NASM Personal Training Certification Exam Study Guide 2026 with Actual Questions and Answers

NASM Personal Training Certification
Exam Study Guide 2026 with Actual
Questions and Answers


Question: Overweight

BMI of 25-29.9 or between 25lbs to 30lbs overweight

Question: Muscle imbalance

Alteration of muscle length surrounding a joint

Question: Obesity

BMI of 30+ or at least 30lbs over recommend weight

QUESTION: BMI

Body Mass Index
18.5-24.9 recommend

Question: Statistics

66% Americans overweight
34% obese (72mil)

Question: Blood lipids

Cholesterol and triglycerides, carried in the bloodstream by protein molecules.

HDL= good
LDL= bad

Less than 200mg/DL healthy

More than 240 = high risk

Question: Diabetes

Insulin deficiency, impairs carb usage and enhances usage of fats and proteins

,Question: Type 1 diabetes

Pancreas doesn't produce insulin

Question: Type 2 diabetes

Obesity, 90-95% of diabetes. Cells are resistant and do not allow insulin to bring
glucose into the cell

Question: Low back pain

80% of adults (office work, sitting too long, manual labor)

Question: Knee injury

80,000-100,000 ACL injuries. 70% noncontact injuries.

Question: Deconditioned

Loss of physical fitness, muscle imbalances, decreased flexibility and lack of core
and joint stability.

Question: Proprioceptively enriched environment

Unstable yet controlled physical situation. Force body to us balance and stabilization

Question: OPT Model

Stabilization endurance
Strength endurance
Strength hypertrophy
Strength max strength
Power

Question: Phase 1: stabilization endurance

Increase muscular endurance and stability while developing neuromuscular
efficiency (coordination).

Question: Muscular endurance

Muscles ability to contract for an extended period of time

Question: Neuromuscular efficiency

All muscles efficiently working together in all planes of motion (coordination)

Question: Phase 2: strength endurance

,Enhance stabilization while increasing prime mover strength
Mod loads and reps
8-12 reps

Question: Prime mover

The muscle that acts as the initial source of motive power

Question: Superset

Set of two exercises performed back to back

Question: Phase 3: hypertrophy

Goal of muscle growth.
High volume
Moderate to high loads
6-12 reps

Question: Phase 4: max strength

Goal of max prime mover strength-

heavy loads
Low reps (1-5)
Longer rest

Question: Rate of force production

Muscles to exert maximal force output in a minimal amount of time

Question: Phase 5: power

Development of speed and power

As fast as can be controlled

Question: Human movement system

Nervous, muscular and skeletal systems

Question: Kinetic chain

Nervous, muscular and skeletal system

Question: Nervous system

, Billions of cells- communication network
Divided into central and peripheral

Question: Central nervous system

Brain and spinal cord

Question: Peripheral nervous system

Nerves that connect brain to spinal cord to the rest of the body

Question: Sensory function

Ability of CNS to sense change in external/internal environment

Question: Integrative function

Nervous system to analyze and interpret sensory info to allow decision making and
response

Question: Motor function

Neuromuscular response to sensory info

Question: Neuron

The functional unit of the nervous system

Question: Sensory neurons

Transmit nerve impulses from effector sites via receptors to brain and spinal cord

Question: Interneurons

Transmit nerve impulses from on neuron to another

Question: Motor neurons

Transmit nerve impulses from brain and spinal cord to effector sites

Question: Mechanoreceptors

Sensory receptors responsible for sensing distortion in body tissues

Question: Muscle spindles

Receptors sensitive to change in length of the muscle and the rate of that change

Question: Golgi tendon organ