AFAA GROUP FITNESS CORE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔cervical spine neutral - ✔✔head/neck dynamic posture
✔✔cervical, thoracic, and lumbar curves of spine in good alignment - ✔✔neutral spine
✔✔abnormal rounding of thoracic spine, usually accompanied by rounded shoulders -
✔✔kyphosis
✔✔sway back, excessive lumbar curve - ✔✔lordosis
✔✔regularly repeated movement can alter kinetic chain; elements of occupation and
recreation - ✔✔repetitive movement
✔✔frequent immobility, holds potential for repetitive stress injuries - ✔✔repetitive lack of
motion
✔✔muscle is overly tense or tight during movement - ✔✔overactive
✔✔muscle is weak, not being recruited as it should - ✔✔underactive
✔✔when overactive muscle decreases neural drive to functional antagonist - ✔✔altered
reciprocal inhibition
✔✔common postural malalignments and muscle imbalances individuals develop based
on variety of factors - pronation distortion syndrome, lower crossed syndrome, upper
crossed syndrome - ✔✔postural distortion patterns
✔✔foot pronation (flat feet), adducted, internally rotated knees (knock knees) -
✔✔pronation distortion syndrome
✔✔anterior tilt to pelvis (arched lower back) - ✔✔lower crossed syndrome
✔✔forward head, rounded shoulders - ✔✔upper crossed syndrome
✔✔soles, lateral gastrocnemius, peroneals - ✔✔Overactive foot muscles
✔✔biceps femoris (short head), tensor fascia latae (TFL) - ✔✔overactive knee muscles
✔✔hip flexors (TFL, quadriceps, psoas), adductors, abdominals (rectus abdominis,
external obliques) - ✔✔overactive LPHC muscles
,✔✔latissimus dorsi, pectorals major/minor - ✔✔overactive shoulder muscles
✔✔upper trapezius, sternocleidom Astrid, levator scapulae - ✔✔overactive head/neck
muscles
✔✔medial gastrocnemius, anterior tibialis, posterior tibialis - ✔✔underactive feet
muscles
✔✔vastus medialis oblique (VMO) - ✔✔underactive knee muscles
✔✔gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hamstrings, intrinsic core stabilizers -
✔✔underactive lphc muscles
✔✔middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, rotator cuff - ✔✔underactive shoulder
muscles
✔✔deep cervical flexors - ✔✔underactive head/neck muscles
✔✔comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise; helps participant
achieve higher levels of function; flexibility, core, balance, plyometric SAQ,
cardiorespiratory, and resistance training - ✔✔integrated fitness
✔✔self-myofascial release, static stretching, active stretching, dynamic stretching -
✔✔flexibility techniques
✔✔apply pressure to "knots" (adhesions) to achieve relaxation response, hold 30
seconds - ✔✔self-myofascial release
✔✔passively take muscle to point of tension, hold 30 seconds - ✔✔static stretching
✔✔agonist moves limb through full range of motion allowing antagonist to stretch -
✔✔active stretching
✔✔multiplanar extensibility, optimal neuromuscular control, full range of motion -
✔✔dynamic stretching
✔✔drawing-in maneuver, bracing - ✔✔core activation techniques
✔✔iondraw navel toward spine without spinal flextion - ✔✔drawing-in maneuver
✔✔co-contraction of superficial core muscles, improves lphc stiffness - ✔✔bracing
, ✔✔proprioceptively enriched environment, dynamic balance - ✔✔balance training
concepts
✔✔unstable, yet controlled - ✔✔proprioceptively enriched environment
✔✔maintain equilibrium through intended path of motion when external forces are
present - ✔✔dynamic balance
✔✔plyometric training, rate of force production - ✔✔plyometric training concepts
✔✔quick, powerful movements; eccentric contraction followed by explosive concentric
contraction - ✔✔plyometric training
✔✔muscles exert maximal force in minimal amount of time - ✔✔rate of force production
✔✔speed, agility, and quickness - ✔✔SAQ training concepts
✔✔straight-ahead velocity - ✔✔speed
✔✔maintaining center of gravity over changing base of support while changing direction
at various speeds - ✔✔agility
✔✔reacting to stimuli with appropriate muscular response without hesitation -
✔✔quickness
✔✔1 - 65-75% HRmax, 2 -76-85% Hrmax, 3 - 86-90% HRmax - ✔✔cardio training
zones
✔✔alternates between intense exertion and rest or lighter exertion - ✔✔interval training
✔✔stabilization, endurance, strength, hypertrophy, power - ✔✔resistance training
adaptations
✔✔remain stable and balanced over center of gravity in a changing environment -
✔✔stabilization
✔✔muscles fire over prolonged periods of time - ✔✔endurance
✔✔neuromuscular system provides internal tension and exerts force against external
resistance - ✔✔strength
✔✔skeletal muscle fiber enlargement - ✔✔hypertrophy
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔cervical spine neutral - ✔✔head/neck dynamic posture
✔✔cervical, thoracic, and lumbar curves of spine in good alignment - ✔✔neutral spine
✔✔abnormal rounding of thoracic spine, usually accompanied by rounded shoulders -
✔✔kyphosis
✔✔sway back, excessive lumbar curve - ✔✔lordosis
✔✔regularly repeated movement can alter kinetic chain; elements of occupation and
recreation - ✔✔repetitive movement
✔✔frequent immobility, holds potential for repetitive stress injuries - ✔✔repetitive lack of
motion
✔✔muscle is overly tense or tight during movement - ✔✔overactive
✔✔muscle is weak, not being recruited as it should - ✔✔underactive
✔✔when overactive muscle decreases neural drive to functional antagonist - ✔✔altered
reciprocal inhibition
✔✔common postural malalignments and muscle imbalances individuals develop based
on variety of factors - pronation distortion syndrome, lower crossed syndrome, upper
crossed syndrome - ✔✔postural distortion patterns
✔✔foot pronation (flat feet), adducted, internally rotated knees (knock knees) -
✔✔pronation distortion syndrome
✔✔anterior tilt to pelvis (arched lower back) - ✔✔lower crossed syndrome
✔✔forward head, rounded shoulders - ✔✔upper crossed syndrome
✔✔soles, lateral gastrocnemius, peroneals - ✔✔Overactive foot muscles
✔✔biceps femoris (short head), tensor fascia latae (TFL) - ✔✔overactive knee muscles
✔✔hip flexors (TFL, quadriceps, psoas), adductors, abdominals (rectus abdominis,
external obliques) - ✔✔overactive LPHC muscles
,✔✔latissimus dorsi, pectorals major/minor - ✔✔overactive shoulder muscles
✔✔upper trapezius, sternocleidom Astrid, levator scapulae - ✔✔overactive head/neck
muscles
✔✔medial gastrocnemius, anterior tibialis, posterior tibialis - ✔✔underactive feet
muscles
✔✔vastus medialis oblique (VMO) - ✔✔underactive knee muscles
✔✔gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, hamstrings, intrinsic core stabilizers -
✔✔underactive lphc muscles
✔✔middle and lower trapezius, rhomboids, rotator cuff - ✔✔underactive shoulder
muscles
✔✔deep cervical flexors - ✔✔underactive head/neck muscles
✔✔comprehensive approach combining multiple types of exercise; helps participant
achieve higher levels of function; flexibility, core, balance, plyometric SAQ,
cardiorespiratory, and resistance training - ✔✔integrated fitness
✔✔self-myofascial release, static stretching, active stretching, dynamic stretching -
✔✔flexibility techniques
✔✔apply pressure to "knots" (adhesions) to achieve relaxation response, hold 30
seconds - ✔✔self-myofascial release
✔✔passively take muscle to point of tension, hold 30 seconds - ✔✔static stretching
✔✔agonist moves limb through full range of motion allowing antagonist to stretch -
✔✔active stretching
✔✔multiplanar extensibility, optimal neuromuscular control, full range of motion -
✔✔dynamic stretching
✔✔drawing-in maneuver, bracing - ✔✔core activation techniques
✔✔iondraw navel toward spine without spinal flextion - ✔✔drawing-in maneuver
✔✔co-contraction of superficial core muscles, improves lphc stiffness - ✔✔bracing
, ✔✔proprioceptively enriched environment, dynamic balance - ✔✔balance training
concepts
✔✔unstable, yet controlled - ✔✔proprioceptively enriched environment
✔✔maintain equilibrium through intended path of motion when external forces are
present - ✔✔dynamic balance
✔✔plyometric training, rate of force production - ✔✔plyometric training concepts
✔✔quick, powerful movements; eccentric contraction followed by explosive concentric
contraction - ✔✔plyometric training
✔✔muscles exert maximal force in minimal amount of time - ✔✔rate of force production
✔✔speed, agility, and quickness - ✔✔SAQ training concepts
✔✔straight-ahead velocity - ✔✔speed
✔✔maintaining center of gravity over changing base of support while changing direction
at various speeds - ✔✔agility
✔✔reacting to stimuli with appropriate muscular response without hesitation -
✔✔quickness
✔✔1 - 65-75% HRmax, 2 -76-85% Hrmax, 3 - 86-90% HRmax - ✔✔cardio training
zones
✔✔alternates between intense exertion and rest or lighter exertion - ✔✔interval training
✔✔stabilization, endurance, strength, hypertrophy, power - ✔✔resistance training
adaptations
✔✔remain stable and balanced over center of gravity in a changing environment -
✔✔stabilization
✔✔muscles fire over prolonged periods of time - ✔✔endurance
✔✔neuromuscular system provides internal tension and exerts force against external
resistance - ✔✔strength
✔✔skeletal muscle fiber enlargement - ✔✔hypertrophy
