ACE PERSONAL TRAINER EXAMINATIO SCRIPT 2025/2026
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Suggestions for High-Risk Individuals - ✔✔-Medical exam and doctor supervision is
recommended
✔✔Moderate-Intensity Exercise - ✔✔-40-60% of VO2R (VO2 Max - resting VO2) or
HRR
-VT1 is recommended upper limit
✔✔Kinetic Chain - ✔✔-Combination of several successively arranged joints making a
complex motor unit.
-Either open or closed.
✔✔Open Kinetic Chain Movement - ✔✔-Combination of successively arranged joints
that's DISTAL aspect of extremity (end of chain farthest from body) moves freely and is
not fixed to an object.
-I.E. Seated leg extension, Leg Curl, Bench Press, Dumbbell Biceps Curl, Lat Pull-Down
✔✔Closed Kinetic Chain Movement - ✔✔-DISTAL segment has external resistance and
it restrains movement
-Distal end of extremity is fixed, emphasizing joint compression and stabilizing the joint.
-Considered more functional .
-I.E. Squat, Leg Press, Wall Slides, Lunges, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepper, Versa
Climber, Push-ups
✔✔The Thomas Test - ✔✔-Quick/Simple assessment that examines length of muscles
involved in hip flexion
-Length helps determine tightness of primary hip flexor muscles (RECTUS FEMORIS,
ILLIOPSOAS, ILLIOTIBIAL band)
1) Have client sit on bench/table on their ISCHAL TUBEROSITY (the boney point we
normally sit on)
2) Take client back until lying in supine position w/ less than 1/2 the thigh off
bench/table. LUMBAR region of back in contact w/ bench
3) Have client bring both knees toward chest and then release 1 leg so it's extended
and touches bench
✔✔Good Flexibility in the ILLIOPSOAS - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's lower leg touches the surface...?
✔✔The individual has tight hip flexors (including RECTUS FEMORIS, ILLIOPSOAS,
and ILLIOTIBIAL BAND). - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's back of the leg is even slightly off the surface...?
,✔✔Tight RECTUS FEMORIS (crosses the hip and knee joint) - ✔✔Assessment of
Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's knee is bent 70 degrees or less
✔✔The ILLIOTIBIAL BAND is tight - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
- What it means when client's leg abducts or is angled outward during the test
✔✔False positive of the Thomas Test - ILLIOPSOAS will appear tight when not - ✔✔If
client is pulling their knee toward chest too far and there's a posterior tilt of pelvis, it will
be a ...
✔✔False negative of the Thomas Test - hip flexors with appear fine when they aren't -
✔✔If client is not pulling their knee back far enough, is lifting the LUMBAR back off the
surface (LORDOSIS), or creating a posterior pelvic tilt, it will be a ...
✔✔Don't perform the Thomas Test - ✔✔Before assessing your client, ask if they have a
sore or injured back. If they answer yes ...
✔✔Posture - ✔✔-Biomechanical alignment of individual body parts and orientation of
the body
✔✔Balance - ✔✔-Maintaining body's position over it's base of support (BOS) w/in
stability limits
✔✔Lordosis - ✔✔-Increased anterior lumbar curve (bottom and belly out)
-Lead to tension on the spine and low-back pain.
(A Big Lord with a Big Belly)
✔✔Kyphosis - ✔✔-Increased posterior thoracic curve (round shoulders like hunchback)
--Commonly seen in older adults w/ OSTEOPOROSIS
(Has an "H" in the name, stands for "Hunchback")
✔✔Flat Back - ✔✔-Decreased anterior lumbar curve (normal inward curve of back)
-Head exhibits a forward tilt.
✔✔Sway Back - ✔✔-Decreased anterior lumbar curve
-Increased posterior thoracic curve
-Rounded shoulders, sunken chest, and forward-tilted head.
(Femur and head are farther forward than in kyphosis, and greater posterior deviation)
✔✔Scoliosis - ✔✔-Excessive lateral spinal curvature
-More prevalent in women
-May cause pelvis and shoulders to be slightly uneven
, ✔✔Fatigue Postures - ✔✔-Caused by stress, pain, injuries, or exhaustion from daily
activities
-Results in temporary LORDOSIS or KYPHOSIS
✔✔Predicted 1 Repetition Max (RM) Assessment - ✔✔= (lbs client can lift) x
(Coefficient for # of reps completed)
✔✔Trial 1 Repetition Max (RM) - ✔✔= (Weight of 3rd set) / (the % of 1 RM determined)
✔✔Actual 1 Repetition Max (RM) Assessment - ✔✔1) Client warms up and begins light
resistance (50% 1 RM) 10 reps or less and then rest 1 min
2) 2nd set increases weight to 70-75% of 1 RM and decrease # of reps (3-5) and rest 1
min
3) 3rd set 85-90% of 1 RM for 2-3 reps, and rest 2-4 min
✔✔Autogenic Inhibition - ✔✔-GTO is activated by force on muscle tendon
-Relaxation of agonist muscle and Contraction of antagonist
-Seen during static stretching (i.e. low-force, long- duration stretch)
✔✔Reciprocal Inhibition - ✔✔-Relaxation of antagonist muscle and contraction of
agonist muscle.
-Seen during dynamic stretching.
✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into left and right halves.
-Any forward/backward movement parallel to line occurs in this plane
-Movements: FLEXION, EXTENSION, DORSIFLEXION, & PLANTAR FLEXION.
-I.E. Bicep curl, forward, or reverse lunges
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into front/back halves
-Any lateral (side) movement parallel to line occurs in this plane.
-Movements: ADDUCTION, ABDUCTION, ELEVATION, DEPRESSION, INVERSION,
and EVERSION
-I.E. Dumbbell lateral (side) raise
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into top/bottom halves
-Movement parallel to waistline (aka rotational movement) occurs in this plane
-Movements: ROTATION, PRONATION, SUPINATION, HORIZONTAL FLEXION
(ADduction), and HORIZONTAL EXTENSION (ABduction
-I.E. Horizontal Wood Chop
✔✔Flexion - ✔✔DECREASING angle between two bones
✔✔Extension - ✔✔INCREASING angle between two bones
✔✔Dorsiflexion - ✔✔Moving TOP of foot toward the shin (only at the ankle)
QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS GRADED A+
✔✔Suggestions for High-Risk Individuals - ✔✔-Medical exam and doctor supervision is
recommended
✔✔Moderate-Intensity Exercise - ✔✔-40-60% of VO2R (VO2 Max - resting VO2) or
HRR
-VT1 is recommended upper limit
✔✔Kinetic Chain - ✔✔-Combination of several successively arranged joints making a
complex motor unit.
-Either open or closed.
✔✔Open Kinetic Chain Movement - ✔✔-Combination of successively arranged joints
that's DISTAL aspect of extremity (end of chain farthest from body) moves freely and is
not fixed to an object.
-I.E. Seated leg extension, Leg Curl, Bench Press, Dumbbell Biceps Curl, Lat Pull-Down
✔✔Closed Kinetic Chain Movement - ✔✔-DISTAL segment has external resistance and
it restrains movement
-Distal end of extremity is fixed, emphasizing joint compression and stabilizing the joint.
-Considered more functional .
-I.E. Squat, Leg Press, Wall Slides, Lunges, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepper, Versa
Climber, Push-ups
✔✔The Thomas Test - ✔✔-Quick/Simple assessment that examines length of muscles
involved in hip flexion
-Length helps determine tightness of primary hip flexor muscles (RECTUS FEMORIS,
ILLIOPSOAS, ILLIOTIBIAL band)
1) Have client sit on bench/table on their ISCHAL TUBEROSITY (the boney point we
normally sit on)
2) Take client back until lying in supine position w/ less than 1/2 the thigh off
bench/table. LUMBAR region of back in contact w/ bench
3) Have client bring both knees toward chest and then release 1 leg so it's extended
and touches bench
✔✔Good Flexibility in the ILLIOPSOAS - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's lower leg touches the surface...?
✔✔The individual has tight hip flexors (including RECTUS FEMORIS, ILLIOPSOAS,
and ILLIOTIBIAL BAND). - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's back of the leg is even slightly off the surface...?
,✔✔Tight RECTUS FEMORIS (crosses the hip and knee joint) - ✔✔Assessment of
Thomas Test -
-What it means when client's knee is bent 70 degrees or less
✔✔The ILLIOTIBIAL BAND is tight - ✔✔Assessment of Thomas Test -
- What it means when client's leg abducts or is angled outward during the test
✔✔False positive of the Thomas Test - ILLIOPSOAS will appear tight when not - ✔✔If
client is pulling their knee toward chest too far and there's a posterior tilt of pelvis, it will
be a ...
✔✔False negative of the Thomas Test - hip flexors with appear fine when they aren't -
✔✔If client is not pulling their knee back far enough, is lifting the LUMBAR back off the
surface (LORDOSIS), or creating a posterior pelvic tilt, it will be a ...
✔✔Don't perform the Thomas Test - ✔✔Before assessing your client, ask if they have a
sore or injured back. If they answer yes ...
✔✔Posture - ✔✔-Biomechanical alignment of individual body parts and orientation of
the body
✔✔Balance - ✔✔-Maintaining body's position over it's base of support (BOS) w/in
stability limits
✔✔Lordosis - ✔✔-Increased anterior lumbar curve (bottom and belly out)
-Lead to tension on the spine and low-back pain.
(A Big Lord with a Big Belly)
✔✔Kyphosis - ✔✔-Increased posterior thoracic curve (round shoulders like hunchback)
--Commonly seen in older adults w/ OSTEOPOROSIS
(Has an "H" in the name, stands for "Hunchback")
✔✔Flat Back - ✔✔-Decreased anterior lumbar curve (normal inward curve of back)
-Head exhibits a forward tilt.
✔✔Sway Back - ✔✔-Decreased anterior lumbar curve
-Increased posterior thoracic curve
-Rounded shoulders, sunken chest, and forward-tilted head.
(Femur and head are farther forward than in kyphosis, and greater posterior deviation)
✔✔Scoliosis - ✔✔-Excessive lateral spinal curvature
-More prevalent in women
-May cause pelvis and shoulders to be slightly uneven
, ✔✔Fatigue Postures - ✔✔-Caused by stress, pain, injuries, or exhaustion from daily
activities
-Results in temporary LORDOSIS or KYPHOSIS
✔✔Predicted 1 Repetition Max (RM) Assessment - ✔✔= (lbs client can lift) x
(Coefficient for # of reps completed)
✔✔Trial 1 Repetition Max (RM) - ✔✔= (Weight of 3rd set) / (the % of 1 RM determined)
✔✔Actual 1 Repetition Max (RM) Assessment - ✔✔1) Client warms up and begins light
resistance (50% 1 RM) 10 reps or less and then rest 1 min
2) 2nd set increases weight to 70-75% of 1 RM and decrease # of reps (3-5) and rest 1
min
3) 3rd set 85-90% of 1 RM for 2-3 reps, and rest 2-4 min
✔✔Autogenic Inhibition - ✔✔-GTO is activated by force on muscle tendon
-Relaxation of agonist muscle and Contraction of antagonist
-Seen during static stretching (i.e. low-force, long- duration stretch)
✔✔Reciprocal Inhibition - ✔✔-Relaxation of antagonist muscle and contraction of
agonist muscle.
-Seen during dynamic stretching.
✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into left and right halves.
-Any forward/backward movement parallel to line occurs in this plane
-Movements: FLEXION, EXTENSION, DORSIFLEXION, & PLANTAR FLEXION.
-I.E. Bicep curl, forward, or reverse lunges
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into front/back halves
-Any lateral (side) movement parallel to line occurs in this plane.
-Movements: ADDUCTION, ABDUCTION, ELEVATION, DEPRESSION, INVERSION,
and EVERSION
-I.E. Dumbbell lateral (side) raise
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔-Divides body into top/bottom halves
-Movement parallel to waistline (aka rotational movement) occurs in this plane
-Movements: ROTATION, PRONATION, SUPINATION, HORIZONTAL FLEXION
(ADduction), and HORIZONTAL EXTENSION (ABduction
-I.E. Horizontal Wood Chop
✔✔Flexion - ✔✔DECREASING angle between two bones
✔✔Extension - ✔✔INCREASING angle between two bones
✔✔Dorsiflexion - ✔✔Moving TOP of foot toward the shin (only at the ankle)
