ACE personal training certification
Questions and answers | Updated
2024/25 RATED A+
Define intrinsic and extrinsic motivation - Intrinsic is exercising for the pure joy of working
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out.
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Extrinsic is exercising for any other reason.
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Give an example of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback - Intrinsic: Client adjusts his own
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workout based on his perception of difficulty
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Extrinsic: Trainer gives performance feedback ii ii ii ii
Define situational and contextual motivation - Situational: How the client feels during
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exercise
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Contextual: How the client feels, sees, thinks about exercise ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Name 5 strategies for dealing with negative social influencers - Avoid, deal with person
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after workout, explain to the person how the negativity affects your workout, anticipate
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responding to the nsi, get that person involved with your struggle
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Name 3 types of high risk relapsers - People with poor time management skills, lack of
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social support, busy schedules
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5 personal attributes influencing exercise participation and adherence - Demographic:
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Age, education, income, gender
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Health status: sick people or people with heart disease diabetes ect exercise less
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Activity history: past exercise participation
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Psychological traits: self motivated ii ii ii
Knowledge attitudes and beliefs: health perception ii ii ii ii ii
2 Environmental factors that influence exercise participation and adherence - Access to
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facilities: Location
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Time: Lack of time is the most common excuse for not exercising
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Social interactions that influence exercise participation and adherence - If a spouse or a
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friend is on board the client will be more likely to stick with the program
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, 2 Physical activity factors that influence exercise participation and adherence - Intensity
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of program: drop pout rate is 2x higher with vigorous activity
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Injury: program drop out is directly related to injury.
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4 stages of the client trainer relationship (RIPA) - Rapport: 1st impression of trainer. client
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evaluates Apperance, environment, interaction, posture, communication ect.
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Investigation: Trainer evaluates client using health and fitness data, medical history, ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise history ect.
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Planning: Give and take. Client and trainer work together to set SMART goals, generate
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and discuss alternatives, formulate a plan, and evaluate the exercise program.
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Action: Start working out. Usually a combination of exercises for the client to do with the
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trainer and at home.
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Define motivational interviewing. - A way of speaking with people that motivates them to
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change their behavior. Usually this is used when clients are not ready to commit to an
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exercise program.
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Describe how voice quality, eye contact, facial expression, hand gestures, and body
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positions should looks and what kind of communication are they? - They are non-verbal
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communication.
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Eye contact: Direct but friendly.
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Voice quality: confident but not too loud
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Facial expression: genuine emotion
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Hand gestures: flexed, not fidgeting
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Body position: open *Aggressive= hands on hips*
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4 Styles of communication - Preaching: lecture type = bad
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Educating: informational ii ii
Counseling: working together to find and solve problems ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Directing: during exercise directing works ii ii ii ii
Give an example of each interviewing technique: Minimal encourager, paraphrasing,
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reflecting, probing, clarifying, informing, confronting, questioning, deflecting. - Minimal
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encourager: "Explain what you mean by.."
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Paraphrasing: "I understand your ideal wright is.." ii ii ii ii ii ii
Reflecting: "it sounds like.." Restate the main points ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Probing: Ask additional questions to gather more info ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Clarifying: Verifying what the client is saying ii ii ii ii ii ii
Confronting: Using mild to strong feedback ii ii ii ii ii
Questioning: Open ended questions to information given ii ii ii ii ii ii
Deflecting: Changing the focus to another person if it relates ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
,Define SMART goals.
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When do you make SMART goals? - Specific: Clear on what client wants accomplished
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Measurable: How will the client measure progress ii ii ii ii ii ii
Attainable: Can be done with the limits and within time frame ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Relevant: Relevant to the interests of the client ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Time: Specific time frame/ time line
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You make smart goals during the planning stage.
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Name and describe the 3 stages of learning (CAA) - Cognitive: Clients try to understand a
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new skill
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*Use tell, show, do technique*
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Associative: Begin to master the basics and re ready for more specific feedback that will
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help them refine the motor skill
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Autonomous: Clients are preforming skill naturally, trainer is doing less teaching and more ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
monitoring.
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Define product goals and process goals - Product goals: Outcome. Something achieved
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(weight loss, increase in strength ect.)
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Process goals: Action. Something a client does (# of workouts per week ect)
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Define the health belief model and name the 3 stages - The health belief model states
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that people will engage in a healthy behavior based on the perceived threat they feel
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regarding a health problem.
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Perceived seriousness: How serious they think contracting an illness is basically how
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scared they are of health illnesses
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Perceived susceptibility: How at risk they think they are for getting an illness.
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Cue to action: an event or symptom that wakes them up and motivates them to change.
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*The more scared, at risk or bad the situation is the more likely they are to workout*
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Define self efficacy and name 6 sources of it - Self efficacy is the belief in ones self to be
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able to succeed
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Sources:
Past performance experience: strongly influence feelings
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Vicarious experiences: Clients knowledge of success stories ect
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Verbal persuasion: Feedback/ statements form others
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Physiological state appraisals: clients judgments about abilities ii ii ii ii ii ii
Emotional state appraisals: mood and feelings ii ii ii ii ii ii
, Imaginal experiences: perceived notion of what exercise will be like.
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Define the 5 stages of change in the transtheoretical model of behavioral change (stages-
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of-changes-model) - 1. Precontemplation: sedentary, not considering an exercise ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
program, do not see activity as important or relevant to them
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2. Contemplation: sedentary, starting to consider exercise important, and have begun to
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see the negative consequences of being inactive, they are still not ready to make a
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change.
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3.Preperation: some sporadic light activity, mentally and physically preparing to adopt and ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise program and are ready to lead an active lifestyle, but are inconsistent
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4.Action: client engages in regular physical activity but are have been doing so for less then
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6 months
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5. Maintenance: regular activity for longer then 6 months
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For each stage of change describe a goal for the process of change to the next stage. -
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Precontemplation: Goal is to make inactivity relevant issue and to make them start thinking
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about becoming active.
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Contemplation: Goal is to get involved in some type of activity ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Preparation: Goal is to get to regular physical activity participation ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Action: Goal to maintain regular physical activity
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Maintenance: Goal is to prevent relapse and continue activity ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Describe decisional balance - The number of pros and cons related to exercise.
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Precontemplators and contemplators perceive more cons: ii ii ii ii ii
Cons: sweating, sore muscles, time, cost, bordem
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Describe positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement - Positive: When positive
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stimulus is given for good behavior
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Negative: removal or avoidance of negative stimulus for bad behavior
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Example: A client is late for a session and you don't say anything, they are likely to be late
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again because they think its okay.
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What aspects are involved with the investigation stage of the client trainer relationship? -
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Health and exercise history
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Readiness to change behavior ii ii ii
Personality style ii
Questions and answers | Updated
2024/25 RATED A+
Define intrinsic and extrinsic motivation - Intrinsic is exercising for the pure joy of working
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
out.
ii
Extrinsic is exercising for any other reason.
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Give an example of intrinsic and extrinsic feedback - Intrinsic: Client adjusts his own
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
workout based on his perception of difficulty
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Extrinsic: Trainer gives performance feedback ii ii ii ii
Define situational and contextual motivation - Situational: How the client feels during
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise
ii
Contextual: How the client feels, sees, thinks about exercise ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Name 5 strategies for dealing with negative social influencers - Avoid, deal with person
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
after workout, explain to the person how the negativity affects your workout, anticipate
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
responding to the nsi, get that person involved with your struggle
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Name 3 types of high risk relapsers - People with poor time management skills, lack of
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
social support, busy schedules
ii ii ii ii
5 personal attributes influencing exercise participation and adherence - Demographic:
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Age, education, income, gender
ii ii ii ii
Health status: sick people or people with heart disease diabetes ect exercise less
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Activity history: past exercise participation
ii ii ii ii
Psychological traits: self motivated ii ii ii
Knowledge attitudes and beliefs: health perception ii ii ii ii ii
2 Environmental factors that influence exercise participation and adherence - Access to
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
facilities: Location
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Time: Lack of time is the most common excuse for not exercising
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Social interactions that influence exercise participation and adherence - If a spouse or a
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
friend is on board the client will be more likely to stick with the program
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
, 2 Physical activity factors that influence exercise participation and adherence - Intensity
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
of program: drop pout rate is 2x higher with vigorous activity
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Injury: program drop out is directly related to injury.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
4 stages of the client trainer relationship (RIPA) - Rapport: 1st impression of trainer. client
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
evaluates Apperance, environment, interaction, posture, communication ect.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Investigation: Trainer evaluates client using health and fitness data, medical history, ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise history ect.
ii ii ii
Planning: Give and take. Client and trainer work together to set SMART goals, generate
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
and discuss alternatives, formulate a plan, and evaluate the exercise program.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Action: Start working out. Usually a combination of exercises for the client to do with the
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
trainer and at home.
ii ii ii ii
Define motivational interviewing. - A way of speaking with people that motivates them to
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
change their behavior. Usually this is used when clients are not ready to commit to an
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise program.
ii ii
Describe how voice quality, eye contact, facial expression, hand gestures, and body
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
positions should looks and what kind of communication are they? - They are non-verbal
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
communication.
ii
Eye contact: Direct but friendly.
ii ii ii ii
Voice quality: confident but not too loud
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Facial expression: genuine emotion
ii ii ii
Hand gestures: flexed, not fidgeting
ii ii ii ii
Body position: open *Aggressive= hands on hips*
ii ii ii ii ii ii
4 Styles of communication - Preaching: lecture type = bad
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Educating: informational ii ii
Counseling: working together to find and solve problems ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Directing: during exercise directing works ii ii ii ii
Give an example of each interviewing technique: Minimal encourager, paraphrasing,
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
reflecting, probing, clarifying, informing, confronting, questioning, deflecting. - Minimal
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
encourager: "Explain what you mean by.."
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Paraphrasing: "I understand your ideal wright is.." ii ii ii ii ii ii
Reflecting: "it sounds like.." Restate the main points ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Probing: Ask additional questions to gather more info ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Clarifying: Verifying what the client is saying ii ii ii ii ii ii
Confronting: Using mild to strong feedback ii ii ii ii ii
Questioning: Open ended questions to information given ii ii ii ii ii ii
Deflecting: Changing the focus to another person if it relates ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
,Define SMART goals.
ii ii ii ii
When do you make SMART goals? - Specific: Clear on what client wants accomplished
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Measurable: How will the client measure progress ii ii ii ii ii ii
Attainable: Can be done with the limits and within time frame ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Relevant: Relevant to the interests of the client ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Time: Specific time frame/ time line
ii ii ii ii ii
You make smart goals during the planning stage.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Name and describe the 3 stages of learning (CAA) - Cognitive: Clients try to understand a
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
new skill
ii ii
*Use tell, show, do technique*
ii ii ii ii
Associative: Begin to master the basics and re ready for more specific feedback that will
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
help them refine the motor skill
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Autonomous: Clients are preforming skill naturally, trainer is doing less teaching and more ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
monitoring.
ii
Define product goals and process goals - Product goals: Outcome. Something achieved
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
(weight loss, increase in strength ect.)
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Process goals: Action. Something a client does (# of workouts per week ect)
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Define the health belief model and name the 3 stages - The health belief model states
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
that people will engage in a healthy behavior based on the perceived threat they feel
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
regarding a health problem.
ii ii ii ii
Perceived seriousness: How serious they think contracting an illness is basically how
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
scared they are of health illnesses
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Perceived susceptibility: How at risk they think they are for getting an illness.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Cue to action: an event or symptom that wakes them up and motivates them to change.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
*The more scared, at risk or bad the situation is the more likely they are to workout*
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Define self efficacy and name 6 sources of it - Self efficacy is the belief in ones self to be
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
able to succeed
ii ii ii
Sources:
Past performance experience: strongly influence feelings
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Vicarious experiences: Clients knowledge of success stories ect
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Verbal persuasion: Feedback/ statements form others
ii ii ii ii ii
Physiological state appraisals: clients judgments about abilities ii ii ii ii ii ii
Emotional state appraisals: mood and feelings ii ii ii ii ii ii
, Imaginal experiences: perceived notion of what exercise will be like.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Define the 5 stages of change in the transtheoretical model of behavioral change (stages-
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
of-changes-model) - 1. Precontemplation: sedentary, not considering an exercise ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
program, do not see activity as important or relevant to them
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
2. Contemplation: sedentary, starting to consider exercise important, and have begun to
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
see the negative consequences of being inactive, they are still not ready to make a
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
change.
ii ii
3.Preperation: some sporadic light activity, mentally and physically preparing to adopt and ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
exercise program and are ready to lead an active lifestyle, but are inconsistent
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
4.Action: client engages in regular physical activity but are have been doing so for less then
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
6 months
ii ii
5. Maintenance: regular activity for longer then 6 months
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
For each stage of change describe a goal for the process of change to the next stage. -
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Precontemplation: Goal is to make inactivity relevant issue and to make them start thinking
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
about becoming active.
ii ii ii
Contemplation: Goal is to get involved in some type of activity ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Preparation: Goal is to get to regular physical activity participation ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Action: Goal to maintain regular physical activity
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Maintenance: Goal is to prevent relapse and continue activity ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Describe decisional balance - The number of pros and cons related to exercise.
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Precontemplators and contemplators perceive more cons: ii ii ii ii ii
Cons: sweating, sore muscles, time, cost, bordem
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Describe positive reinforcement and negative reinforcement - Positive: When positive
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stimulus is given for good behavior
ii ii ii ii ii ii
Negative: removal or avoidance of negative stimulus for bad behavior
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Example: A client is late for a session and you don't say anything, they are likely to be late
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
again because they think its okay.
ii ii ii ii ii ii
What aspects are involved with the investigation stage of the client trainer relationship? -
ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii ii
Health and exercise history
ii ii ii ii
Readiness to change behavior ii ii ii
Personality style ii
