CROSSFIT LEVEL 2 ALL 2026 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Oxidative Pathway - ✔✔Aerobic Energy System
1,000- 2,000 watts metabolic power
230 - 460 watts mechanical power (23% of metabolic)
Time Domain: Over 2mins
Location: Mitochondria of cells
Muscle fiber type: Type 1
Substrate: Pyruvate (from gycolysis), or acetate (derived from fat or protein)
ATP Mechanism: Pruvate oxidized to produce 34 ATP (fat, protein yeild less)
Example of activity: 2km row, 40-mile bike ride, anything over 2min
✔✔Three Categories of Muscle Fibers - ✔✔- Type IIb fast-twitch fibers (also know as
Type IIx): recruited for very short-duration high-intensity bursts of power such as
maximal and near maximal lifts and short sprints. These fibers produce high force levels
quickly but they fatigue quickly as well.
- Type IIa fast-twitch fibers are more fatigue-resistant than Type IIb fibers, but they
cannot produce force as rapidly. They are used more during sustained power activities
such as sprinting 400 meters or doing repeated lifts with a weight below your maximum
(but not with very light weights).
- Type I slow-twitch fibers are used in lower intensity exercises such as very light
resistance work aimed at muscular endurance and long-duration aerobic activities such
as 5K and 10K runs.
✔✔Relationship between CNS Stimulation and Muscle Fibers - ✔✔Once the demand
for power reaches approximately 20 percent of maximal, the CNS stimulation is strong
enough to recruit some Type IIa fibers. Evidence of Type II fiber activity is provided by
the presence of lactate in the muscle and blood. As the demand for force increases,
larger waves of excitation from the CNS eventually result in the recruitment of Type IIb
fibers (these have the highest threshold of excitation). To
produce maximal force, the CNS produces the largest possible stimulation and all
available motor units serving the muscle are recruited (all three types). Note that only
trained athletes are actually able to recruit all of the available motor units. This is one of
the reasons we see very fast gains in strength with novices to strength training, as they
"learn" to recruit more existing fibers.
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔Vertical plane that divides the body into a front half and a back
half.
Abduction and adduction of the limbs are examples of movements within the frontal
plane.
✔✔Anatomical Position - ✔✔
,✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔Vertical plane that divides the body into a right and left half.
Sagittal plane movements occur within or parallel to the verticle plane dividing the body
into right and left halves.
Flexion and extension of the hips and trunk are good exmaples of movements in the
Sagittal Plane. (e.g., Air Squats, KB Swings)
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔Horizontal plane that divides the body into a top and bottom
half.
Rotation of the head and trunk are examples of movements in the transverse plane.
✔✔Abduction - ✔✔Movement observed when a limb moves away from the midline.
✔✔Adduction - ✔✔When a limb moves towards the midline.
✔✔Extension - ✔✔When the angle of the bones that comprise a joint increases.
✔✔Flexion - ✔✔When the angle of the bones that comprise a joint decreases.
✔✔Shoulder flexion/extension - ✔✔Shoulder Flexion is when the arm is moved forward
toward an overhead position.
Shoulder extension is when the arm returns from overhead or moves behind the body.
✔✔Ankle Plantarflexion - ✔✔Pointing the toes down
✔✔Ankle Dorsiflexion - ✔✔Pointing the toes up
✔✔Knee Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Knee Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Hip Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Hip Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Wrist Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Wrist Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Internal and External Rotation - ✔✔Components of nearly every functional
movement.
,✔✔Circumduction - ✔✔A combination movement that occurs in all of the anatomical
planes. During circumduction, the proximal end of the joint is the pivot point and the
distal end moves around this fixed point.
E.g., PVC Pass throughs
✔✔Anterior and Posterior - ✔✔An anterior structure lies in front of another structure. A
posterior structure lies behind another structure.
For example, the heart is posterior to the sternum but anterior to the spine.
✔✔Medial and lateral - ✔✔A medial structure lies closer to the centerline of the body,
while a lateral structure lies further away from the centerline.
For example: in the anatomical position, the pectoralis major is medial to the deltoid. In
the same position, the pectoralis major is also lateral to the sternum.
✔✔Superior and Inferior - ✔✔A surperior structure is above or higher than another
structure and an inferior structure is below or lower than another structure.
For example, in the anatomical position the hip is inferior to the shoulder. The hip is also
superior to the knee.
✔✔Proximal and Distal - ✔✔A proximal structure is closer to the attachment at the
torso, while a distal structure is farther away.
For example, the elbow is distal to the shoulder. The elbow is also proximal to the wrist.
This is true regardless of the position.
✔✔Kinetic Chain - ✔✔A series of connected joints and muscle groups that contributes
to a specific movement or movement pattern. They are often described as open or
closed kinetic chains.
In a Closed Kinetic chain, the distal end of the moving body segment is fixed or
unmoving. e.g., the air squat (feet are fixed to the floor).
An Open Kinetic chain movement is one in which the distal end of the moving body
segnment is free and mobile. The press is an example, as the hands are not fixed and
are therefore mobile.
✔✔Fun Facts about Bones - ✔✔- 206 on average in the human body
- Bones stop growing in length after puberty, but the skeleton is a very dynamic system
that is a constant state of breakdown, repair, and regeneration.
, - Function, dynamic exercises contribute positively to the necessary and natural cycle of
skeletal regeneration.
✔✔4 layers of bone - ✔✔Periosteum
Compact bone (cortical bone)
Cancellous bone (spongy bone)
Bone Marrow
✔✔Periosteum - ✔✔A soft yet tough outer membrane over the bone's entire surface.
✔✔Compact bone - ✔✔AKA Cortical bone.
The hard rigid layer that gives the bone its shape and structure.
✔✔Cancellous bone - ✔✔AKA Spongy bone
The soft inner layer which provides the elastic strength of the bone.
✔✔Bone Marrow - ✔✔The soft innermost layer which is responsible for the production
of red blood cells and platelets, which are important for blood clotting.
✔✔5 types of bones that make up the human skeleton - ✔✔Long Bones, e.g., the
humerus
Short Bones, e.g., the carpals
Irregular Bones, e.g., the spine
Flat Bones, e.g., the scapula
Sesamoid Bones, e.g., the patella or knee cap
✔✔Long bones - ✔✔- Have a body that is longer than is wide
- Primarily found in the extremities and are the bones which create the major levers
involved in human movement.
- E.g., femur and humerus, metacarpals
- Includes the small ones of the hand and foot
✔✔Short bones - ✔✔- As wide as they are long
- Found in the carpals of the wrist, and the tarsals of the foot
They serve a greater role in support and stability as opposed to movement.
✔✔Irregular bones - ✔✔Bones that do not fit into any other category. Their odd shape
serves to provide multiple points of attachment for muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The sacrum is one example of an irregular bone.
Also serve a role in protecting vital structures, such as the vertebrae protecting the
spinal cord.
AND ANSWERS RATED A+
✔✔Oxidative Pathway - ✔✔Aerobic Energy System
1,000- 2,000 watts metabolic power
230 - 460 watts mechanical power (23% of metabolic)
Time Domain: Over 2mins
Location: Mitochondria of cells
Muscle fiber type: Type 1
Substrate: Pyruvate (from gycolysis), or acetate (derived from fat or protein)
ATP Mechanism: Pruvate oxidized to produce 34 ATP (fat, protein yeild less)
Example of activity: 2km row, 40-mile bike ride, anything over 2min
✔✔Three Categories of Muscle Fibers - ✔✔- Type IIb fast-twitch fibers (also know as
Type IIx): recruited for very short-duration high-intensity bursts of power such as
maximal and near maximal lifts and short sprints. These fibers produce high force levels
quickly but they fatigue quickly as well.
- Type IIa fast-twitch fibers are more fatigue-resistant than Type IIb fibers, but they
cannot produce force as rapidly. They are used more during sustained power activities
such as sprinting 400 meters or doing repeated lifts with a weight below your maximum
(but not with very light weights).
- Type I slow-twitch fibers are used in lower intensity exercises such as very light
resistance work aimed at muscular endurance and long-duration aerobic activities such
as 5K and 10K runs.
✔✔Relationship between CNS Stimulation and Muscle Fibers - ✔✔Once the demand
for power reaches approximately 20 percent of maximal, the CNS stimulation is strong
enough to recruit some Type IIa fibers. Evidence of Type II fiber activity is provided by
the presence of lactate in the muscle and blood. As the demand for force increases,
larger waves of excitation from the CNS eventually result in the recruitment of Type IIb
fibers (these have the highest threshold of excitation). To
produce maximal force, the CNS produces the largest possible stimulation and all
available motor units serving the muscle are recruited (all three types). Note that only
trained athletes are actually able to recruit all of the available motor units. This is one of
the reasons we see very fast gains in strength with novices to strength training, as they
"learn" to recruit more existing fibers.
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔Vertical plane that divides the body into a front half and a back
half.
Abduction and adduction of the limbs are examples of movements within the frontal
plane.
✔✔Anatomical Position - ✔✔
,✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔Vertical plane that divides the body into a right and left half.
Sagittal plane movements occur within or parallel to the verticle plane dividing the body
into right and left halves.
Flexion and extension of the hips and trunk are good exmaples of movements in the
Sagittal Plane. (e.g., Air Squats, KB Swings)
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔Horizontal plane that divides the body into a top and bottom
half.
Rotation of the head and trunk are examples of movements in the transverse plane.
✔✔Abduction - ✔✔Movement observed when a limb moves away from the midline.
✔✔Adduction - ✔✔When a limb moves towards the midline.
✔✔Extension - ✔✔When the angle of the bones that comprise a joint increases.
✔✔Flexion - ✔✔When the angle of the bones that comprise a joint decreases.
✔✔Shoulder flexion/extension - ✔✔Shoulder Flexion is when the arm is moved forward
toward an overhead position.
Shoulder extension is when the arm returns from overhead or moves behind the body.
✔✔Ankle Plantarflexion - ✔✔Pointing the toes down
✔✔Ankle Dorsiflexion - ✔✔Pointing the toes up
✔✔Knee Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Knee Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Hip Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Hip Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Wrist Extension - ✔✔
✔✔Wrist Flexion - ✔✔
✔✔Internal and External Rotation - ✔✔Components of nearly every functional
movement.
,✔✔Circumduction - ✔✔A combination movement that occurs in all of the anatomical
planes. During circumduction, the proximal end of the joint is the pivot point and the
distal end moves around this fixed point.
E.g., PVC Pass throughs
✔✔Anterior and Posterior - ✔✔An anterior structure lies in front of another structure. A
posterior structure lies behind another structure.
For example, the heart is posterior to the sternum but anterior to the spine.
✔✔Medial and lateral - ✔✔A medial structure lies closer to the centerline of the body,
while a lateral structure lies further away from the centerline.
For example: in the anatomical position, the pectoralis major is medial to the deltoid. In
the same position, the pectoralis major is also lateral to the sternum.
✔✔Superior and Inferior - ✔✔A surperior structure is above or higher than another
structure and an inferior structure is below or lower than another structure.
For example, in the anatomical position the hip is inferior to the shoulder. The hip is also
superior to the knee.
✔✔Proximal and Distal - ✔✔A proximal structure is closer to the attachment at the
torso, while a distal structure is farther away.
For example, the elbow is distal to the shoulder. The elbow is also proximal to the wrist.
This is true regardless of the position.
✔✔Kinetic Chain - ✔✔A series of connected joints and muscle groups that contributes
to a specific movement or movement pattern. They are often described as open or
closed kinetic chains.
In a Closed Kinetic chain, the distal end of the moving body segment is fixed or
unmoving. e.g., the air squat (feet are fixed to the floor).
An Open Kinetic chain movement is one in which the distal end of the moving body
segnment is free and mobile. The press is an example, as the hands are not fixed and
are therefore mobile.
✔✔Fun Facts about Bones - ✔✔- 206 on average in the human body
- Bones stop growing in length after puberty, but the skeleton is a very dynamic system
that is a constant state of breakdown, repair, and regeneration.
, - Function, dynamic exercises contribute positively to the necessary and natural cycle of
skeletal regeneration.
✔✔4 layers of bone - ✔✔Periosteum
Compact bone (cortical bone)
Cancellous bone (spongy bone)
Bone Marrow
✔✔Periosteum - ✔✔A soft yet tough outer membrane over the bone's entire surface.
✔✔Compact bone - ✔✔AKA Cortical bone.
The hard rigid layer that gives the bone its shape and structure.
✔✔Cancellous bone - ✔✔AKA Spongy bone
The soft inner layer which provides the elastic strength of the bone.
✔✔Bone Marrow - ✔✔The soft innermost layer which is responsible for the production
of red blood cells and platelets, which are important for blood clotting.
✔✔5 types of bones that make up the human skeleton - ✔✔Long Bones, e.g., the
humerus
Short Bones, e.g., the carpals
Irregular Bones, e.g., the spine
Flat Bones, e.g., the scapula
Sesamoid Bones, e.g., the patella or knee cap
✔✔Long bones - ✔✔- Have a body that is longer than is wide
- Primarily found in the extremities and are the bones which create the major levers
involved in human movement.
- E.g., femur and humerus, metacarpals
- Includes the small ones of the hand and foot
✔✔Short bones - ✔✔- As wide as they are long
- Found in the carpals of the wrist, and the tarsals of the foot
They serve a greater role in support and stability as opposed to movement.
✔✔Irregular bones - ✔✔Bones that do not fit into any other category. Their odd shape
serves to provide multiple points of attachment for muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
The sacrum is one example of an irregular bone.
Also serve a role in protecting vital structures, such as the vertebrae protecting the
spinal cord.
