ISSA FINAL EXAM LATEST 2025-2026
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is the most superficial (closest to the surface) muscle of the abdominals. -
External obliques
Utilizing the FITT principle, how many times a week should a beginner client workout
for? - 3 times a week. This principle works best for beginners because it will show them
how to get started.
What is responsible for sensing excessive stretch to protect the muscle? - Muscle
spindle.
Cycling your training to help account for shock, compensation, and exhaustion is an
important part of periodization and refers to which principle? - The GAS principle.
1. "Alarm stage" applying intense training stress.
2. "Resistance stage" muscles evolve and adapt to handling heavier loads and resist
stressful weights more easily and effectively.
3. "Exhaustion stage" continually adding stress will exhaust our reserves and will
cease to function at peak performance.
To prevent the third stage from even happening, you need weeks of going "light";
decreasing the weight and intensity to give your body time to rest and recover.
The need for different phases of training helps to prevent what? - Overtraining
Mix things up a bit. Don't get stuck with using the same program/workouts over and over
again, which will lead to orthopedic stress. Incorporate different modes of training and
experiment. A good example is cross-training, which involves performing different
activities and sports to achieve a well-rounded and healthy body.
Individuals with hypertension should moderate their intake of what? - Salt
It has been shown to increase blood pressure in sodium-sensitive individuals. Half of
hypertensive individuals are sodium-sensitive.
A client performs 8 reps of the seated leg press at 320 lbs. What is their estimated
1RM? - 400 lbs
Take the weight that he lifted (320 lbs) and divide that by 80% (0.80 is the percent of
max) and that = 400 lbs.
,What would be a symptom of overtraining? - Decrease in performance
What is the recommended amount of fat per meal for a male client? - 2 thumbs
What muscle is the prime mover in the bench press? - Pectoralis major (sternal
pectoralis major) is the largest between the that and clavicular (upper chest) pectoralis.
How is strength usually measured? - 1RM test since strength is defined as the:
1. ability to contract muscles with maximum force.
2. Being able to exert musculoskeletal force against external object (weights, ground,
opponents).
What is an environmental stressor a client may experience? - Allergies
Especially for clients with asthma because their airways narrow and swell, and then fill
up with mucus causing breathing difficulties.
What type of muscle fiber is best for competing in a triathlon? - Type 1 (slow-twitch)
These fibers are fatigue resistant and focus on long-distance events where the body
utilizes the oxidative pathway.
Hold more mitochondria and myoglobin
"Keep shoulder blades down and together throughout the entire movement" is an
appropriate cue to give clients during what movement? - Dumbbell incline bench press
What are the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day? - 5 - 10 servings
per day. We need lots of vegetables because they are nutrient dense (has lots of
nutrients) and are essential to improved health.
What is the appropriate protein portion for men? - 2 palms. If you are looking to add
some lean mass, add an extra thumb of fat or another cupped handful of carbs for a few
meals.
Which type of contraction allows the muscles to "activate" but have no movement or
change in muscle length? - Isometric contraction. Exercises include: wall-sit, plank,
A client thinks they injured their shoulder, what should the trainer do? - Refer them to a
doctor. Personal trainers/fitness peeps are not qualified to diagnose injuries.
All activities begin in which energy pathway? - ATP/CP pathway. Doesn't matter how
long or how intense the activity is, every activity starts here. Myosin ATPase cuts off a
phosphate molecule from ATP and uses it for releasing energy.
, There are two types of overtraining:
1. Sympathetic: mostly seen in anaerobic clients, this type of overtraining affects the
sympathetic nervous system (speeds up bodily functions; increasing energy needs) and
results in increased resting heart rate, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite - which
leads to weight loss and decreased body mass, sleeping problems, emotional instability,
and an elevated basal metabolic rate.
2. Parasympathetic: mostly seen in aerobic clients, the opposite occurs. Since this
system slows down bodily functions and conserves energy, overtraining will result in
early onset of fatigue, increased resting heart rate, heart rate recovery after exercise
slows down, and an increase in resting blood pressure.
What is primarily responsible for strength gains in beginner clients? - Neural adaptations
Beginners will see a spike in strength and then hypertrophy comes after. Once they have
more strength, then they'll be able to lift heavier weights for more reps (6 - 12) =
hypertrophy.
What plane of motion does squatting take place in? - Sagittal plane
Any exercise where your body moves back to front or vice versa.
In a client's training cycle, one day or training session is known as what? - Microcycle
A microcycle can last a few days to a week, where mesocycle lasts months, and a
macrocycle lasts at least a year.
How often should information be collected when training with a client? - Once a month
From the start of day one, you will need to collect accurate, up-to-date information
regarding your client's health status and training progress.
What is a portion control strategy for women regarding carbs? - 1 cupped handful
It is an easy way to measure an appropriate amount of carbs if you feel like you're
eating too much.
When creating rigidity in the torso, what involves expiring against a closed glottis
combined with contracting muscles of the abdomen and rib cage? - Valsalva maneuver
This method causes intrathoracic pressure which leads to the veins becoming
compressed, significantly reducing venous blood flow into the heart and into the brain.
Used for short bouts of maximal effort.
QUESTIONS AND VERIFIED ANSWERS
What is the most superficial (closest to the surface) muscle of the abdominals. -
External obliques
Utilizing the FITT principle, how many times a week should a beginner client workout
for? - 3 times a week. This principle works best for beginners because it will show them
how to get started.
What is responsible for sensing excessive stretch to protect the muscle? - Muscle
spindle.
Cycling your training to help account for shock, compensation, and exhaustion is an
important part of periodization and refers to which principle? - The GAS principle.
1. "Alarm stage" applying intense training stress.
2. "Resistance stage" muscles evolve and adapt to handling heavier loads and resist
stressful weights more easily and effectively.
3. "Exhaustion stage" continually adding stress will exhaust our reserves and will
cease to function at peak performance.
To prevent the third stage from even happening, you need weeks of going "light";
decreasing the weight and intensity to give your body time to rest and recover.
The need for different phases of training helps to prevent what? - Overtraining
Mix things up a bit. Don't get stuck with using the same program/workouts over and over
again, which will lead to orthopedic stress. Incorporate different modes of training and
experiment. A good example is cross-training, which involves performing different
activities and sports to achieve a well-rounded and healthy body.
Individuals with hypertension should moderate their intake of what? - Salt
It has been shown to increase blood pressure in sodium-sensitive individuals. Half of
hypertensive individuals are sodium-sensitive.
A client performs 8 reps of the seated leg press at 320 lbs. What is their estimated
1RM? - 400 lbs
Take the weight that he lifted (320 lbs) and divide that by 80% (0.80 is the percent of
max) and that = 400 lbs.
,What would be a symptom of overtraining? - Decrease in performance
What is the recommended amount of fat per meal for a male client? - 2 thumbs
What muscle is the prime mover in the bench press? - Pectoralis major (sternal
pectoralis major) is the largest between the that and clavicular (upper chest) pectoralis.
How is strength usually measured? - 1RM test since strength is defined as the:
1. ability to contract muscles with maximum force.
2. Being able to exert musculoskeletal force against external object (weights, ground,
opponents).
What is an environmental stressor a client may experience? - Allergies
Especially for clients with asthma because their airways narrow and swell, and then fill
up with mucus causing breathing difficulties.
What type of muscle fiber is best for competing in a triathlon? - Type 1 (slow-twitch)
These fibers are fatigue resistant and focus on long-distance events where the body
utilizes the oxidative pathway.
Hold more mitochondria and myoglobin
"Keep shoulder blades down and together throughout the entire movement" is an
appropriate cue to give clients during what movement? - Dumbbell incline bench press
What are the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables per day? - 5 - 10 servings
per day. We need lots of vegetables because they are nutrient dense (has lots of
nutrients) and are essential to improved health.
What is the appropriate protein portion for men? - 2 palms. If you are looking to add
some lean mass, add an extra thumb of fat or another cupped handful of carbs for a few
meals.
Which type of contraction allows the muscles to "activate" but have no movement or
change in muscle length? - Isometric contraction. Exercises include: wall-sit, plank,
A client thinks they injured their shoulder, what should the trainer do? - Refer them to a
doctor. Personal trainers/fitness peeps are not qualified to diagnose injuries.
All activities begin in which energy pathway? - ATP/CP pathway. Doesn't matter how
long or how intense the activity is, every activity starts here. Myosin ATPase cuts off a
phosphate molecule from ATP and uses it for releasing energy.
, There are two types of overtraining:
1. Sympathetic: mostly seen in anaerobic clients, this type of overtraining affects the
sympathetic nervous system (speeds up bodily functions; increasing energy needs) and
results in increased resting heart rate, increased blood pressure, loss of appetite - which
leads to weight loss and decreased body mass, sleeping problems, emotional instability,
and an elevated basal metabolic rate.
2. Parasympathetic: mostly seen in aerobic clients, the opposite occurs. Since this
system slows down bodily functions and conserves energy, overtraining will result in
early onset of fatigue, increased resting heart rate, heart rate recovery after exercise
slows down, and an increase in resting blood pressure.
What is primarily responsible for strength gains in beginner clients? - Neural adaptations
Beginners will see a spike in strength and then hypertrophy comes after. Once they have
more strength, then they'll be able to lift heavier weights for more reps (6 - 12) =
hypertrophy.
What plane of motion does squatting take place in? - Sagittal plane
Any exercise where your body moves back to front or vice versa.
In a client's training cycle, one day or training session is known as what? - Microcycle
A microcycle can last a few days to a week, where mesocycle lasts months, and a
macrocycle lasts at least a year.
How often should information be collected when training with a client? - Once a month
From the start of day one, you will need to collect accurate, up-to-date information
regarding your client's health status and training progress.
What is a portion control strategy for women regarding carbs? - 1 cupped handful
It is an easy way to measure an appropriate amount of carbs if you feel like you're
eating too much.
When creating rigidity in the torso, what involves expiring against a closed glottis
combined with contracting muscles of the abdomen and rib cage? - Valsalva maneuver
This method causes intrathoracic pressure which leads to the veins becoming
compressed, significantly reducing venous blood flow into the heart and into the brain.
Used for short bouts of maximal effort.
