NASM CPT CORE EXAM 2026 TEST QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔To quantify body compositional (fat mass loss) changes (A Fitness assessment
measure) - ✔✔Body composition measurement
✔✔Core stability is defined as - ✔✔The ability to maintain position stabilizing spine
while extremities are moving
✔✔Arthokinematics - ✔✔joint motion (unseen)
3 major types: roll, slide, spin
✔✔Osteokinematics - ✔✔movement of bones around a joint axis (visible)
✔✔Biomechanics - ✔✔The science concerned with the internal and external forces
acting on the human body and the effects produced by these forces.
✔✔Kinesiology - ✔✔study of movement
✔✔type 1 osteoporosis - ✔✔"primary" caused by normal aging/lower estrogen &
progesterone- following menopause
✔✔type 2 osteoporosis - ✔✔"secondary" due to medical condition/alcohol abuse or
smoking
✔✔Training Frequency - ✔✔The number of training sessions performed during a
specified period (usually 1 week)
✔✔Training Intensity - ✔✔An individual's level of effort, compared with their maximal
effort, which is usually expressed as a percentage.
✔✔Training Volume - ✔✔The sum of the (reps x sets) x resistance used.
✔✔Training Duration - ✔✔amount of time of a training session
✔✔Unloading phase - ✔✔The concentric phase
✔✔stretch-shortening cycle - ✔✔eccentric (stretch) contraction followed immediately by
concentric (shortening) contraction
✔✔Amortization phase - ✔✔the transition period between the eccentric and concentric
actions during plyometrics; a crucial part of the stretch-shortening cycle that contributes
to power development
,✔✔loading phase - ✔✔The eccentric phase of a reactive exercise
✔✔posterior pelvic tilt cause - ✔✔Rectus abdominis and hamstrings are thought to be
tight causes LESSER lordotic curve to lumbar spine
✔✔anterior pelvic tilt cause - ✔✔Hip flexors and erector spinae are expected to be tight
causes GREATER lumbar lordosis
✔✔PAR-Q reflects what three health indicators - ✔✔Current activity level, signs and
symptoms of disease, desired exercise intensity
✔✔high risk waist to hip ratio - ✔✔Men: moderate >0.96-1.
high>1
Women: moderate>0.81-.85
high >.86
✔✔Stages 3-5 (of the 5 stages/4 zones) are most appropriate for - ✔✔atheletes and
advanced fitness enthusiasts who seek greater cardiorespiratory conditioning (stages 1-
2 are best for those seeking to improve health)
✔✔Muscle involved in shoulder Extension in pulling movements - ✔✔Latissimus Dorsi,
teres major and minor, posterior deltoid
✔✔What percentage of people experience low-back pain in their lifetime - ✔✔80%
✔✔venous pooling - ✔✔accumulation of the blood in a part of the body
✔✔peripheral resistance - ✔✔the opposition that blood flow encounters in vessels away
from the heart
✔✔Frank-Starling Law of the Heart - ✔✔the more the heart fills with blood during
diastole, the greater the force of contraction during systole
✔✔Valsalva maneuver - ✔✔forcible exhalation against a closed glottis, resulting in
increased intrathoracic pressure
✔✔Stage 1 of training - ✔✔Goal: build aerobic base & foundational fitness
Steady State
below VT1
Improve cardio fitness
Work up to 30
once can do 30 min 3xwk ready for stage 2
, ✔✔Stage 2 of training - ✔✔Intermediate cardio fitness. Ready to train at higher
intensities.
Goal: increase workload (for fit enthusiasts wanting to further improve or weightloss)
Intervals just below or above VT1 (ex 1 min above 3 min below) increase to steady state
above VT1
Think Erica: couch to 5k
Ready for Stage 3 when work:rest is 1:1
✔✔Stage 3 of training - ✔✔Moderately advanced w/ good fitness base
looking to increase aerobic & anaerobic sys
HIIT
not for everyone
client moves thru zone 1, (briefly)2 &3 , always below 4
follow with a day of stage 1 training for recovery
work at stage 3 should start w. 30-60 sec working to decrease work/rest ratios.
✔✔DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) - ✔✔pain and stiffness felt in muscle
several hours to day after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise (24-72 hours after
exercise)
✔✔Vitamin C - ✔✔most transient, water soluble along w/ B vitamins, primary role is
collagen synthesis and antioxidant activity
✔✔Actions of golgi tendon organs - ✔✔Sense change in muscle-tendon tension and
speed of tension change--gives the we're ok sign after 30 sec
✔✔Underactive in overhead squat - ✔✔Gluteus Max & med, shin muscles
✔✔Very important prenatal vitamin - ✔✔Folate
✔✔Neuroplasticity - ✔✔the ability within the brain to constantly change both the
structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma
✔✔Remodeling - ✔✔The process of resorption and formation of bone
✔✔Neurocircuitry - ✔✔The interconnection of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
✔✔Knee varus - ✔✔Knees bow outward (bowlegged); also known as genu varum.
SOLUTIONS RATED A+
✔✔To quantify body compositional (fat mass loss) changes (A Fitness assessment
measure) - ✔✔Body composition measurement
✔✔Core stability is defined as - ✔✔The ability to maintain position stabilizing spine
while extremities are moving
✔✔Arthokinematics - ✔✔joint motion (unseen)
3 major types: roll, slide, spin
✔✔Osteokinematics - ✔✔movement of bones around a joint axis (visible)
✔✔Biomechanics - ✔✔The science concerned with the internal and external forces
acting on the human body and the effects produced by these forces.
✔✔Kinesiology - ✔✔study of movement
✔✔type 1 osteoporosis - ✔✔"primary" caused by normal aging/lower estrogen &
progesterone- following menopause
✔✔type 2 osteoporosis - ✔✔"secondary" due to medical condition/alcohol abuse or
smoking
✔✔Training Frequency - ✔✔The number of training sessions performed during a
specified period (usually 1 week)
✔✔Training Intensity - ✔✔An individual's level of effort, compared with their maximal
effort, which is usually expressed as a percentage.
✔✔Training Volume - ✔✔The sum of the (reps x sets) x resistance used.
✔✔Training Duration - ✔✔amount of time of a training session
✔✔Unloading phase - ✔✔The concentric phase
✔✔stretch-shortening cycle - ✔✔eccentric (stretch) contraction followed immediately by
concentric (shortening) contraction
✔✔Amortization phase - ✔✔the transition period between the eccentric and concentric
actions during plyometrics; a crucial part of the stretch-shortening cycle that contributes
to power development
,✔✔loading phase - ✔✔The eccentric phase of a reactive exercise
✔✔posterior pelvic tilt cause - ✔✔Rectus abdominis and hamstrings are thought to be
tight causes LESSER lordotic curve to lumbar spine
✔✔anterior pelvic tilt cause - ✔✔Hip flexors and erector spinae are expected to be tight
causes GREATER lumbar lordosis
✔✔PAR-Q reflects what three health indicators - ✔✔Current activity level, signs and
symptoms of disease, desired exercise intensity
✔✔high risk waist to hip ratio - ✔✔Men: moderate >0.96-1.
high>1
Women: moderate>0.81-.85
high >.86
✔✔Stages 3-5 (of the 5 stages/4 zones) are most appropriate for - ✔✔atheletes and
advanced fitness enthusiasts who seek greater cardiorespiratory conditioning (stages 1-
2 are best for those seeking to improve health)
✔✔Muscle involved in shoulder Extension in pulling movements - ✔✔Latissimus Dorsi,
teres major and minor, posterior deltoid
✔✔What percentage of people experience low-back pain in their lifetime - ✔✔80%
✔✔venous pooling - ✔✔accumulation of the blood in a part of the body
✔✔peripheral resistance - ✔✔the opposition that blood flow encounters in vessels away
from the heart
✔✔Frank-Starling Law of the Heart - ✔✔the more the heart fills with blood during
diastole, the greater the force of contraction during systole
✔✔Valsalva maneuver - ✔✔forcible exhalation against a closed glottis, resulting in
increased intrathoracic pressure
✔✔Stage 1 of training - ✔✔Goal: build aerobic base & foundational fitness
Steady State
below VT1
Improve cardio fitness
Work up to 30
once can do 30 min 3xwk ready for stage 2
, ✔✔Stage 2 of training - ✔✔Intermediate cardio fitness. Ready to train at higher
intensities.
Goal: increase workload (for fit enthusiasts wanting to further improve or weightloss)
Intervals just below or above VT1 (ex 1 min above 3 min below) increase to steady state
above VT1
Think Erica: couch to 5k
Ready for Stage 3 when work:rest is 1:1
✔✔Stage 3 of training - ✔✔Moderately advanced w/ good fitness base
looking to increase aerobic & anaerobic sys
HIIT
not for everyone
client moves thru zone 1, (briefly)2 &3 , always below 4
follow with a day of stage 1 training for recovery
work at stage 3 should start w. 30-60 sec working to decrease work/rest ratios.
✔✔DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) - ✔✔pain and stiffness felt in muscle
several hours to day after unaccustomed or strenuous exercise (24-72 hours after
exercise)
✔✔Vitamin C - ✔✔most transient, water soluble along w/ B vitamins, primary role is
collagen synthesis and antioxidant activity
✔✔Actions of golgi tendon organs - ✔✔Sense change in muscle-tendon tension and
speed of tension change--gives the we're ok sign after 30 sec
✔✔Underactive in overhead squat - ✔✔Gluteus Max & med, shin muscles
✔✔Very important prenatal vitamin - ✔✔Folate
✔✔Neuroplasticity - ✔✔the ability within the brain to constantly change both the
structure and function of many cells in response to experience or trauma
✔✔Remodeling - ✔✔The process of resorption and formation of bone
✔✔Neurocircuitry - ✔✔The interconnection of neurons in the brain and spinal cord.
✔✔Knee varus - ✔✔Knees bow outward (bowlegged); also known as genu varum.
