NASM: STRETCHING AND FLEXIBILITY
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2026 VERIFIED.
Integrated Stretching - ANS Self-myofascial techniques combined with assisted and self-
stretching techniques.
Fascia - ANS Connective tissue that surrounds muscles and bones.
True or False: Stretching can directly influence hydration. - ANS True
Regional Interdependence (RI) Model - ANS Assessment and intervention model used by
clinicians based on the concept that the site of a patient's primary complaint or symptoms is
affected by dysfunction in remote musculoskeletal regions.
Neurophysiological System - ANS A physiological system dealing with the functioning of
the nervous system.
Somatovisceral System - ANS The part of the sensory system that responds to changes in
internal body systems and organs.
Myofascia - ANS The functional combination of both muscle and connective tissues.
1
,Structural Efficiency - ANS The alignment of each segment of the human movement
system, which allows posture to be balanced in relation to a person's center of gravity.
Fascial System - ANS A three-dimensional continuum of soft, collagen-containing, loose,
and dense fibrous connective tissues that permeate the body providing functional structure and
environment.
Functional Efficiency - ANS The ability of the neuromuscular system to recruit correct
muscle synergies, at the right time, with the appropriate amount of force to perform functional
tasks with the least amount of energy and stress on the human movement system (HMS).
Fascial System Model - ANS The model of human movement that considers the
interconnectivity and interaction of the fascial system throughout the body.
Fascial Nets - ANS The concept of the myofascial tensional network that describes the
interconnectedness of specific chains of muscle and fascia located in different parts of the body
as they relate to functional movement patterns.
Super Compensation Hydration Phenomenon - ANS The effect on tissue after tissue has
been allowed to rest after stretch or compression; more fluid rushes back into the tissues than
was observed pre-stretch
Bound Water - ANS Water forming in liquid crystalline structured patterns; Bound water
has special molecular properties that enable it to perform many crucial functions, including
providing greater viscosity for the viscoelastic properties of fasciae. This property greatly
enhances the flexibility and elasticity of the fascial system
Bulk Water - ANS Polluted water;
2
, What other factors would be affecting a pronated foot-ankle complex, according to the RI? -
ANS A pronated foot-ankle complex is only one part of a cascading chain of events,
resulting in more proximal faulty positions, like with an internally rotated knee and hip that may
anteriorly rotate the pelvis
A truly balanced HMS will have what? - ANS Optimal structural and functional efficiency
with proper alignment of the kinetic chain checkpoints: the feet/ankles, knees, LPHC, shoulders,
and head and neck
True or False: The FS model may be thought of as an extension of the strategies used in the RI
model to include all the various types of connective tissues - ANS The FS model may be
thought of as an extension of the strategies used in the RI model to include all the various types
of connective tissues
What happens when a mechanical load is released? - ANS An influx of fresh fluids enters
to flush out metabolic waste, rehydrate, and bring fresh nutrients to the area.
Why is it important to have structural efficiency and the alignment of each component of the
human movement system (HMS)? - ANS This enables an individual to maintain their
center of gravity over a constantly changing base of support during all functional movements.
How does the Fascial System (FS) model add to functional efficiency within the human
movement system (HMS)? - ANS It intertwines the nervous system and muscular system,
creating a mechanically sensitive and responsive communication network.
Which of the following is the first definition of fascia according to the Fascial Research Society? -
ANS A fascia is a sheath, a sheet, or any other dissectible aggregations of connective
tissue that forms beneath the skin to attach, enclose, and separate muscles and other internal
organs.
3
CERTIFICATION EXAM QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS 2026 VERIFIED.
Integrated Stretching - ANS Self-myofascial techniques combined with assisted and self-
stretching techniques.
Fascia - ANS Connective tissue that surrounds muscles and bones.
True or False: Stretching can directly influence hydration. - ANS True
Regional Interdependence (RI) Model - ANS Assessment and intervention model used by
clinicians based on the concept that the site of a patient's primary complaint or symptoms is
affected by dysfunction in remote musculoskeletal regions.
Neurophysiological System - ANS A physiological system dealing with the functioning of
the nervous system.
Somatovisceral System - ANS The part of the sensory system that responds to changes in
internal body systems and organs.
Myofascia - ANS The functional combination of both muscle and connective tissues.
1
,Structural Efficiency - ANS The alignment of each segment of the human movement
system, which allows posture to be balanced in relation to a person's center of gravity.
Fascial System - ANS A three-dimensional continuum of soft, collagen-containing, loose,
and dense fibrous connective tissues that permeate the body providing functional structure and
environment.
Functional Efficiency - ANS The ability of the neuromuscular system to recruit correct
muscle synergies, at the right time, with the appropriate amount of force to perform functional
tasks with the least amount of energy and stress on the human movement system (HMS).
Fascial System Model - ANS The model of human movement that considers the
interconnectivity and interaction of the fascial system throughout the body.
Fascial Nets - ANS The concept of the myofascial tensional network that describes the
interconnectedness of specific chains of muscle and fascia located in different parts of the body
as they relate to functional movement patterns.
Super Compensation Hydration Phenomenon - ANS The effect on tissue after tissue has
been allowed to rest after stretch or compression; more fluid rushes back into the tissues than
was observed pre-stretch
Bound Water - ANS Water forming in liquid crystalline structured patterns; Bound water
has special molecular properties that enable it to perform many crucial functions, including
providing greater viscosity for the viscoelastic properties of fasciae. This property greatly
enhances the flexibility and elasticity of the fascial system
Bulk Water - ANS Polluted water;
2
, What other factors would be affecting a pronated foot-ankle complex, according to the RI? -
ANS A pronated foot-ankle complex is only one part of a cascading chain of events,
resulting in more proximal faulty positions, like with an internally rotated knee and hip that may
anteriorly rotate the pelvis
A truly balanced HMS will have what? - ANS Optimal structural and functional efficiency
with proper alignment of the kinetic chain checkpoints: the feet/ankles, knees, LPHC, shoulders,
and head and neck
True or False: The FS model may be thought of as an extension of the strategies used in the RI
model to include all the various types of connective tissues - ANS The FS model may be
thought of as an extension of the strategies used in the RI model to include all the various types
of connective tissues
What happens when a mechanical load is released? - ANS An influx of fresh fluids enters
to flush out metabolic waste, rehydrate, and bring fresh nutrients to the area.
Why is it important to have structural efficiency and the alignment of each component of the
human movement system (HMS)? - ANS This enables an individual to maintain their
center of gravity over a constantly changing base of support during all functional movements.
How does the Fascial System (FS) model add to functional efficiency within the human
movement system (HMS)? - ANS It intertwines the nervous system and muscular system,
creating a mechanically sensitive and responsive communication network.
Which of the following is the first definition of fascia according to the Fascial Research Society? -
ANS A fascia is a sheath, a sheet, or any other dissectible aggregations of connective
tissue that forms beneath the skin to attach, enclose, and separate muscles and other internal
organs.
3
