AFAA GROUP FITNESS 2026 ACTUAL EXAM QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Antagonist - ✔✔Muscle that acts in opposition to the action.
✔✔Primary movers - ✔✔Muscles that perform movement.
✔✔Assistors - ✔✔Muscle that help perform the same task.
✔✔Stabilizers - ✔✔Muscle that contracts with no significant movement to maintain
posture or fixate a joint.
✔✔Define the following muscular contractions: - ✔✔Isometric. Tension increases, but
muscle length remains the same.
Concentric. Muscle shortens as positive work is done against gravity.
Eccentric. Muscle fibers lengthen through range of motion.
Isotonic.
Tension remains constant as muscle shortens and lengthens.
Isokinetic.
Movements where muscles shorten at a constant rate. can't be done with or without
specialized equipment.
✔✔Which 3 of the muscle contractions are used in a group exercise setting? - ✔✔1.
Concentric. shortening phase. at a joint.
2. Eccentric. lengthening phase. returning from shortening phase.
3. Isometric - static. held position.
✔✔Describe slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers. - ✔✔Slow Twitch.
Type I fibers. Designed for prolonged submaximal aerobic activity.
Fast Twitch.
Type II fibers. Able to generate quick, high-intensity contractions.
✔✔List the musculoskeletal benefits of the following:
a. Weight-bearing activities
b. Increased muscular strength
c. Increased muscular flexibility - ✔✔1. Weight-bearing activities.
Increase bone density.
,2. Increased muscular strength.
Increase both physical appearance and physical performance.
3. Increased muscular flexibility - Improves tissues and helps facilitate movement
✔✔List 3 postural deviations of the back. - ✔✔1. Scolious
2. Kyphosis
3. Lordosis
✔✔Define the stretch reflex, its purpose, and when it occurs. - ✔✔Muscle contraction in
response to stretching within the muscle maintains a constant length.
✔✔Explain why ballistic movements can be dangerous. - ✔✔When ballistic movements
are used, the muscle spindles sense the quick changes in muscle length and cause a
muscular contraction.
✔✔List 6 classes of nutrients. - ✔✔Water
Carbs
Protein
Fat
Vitamins
Minerals
✔✔List the different types of carbohydrates and give examples of each. - ✔✔Simple -
Sugars (table sugar, sucrose and sugar in milk and fruit
Complex - Glucose molecules linked together - polysaccharides . grains, legumes,
veggies-potatoes.
✔✔What are vitamins? - ✔✔Non-caloric, organic compounds needed in small quantities
to assist in such functions as growth, maintenance, and repair.
✔✔Describe the difference between fat . soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. -
✔✔fat soluble vitamins stored in liver and can be toxic w/overdosing.
water soluble vitamins. Excreted by kidneys, not likely to be toxic.
✔✔Water are minerals? - ✔✔Inorganic compounds that assist processed such as
regulating activity of enzymes and maintaining acid-based balance and are structural
components of body tissue.
✔✔List a minimum of 8 dietary guidelines for Americans outlined by the U.S. Dept. of
Health and Human Services and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. - ✔✔1. Consume variety
of nutrient dense food/beverages among food groups, limit saturated fat/transfat,
sugars, salts, and alcohol.
, 2. To prevent weight gain over time, make small decreases in calories and increase
activity.
3. Engage in regular activity.
4. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.
5. Consume 3 cups of fat free or lowfat milk products per day.
6. Achieve physical fitness w/cardio, stretching, resistance, calisthenics.
7. Consume 3+ oz whole grain products/day.
8. Consume less than 10% calories from sat. fatty acids and less that 300 mg per day of
cholesterol, keep transfatty acid as low as possible
✔✔Describe MyPyramid and how participants may benefit from this resource. -
✔✔Offers personalized eating plans and interactive tools to help you plan/access food
choices based on dietary guidelines for Americans. It will help give participants a better
understanding of what to eat and how much exercise is needed to maintain a healthy
lifestyle.
✔✔Review Appendix B: AFAA's Nutritional Supplement Policy and discuss what the
role and responsibilities of a fitness professional are when it comes to the sale and
distribution of nutritional supplements. - ✔✔They can only be sold under MY name,
where item is sold in good faith to only good candidates.
✔✔Explain the difference between an acute injury and a chronic injury. - ✔✔Chronic .
Most common, long-term
Acute . Sudden onset due to a specific trauma
✔✔List the part of the body in which each of the following chronic injuries occurs most
often. - ✔✔a) Plantar fasciitis . Inflammation of fascia/connective tissue in metatarsals.
Most often occurs in arch of foot.
b) Chondromalacia . Overuse injury affecting articular cartilage of posterior surface, or
patella. Most often occurs in the knee cap.
c) Achilles tendonitis . Inflammation of connective tissue that joins muscle to bone. Most
often occurs in achilles tendon.
✔✔What is the difference between a muscle strain and a muscle sprain? - ✔✔Strain .
Overstretching or tearing of muscle or tendon.
Sprain . Tearing or overstretching of ligament.
✔✔List 3 ways to prevent injuries to vocal nodules. - ✔✔Use microphone.
Non verbal cueing . gestures.
Relaxation . keep head, neck, jaw tension-free.
Pitch. speak without effort.
AND SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔Antagonist - ✔✔Muscle that acts in opposition to the action.
✔✔Primary movers - ✔✔Muscles that perform movement.
✔✔Assistors - ✔✔Muscle that help perform the same task.
✔✔Stabilizers - ✔✔Muscle that contracts with no significant movement to maintain
posture or fixate a joint.
✔✔Define the following muscular contractions: - ✔✔Isometric. Tension increases, but
muscle length remains the same.
Concentric. Muscle shortens as positive work is done against gravity.
Eccentric. Muscle fibers lengthen through range of motion.
Isotonic.
Tension remains constant as muscle shortens and lengthens.
Isokinetic.
Movements where muscles shorten at a constant rate. can't be done with or without
specialized equipment.
✔✔Which 3 of the muscle contractions are used in a group exercise setting? - ✔✔1.
Concentric. shortening phase. at a joint.
2. Eccentric. lengthening phase. returning from shortening phase.
3. Isometric - static. held position.
✔✔Describe slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibers. - ✔✔Slow Twitch.
Type I fibers. Designed for prolonged submaximal aerobic activity.
Fast Twitch.
Type II fibers. Able to generate quick, high-intensity contractions.
✔✔List the musculoskeletal benefits of the following:
a. Weight-bearing activities
b. Increased muscular strength
c. Increased muscular flexibility - ✔✔1. Weight-bearing activities.
Increase bone density.
,2. Increased muscular strength.
Increase both physical appearance and physical performance.
3. Increased muscular flexibility - Improves tissues and helps facilitate movement
✔✔List 3 postural deviations of the back. - ✔✔1. Scolious
2. Kyphosis
3. Lordosis
✔✔Define the stretch reflex, its purpose, and when it occurs. - ✔✔Muscle contraction in
response to stretching within the muscle maintains a constant length.
✔✔Explain why ballistic movements can be dangerous. - ✔✔When ballistic movements
are used, the muscle spindles sense the quick changes in muscle length and cause a
muscular contraction.
✔✔List 6 classes of nutrients. - ✔✔Water
Carbs
Protein
Fat
Vitamins
Minerals
✔✔List the different types of carbohydrates and give examples of each. - ✔✔Simple -
Sugars (table sugar, sucrose and sugar in milk and fruit
Complex - Glucose molecules linked together - polysaccharides . grains, legumes,
veggies-potatoes.
✔✔What are vitamins? - ✔✔Non-caloric, organic compounds needed in small quantities
to assist in such functions as growth, maintenance, and repair.
✔✔Describe the difference between fat . soluble vitamins and water-soluble vitamins. -
✔✔fat soluble vitamins stored in liver and can be toxic w/overdosing.
water soluble vitamins. Excreted by kidneys, not likely to be toxic.
✔✔Water are minerals? - ✔✔Inorganic compounds that assist processed such as
regulating activity of enzymes and maintaining acid-based balance and are structural
components of body tissue.
✔✔List a minimum of 8 dietary guidelines for Americans outlined by the U.S. Dept. of
Health and Human Services and the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture. - ✔✔1. Consume variety
of nutrient dense food/beverages among food groups, limit saturated fat/transfat,
sugars, salts, and alcohol.
, 2. To prevent weight gain over time, make small decreases in calories and increase
activity.
3. Engage in regular activity.
4. Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day.
5. Consume 3 cups of fat free or lowfat milk products per day.
6. Achieve physical fitness w/cardio, stretching, resistance, calisthenics.
7. Consume 3+ oz whole grain products/day.
8. Consume less than 10% calories from sat. fatty acids and less that 300 mg per day of
cholesterol, keep transfatty acid as low as possible
✔✔Describe MyPyramid and how participants may benefit from this resource. -
✔✔Offers personalized eating plans and interactive tools to help you plan/access food
choices based on dietary guidelines for Americans. It will help give participants a better
understanding of what to eat and how much exercise is needed to maintain a healthy
lifestyle.
✔✔Review Appendix B: AFAA's Nutritional Supplement Policy and discuss what the
role and responsibilities of a fitness professional are when it comes to the sale and
distribution of nutritional supplements. - ✔✔They can only be sold under MY name,
where item is sold in good faith to only good candidates.
✔✔Explain the difference between an acute injury and a chronic injury. - ✔✔Chronic .
Most common, long-term
Acute . Sudden onset due to a specific trauma
✔✔List the part of the body in which each of the following chronic injuries occurs most
often. - ✔✔a) Plantar fasciitis . Inflammation of fascia/connective tissue in metatarsals.
Most often occurs in arch of foot.
b) Chondromalacia . Overuse injury affecting articular cartilage of posterior surface, or
patella. Most often occurs in the knee cap.
c) Achilles tendonitis . Inflammation of connective tissue that joins muscle to bone. Most
often occurs in achilles tendon.
✔✔What is the difference between a muscle strain and a muscle sprain? - ✔✔Strain .
Overstretching or tearing of muscle or tendon.
Sprain . Tearing or overstretching of ligament.
✔✔List 3 ways to prevent injuries to vocal nodules. - ✔✔Use microphone.
Non verbal cueing . gestures.
Relaxation . keep head, neck, jaw tension-free.
Pitch. speak without effort.
