ACSM Personal Trainer Certification Exam2025-2026
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ADL - CORRECT ANSWERS One's ability to perform daily tasks such as self care and chores
Physical Activity - CORRECT ANSWERS Transition from rest to active movement
Exercise - CORRECT ANSWERS Planned and structured physical activity to improve one or
more of the 5 components of fitness
5 Components of Fitness - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Cardiorespiratory Endurance
2. Muscle Endurance
3. Muscle Strength
4. Flexibility
5. Body Composition
Types of Fitness Conditioning - CORRECT ANSWERS Health Related: Focuses on
enhancing QoL, preventing disease, moderate-intensity PA
Fitness Conditioning: Focuses on exercise regimens based on recommendations for improving fitness
SAID - CORRECT ANSWERS In order to improve the goal, you must practice the goal. Ex. If
the goal is a 5K, you must run to train for it
Rate of Remodeling - CORRECT ANSWERS Remodel > Damage --> increase training effort
Damage > Remodel --> decrease training effort (or may cause overuse/injury)
Signs of Over Training - CORRECT ANSWERS Injury, inc resting HR, fatigued throughout
day, low performance
FITT-VP - CORRECT ANSWERS Frequency (how often)
Intensity (how hard)
Time (duration)
Type (mode)
Volume (overall amount)
Progression (how to advance)
ATP-CP Phosphagen System - CORRECT ANSWERS Anaerobic
0-30 sec high intensity work
sprints, weight lifting
Anaerobic Glycolysis/Lactic Acid - CORRECT ANSWERS Anaerobic
Glucose & lactic acid
:30-3 mins high intensity work
400-800m sprint, 100m swim
, Oxidation System - CORRECT ANSWERS Fat oxidation
3+ minutes
important for endurance
capacity limited by O2 and Cals available
*Unfit client has decreased ability to deliver O2 from dec capillary density preventing delivery
O2 Physiological Adaptations - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Oxygen Deficit - initial stages of CV
training bout referred to as lag in O2 consumption, relying on anaerobic metabolism
2. Steady State - achieved w/ sustained CV once O2 supplied equals O2 demanded. Inc fit, reach SS
faster and endurance depends how long you stay here.
3. EPOC - O2 debt, uptake remained elevated post exercise for several minutes (or house if longer bout);
EPOC effect is to restore CP/ATP in muscles and O2 in blood; "after burn" effect
Sino Atrial Node - CORRECT ANSWERS Pacemaker of the heart, in RA, initiates
contraction
Atrioventricular Node - CORRECT ANSWERS Slows down the heart contracting
Right Chambers - CORRECT ANSWERS RA receives deoxy blood from vena cava. Blood
travels to RV through tricuspid valve. Leaves RV via pulmonary semilunar valve to pulmonary system.
Left Chambers - CORRECT ANSWERS LA receives oxy blood from veins. Travels to LV
through bicuspid valve then to aorta through the aortic semilunar valve where it then travels through
the body's arteries to deliver oxygen.
Pulse Sights - CORRECT ANSWERS Carotid (not recommended to perform on someone)
Brachial
Femoral
Radial (most recommended)
Heart Rate - CORRECT ANSWERS Avg is 72bpm resting (normal is 60-100bpm)
Good gauge for clients to see how fit they are becoming
Tachycardia/Bradychardia - CORRECT ANSWERS Faster than normal heart rate, >100 bpm
Slower than normal heart rate, < 60 bpm
Stroke Volume (SV) - CORRECT ANSWERS The amount of blood pumped from the left
ventricle in one beat
Cardiac Output (CO) - CORRECT ANSWERS The amount of blood pumped from the heart
in one minute
Arteriovenous Oxygen Difference - CORRECT ANSWERS Difference between oxygen
content of arterial and venous blood
Pulmonary Ventilation - CORRECT ANSWERS Volume of air exchanged per minute
ACTUAL EXAM COMPLETE QUESTIONS AND
CORRECT DETAILED ANSWERS WITH RATIONALES
ADL - CORRECT ANSWERS One's ability to perform daily tasks such as self care and chores
Physical Activity - CORRECT ANSWERS Transition from rest to active movement
Exercise - CORRECT ANSWERS Planned and structured physical activity to improve one or
more of the 5 components of fitness
5 Components of Fitness - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Cardiorespiratory Endurance
2. Muscle Endurance
3. Muscle Strength
4. Flexibility
5. Body Composition
Types of Fitness Conditioning - CORRECT ANSWERS Health Related: Focuses on
enhancing QoL, preventing disease, moderate-intensity PA
Fitness Conditioning: Focuses on exercise regimens based on recommendations for improving fitness
SAID - CORRECT ANSWERS In order to improve the goal, you must practice the goal. Ex. If
the goal is a 5K, you must run to train for it
Rate of Remodeling - CORRECT ANSWERS Remodel > Damage --> increase training effort
Damage > Remodel --> decrease training effort (or may cause overuse/injury)
Signs of Over Training - CORRECT ANSWERS Injury, inc resting HR, fatigued throughout
day, low performance
FITT-VP - CORRECT ANSWERS Frequency (how often)
Intensity (how hard)
Time (duration)
Type (mode)
Volume (overall amount)
Progression (how to advance)
ATP-CP Phosphagen System - CORRECT ANSWERS Anaerobic
0-30 sec high intensity work
sprints, weight lifting
Anaerobic Glycolysis/Lactic Acid - CORRECT ANSWERS Anaerobic
Glucose & lactic acid
:30-3 mins high intensity work
400-800m sprint, 100m swim
, Oxidation System - CORRECT ANSWERS Fat oxidation
3+ minutes
important for endurance
capacity limited by O2 and Cals available
*Unfit client has decreased ability to deliver O2 from dec capillary density preventing delivery
O2 Physiological Adaptations - CORRECT ANSWERS 1. Oxygen Deficit - initial stages of CV
training bout referred to as lag in O2 consumption, relying on anaerobic metabolism
2. Steady State - achieved w/ sustained CV once O2 supplied equals O2 demanded. Inc fit, reach SS
faster and endurance depends how long you stay here.
3. EPOC - O2 debt, uptake remained elevated post exercise for several minutes (or house if longer bout);
EPOC effect is to restore CP/ATP in muscles and O2 in blood; "after burn" effect
Sino Atrial Node - CORRECT ANSWERS Pacemaker of the heart, in RA, initiates
contraction
Atrioventricular Node - CORRECT ANSWERS Slows down the heart contracting
Right Chambers - CORRECT ANSWERS RA receives deoxy blood from vena cava. Blood
travels to RV through tricuspid valve. Leaves RV via pulmonary semilunar valve to pulmonary system.
Left Chambers - CORRECT ANSWERS LA receives oxy blood from veins. Travels to LV
through bicuspid valve then to aorta through the aortic semilunar valve where it then travels through
the body's arteries to deliver oxygen.
Pulse Sights - CORRECT ANSWERS Carotid (not recommended to perform on someone)
Brachial
Femoral
Radial (most recommended)
Heart Rate - CORRECT ANSWERS Avg is 72bpm resting (normal is 60-100bpm)
Good gauge for clients to see how fit they are becoming
Tachycardia/Bradychardia - CORRECT ANSWERS Faster than normal heart rate, >100 bpm
Slower than normal heart rate, < 60 bpm
Stroke Volume (SV) - CORRECT ANSWERS The amount of blood pumped from the left
ventricle in one beat
Cardiac Output (CO) - CORRECT ANSWERS The amount of blood pumped from the heart
in one minute
Arteriovenous Oxygen Difference - CORRECT ANSWERS Difference between oxygen
content of arterial and venous blood
Pulmonary Ventilation - CORRECT ANSWERS Volume of air exchanged per minute
