Chapter 3 SC, ACE Personal Training Exam
Prep 3 UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
·Which behavioral theory states that at least four variables influence a person's decision to
change? - CORRECT ANSWER - Health belief model
What are the four variables that influence a person's decision to change in the behavioral theory
mentioned in question1? - CORRECT ANSWER - Perceived susceptibility to an illness,
perceived seriousness of the illness, beliefs about benefits of changing, and beliefs about barriers
to change.
Self-determination theory examines two types of motivation. What are they and how do they
differ? - CORRECT ANSWER - Autonomous motivation and controlled motivation.
Autonomous motivation means that people feel as if they are behaving of their own free will.
They are doing something because they want to do it. Controlled motivation, on the other hand,
means people are doing something because they feel pressured by demands and external forces.
T/F: in reality, most adults experience some amount of controlled motivation. - CORRECT
ANSWER - True
Describe three ways, you as a personal trainer, can create an environment in which the basic
physiological needs of your client are met? - CORRECT ANSWER - Promoting
relatedness, promotion competence, and promoting autonomy.
Precontemplation: - CORRECT ANSWER - during this stage, people are physically
inactive and are not even intending to begin an activity program.
Contemplation: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage consists of people who are still
inactive but are thinking about becoming more active in the near future, within the next six
months.
,Preparation: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is marked by some engagement in
physical activity, as individuals are mentally and physically preparing to adopt an activity
program.
Action: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is comprised of people who are engaging in
regular physical activity but have been doing so for less than six months.
Maintenance: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is marked by regular physical-activity
participation for longer than six months.
Explain why the concept of self-efficacy is important to exercise-related behavior change. -
CORRECT ANSWER - Self-efficacy is strongly related to the program adoption and
maintenance.
Identify the six sources of self-efficacy. - CORRECT ANSWER - Past performance
experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological state appraisals, emotional
state and mood appraisals, and/or imaginal experiences.
Describe the decisional balance. - CORRECT ANSWER - Decisional balance refers to the
evaluation of pros and cons about adopting and/or maintain an activity program.
Discuss how willpower is a mind-body response and not a virtue. - CORRECT
ANSWER - Willpower is the ability to ignore temporary pleasure or discomfort to pursue
a longer-term goal, and it is a biological function. Anyone using willpower for long periods or
for multiple tasks will have less resolve to make better choices. Using willpower is essentially
relying on one's rational side to control or dictate what the emotional side wants- and it is not
really a fair fighting, as emotions are a more powerful driver for decisions than reason.
How are cognitive and behavioral processes of change different? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Cognitive processes result in new ways of thinking and reinforce a client's motivation to change.
Behavioral processes, on the other hand, involve action-oriented learning where clients
experience the behaviors and adopt those that work for them.
, Time is an environment factor that influences program adherence. Many individuals struggle to
balance the many demands they face and, therefore, perceive a lack of time to devote to physical
activity. Offer three simple stratifies you can use to help a client reframe his or her thinking
related to time. How can you encourage time-efficient activities? How might you coach your
client toward lifestyle balance? - CORRECT ANSWER - Personal trainers may encourage
their clients to change their perception of time availability through the use of goal setting, time
management, and prioritizing. Further, personal trainers should consider implementing time-
efficient exercise sessions or collaborating with clients about opportunities to be physical active
throughout their day. If a client considers health and physical activity to be top priorities, it is
likely that he or she will find the time to be active.
A client you've been working with for the past year is in the maintenance stage of change for
engaging in regular physical activity. He reveals to you that in a month he will be starting a new
job that requires a considerable amount of travel-something that was not required for his
previous job. As you know, you can't assume permanency with any stage of change, so it is
important to consider how to prepare for and prevent potential lapses and relapses. Your client
will be traveling up to four times a month, staying in hotels, and "eating on the road." Create a
plan by first identifying the high-risk situation your client is likely to face and then come up with
three strategies to help your client stay on track and avoid a derailment of his progress thus far. -
CORRECT ANSWER - o High risk situation: traveling four times per month, eating on the
road, and staying in hotels.
o Strategy 1: address the situation before it happens. You may inform your client about the
likelihood of a lapse and prepare him in advance so that he is are able to get back on track with
his activity programs soon after experiencing a lapse.
o Strategy 2: collaborate on ways to stay active and make healthy dietary choices while on the
road. Ideas for staying physically active may include staying at hotels that provide a fitness
center and are in walkable communities and creating a body-weight exercise program that can be
completed within a hotel room. Options for making healthy dietary choices while traveling may
include discussing healthier options when eating out, eating a healthy meal or snack before going
out to eat with colleagues, and being mindful of portion control, especially if physical activity is
decreased. The ACE ABC Approach can be used during this conversation to allow the client to
remain in control of his program and behavior-change journey.
o Strategy 3: enhance social support. You can offer support outside of the training session,
whether in the form of a phone call, email, text message, or social media platform. Further, you
may explore with the client enhanced support at home, as it is important to get family members
and/or friends involved to some degree when a client is embarking on a behavior-change plan.
Jill is a new client of yours who has been active off and on for years. She followed exercise
routines before but once the newness wore off, she became bored and didn't enjoy her sessions.
Prep 3 UPDATED ACTUAL Exam Questions
and CORRECT Answers
·Which behavioral theory states that at least four variables influence a person's decision to
change? - CORRECT ANSWER - Health belief model
What are the four variables that influence a person's decision to change in the behavioral theory
mentioned in question1? - CORRECT ANSWER - Perceived susceptibility to an illness,
perceived seriousness of the illness, beliefs about benefits of changing, and beliefs about barriers
to change.
Self-determination theory examines two types of motivation. What are they and how do they
differ? - CORRECT ANSWER - Autonomous motivation and controlled motivation.
Autonomous motivation means that people feel as if they are behaving of their own free will.
They are doing something because they want to do it. Controlled motivation, on the other hand,
means people are doing something because they feel pressured by demands and external forces.
T/F: in reality, most adults experience some amount of controlled motivation. - CORRECT
ANSWER - True
Describe three ways, you as a personal trainer, can create an environment in which the basic
physiological needs of your client are met? - CORRECT ANSWER - Promoting
relatedness, promotion competence, and promoting autonomy.
Precontemplation: - CORRECT ANSWER - during this stage, people are physically
inactive and are not even intending to begin an activity program.
Contemplation: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage consists of people who are still
inactive but are thinking about becoming more active in the near future, within the next six
months.
,Preparation: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is marked by some engagement in
physical activity, as individuals are mentally and physically preparing to adopt an activity
program.
Action: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is comprised of people who are engaging in
regular physical activity but have been doing so for less than six months.
Maintenance: - CORRECT ANSWER - this stage is marked by regular physical-activity
participation for longer than six months.
Explain why the concept of self-efficacy is important to exercise-related behavior change. -
CORRECT ANSWER - Self-efficacy is strongly related to the program adoption and
maintenance.
Identify the six sources of self-efficacy. - CORRECT ANSWER - Past performance
experience, vicarious experience, verbal persuasion, physiological state appraisals, emotional
state and mood appraisals, and/or imaginal experiences.
Describe the decisional balance. - CORRECT ANSWER - Decisional balance refers to the
evaluation of pros and cons about adopting and/or maintain an activity program.
Discuss how willpower is a mind-body response and not a virtue. - CORRECT
ANSWER - Willpower is the ability to ignore temporary pleasure or discomfort to pursue
a longer-term goal, and it is a biological function. Anyone using willpower for long periods or
for multiple tasks will have less resolve to make better choices. Using willpower is essentially
relying on one's rational side to control or dictate what the emotional side wants- and it is not
really a fair fighting, as emotions are a more powerful driver for decisions than reason.
How are cognitive and behavioral processes of change different? - CORRECT ANSWER -
Cognitive processes result in new ways of thinking and reinforce a client's motivation to change.
Behavioral processes, on the other hand, involve action-oriented learning where clients
experience the behaviors and adopt those that work for them.
, Time is an environment factor that influences program adherence. Many individuals struggle to
balance the many demands they face and, therefore, perceive a lack of time to devote to physical
activity. Offer three simple stratifies you can use to help a client reframe his or her thinking
related to time. How can you encourage time-efficient activities? How might you coach your
client toward lifestyle balance? - CORRECT ANSWER - Personal trainers may encourage
their clients to change their perception of time availability through the use of goal setting, time
management, and prioritizing. Further, personal trainers should consider implementing time-
efficient exercise sessions or collaborating with clients about opportunities to be physical active
throughout their day. If a client considers health and physical activity to be top priorities, it is
likely that he or she will find the time to be active.
A client you've been working with for the past year is in the maintenance stage of change for
engaging in regular physical activity. He reveals to you that in a month he will be starting a new
job that requires a considerable amount of travel-something that was not required for his
previous job. As you know, you can't assume permanency with any stage of change, so it is
important to consider how to prepare for and prevent potential lapses and relapses. Your client
will be traveling up to four times a month, staying in hotels, and "eating on the road." Create a
plan by first identifying the high-risk situation your client is likely to face and then come up with
three strategies to help your client stay on track and avoid a derailment of his progress thus far. -
CORRECT ANSWER - o High risk situation: traveling four times per month, eating on the
road, and staying in hotels.
o Strategy 1: address the situation before it happens. You may inform your client about the
likelihood of a lapse and prepare him in advance so that he is are able to get back on track with
his activity programs soon after experiencing a lapse.
o Strategy 2: collaborate on ways to stay active and make healthy dietary choices while on the
road. Ideas for staying physically active may include staying at hotels that provide a fitness
center and are in walkable communities and creating a body-weight exercise program that can be
completed within a hotel room. Options for making healthy dietary choices while traveling may
include discussing healthier options when eating out, eating a healthy meal or snack before going
out to eat with colleagues, and being mindful of portion control, especially if physical activity is
decreased. The ACE ABC Approach can be used during this conversation to allow the client to
remain in control of his program and behavior-change journey.
o Strategy 3: enhance social support. You can offer support outside of the training session,
whether in the form of a phone call, email, text message, or social media platform. Further, you
may explore with the client enhanced support at home, as it is important to get family members
and/or friends involved to some degree when a client is embarking on a behavior-change plan.
Jill is a new client of yours who has been active off and on for years. She followed exercise
routines before but once the newness wore off, she became bored and didn't enjoy her sessions.
