decrease joint angle/increase joint angle
,Lateral flexion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- decrease joint angle (spine/side bend)
Plantarflexion/dorsiflexion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- extension/flexion of ankle
Hyperextension - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- extension beyond normal angle
Internal/external rotation - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- transverse plane rotation toward/away
from midline
Supination/pronation - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- roll out/roll in
Retraction/protraction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- scapula toward (row)/away (shoulder
press) from midline
Inversion/eversion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- foot medially/laterally
Elevation/depression - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- shoulder upward/downward
Circumduction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- 360 degree arc
Isometric, or static - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- tension in muscle fiber, no work done, no
movement
Isotonic, or dynamic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle fibers change length and joint
angle changes
Isotonic concentric - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle shortens (bicep curl up)
Isotonic eccentric - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle lengthens (bicep curl down)
, Isokinetic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- contraction with consistent velocity (the whole fluid
movement of the curl up and down)
Agonist - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- prime mover (bicep on the way up, tricep on the way
down)
Antagonist - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- opposing muscle to prime mover
Synergists - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- stabilizing/fixating joints, smaller muscles
Quadriceps group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Rectus Femoris, Vastus Intemedius, Vastus
Lateralis, Vastus Medius
Hamstrings group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Biceps Femoris, Semitendonsus,
Semimembranosus
Rotator cuff group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor,
Subscapularis
Pectoralis Major/Posterior Deltoid - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- horizontal shoulder
abduction/adduction
Mid-trapezius/Pectoralis Minor - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Scapular retraction/protraction
Latissimus/Medial Deltoid - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Shoulder abduction/adduction
Erector Spinae/Abdominals - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- spinal extension/flexion
Biceps brachii/triceps brachii - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- elbow extension/flexion
Gluteus maximus/Iliopsoas - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- hip extension/flexion
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
Sagittal/lateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- left/right
Frontal/coronal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- anterior/posterior
Transverse/Horizontal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- superior/inferior (all twisting)
Anterior/posterior - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- front/back
Superficial/deep - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- close to the surface/below surface
Proximal/distal - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- close to the trunk/farther from the trunk
Medial/lateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- closer to the midline/farther from midline
Superior/inferior - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- above/below
Ipsilateral/contralateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- same side/opposite side
Unilateral/bilateral - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- one side/both sides
Supine/prone - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- laying face up/face down
Abduction/adduction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- away from midline/toward midline
Flexion/extension - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- decrease joint angle/increase joint angle
,Lateral flexion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- decrease joint angle (spine/side bend)
Plantarflexion/dorsiflexion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- extension/flexion of ankle
Hyperextension - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- extension beyond normal angle
Internal/external rotation - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- transverse plane rotation toward/away
from midline
Supination/pronation - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- roll out/roll in
Retraction/protraction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- scapula toward (row)/away (shoulder
press) from midline
Inversion/eversion - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- foot medially/laterally
Elevation/depression - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- shoulder upward/downward
Circumduction - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- 360 degree arc
Isometric, or static - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- tension in muscle fiber, no work done, no
movement
Isotonic, or dynamic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle fibers change length and joint
angle changes
Isotonic concentric - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle shortens (bicep curl up)
Isotonic eccentric - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- muscle lengthens (bicep curl down)
, Isokinetic - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- contraction with consistent velocity (the whole fluid
movement of the curl up and down)
Agonist - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- prime mover (bicep on the way up, tricep on the way
down)
Antagonist - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- opposing muscle to prime mover
Synergists - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- stabilizing/fixating joints, smaller muscles
Quadriceps group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Rectus Femoris, Vastus Intemedius, Vastus
Lateralis, Vastus Medius
Hamstrings group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Biceps Femoris, Semitendonsus,
Semimembranosus
Rotator cuff group - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor,
Subscapularis
Pectoralis Major/Posterior Deltoid - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- horizontal shoulder
abduction/adduction
Mid-trapezius/Pectoralis Minor - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Scapular retraction/protraction
Latissimus/Medial Deltoid - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- Shoulder abduction/adduction
Erector Spinae/Abdominals - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- spinal extension/flexion
Biceps brachii/triceps brachii - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- elbow extension/flexion
Gluteus maximus/Iliopsoas - CORRECT ANSWER✔✔- hip extension/flexion
