NSCA Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) Practice Exam

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• Which grappling combination is considered correct for the deadlift grip?
• What is the recommended coach-to-participant ratio during peak weight room usage time in a collegiate setting?
• Which factor should be evaluated FIRST when designing a training program for a 68-year-old competitive tennis player?
• A female triathlete needs to improve the muscular endurance of her upper body. Using 3 sets x 15 reps per exercise, which of the following rest period lengths will MAXIMIZE her goal?
• Which of the following does NOT normally increase during an aerobic exercise session?
• Which action would disqualify a T-test trial?
• Which test is MOST valid for measuring muscular power in a college basketball player?
• When an eating disorder is suspected, the strength and conditioning professional should
• Pace/tempo training is performed at an intensity equal to which threshold?
• Impulse refers to which relationship?
• Which term best describes a short training cycle typically lasting about one week?
• Which is NOT part of caffeine's role in improving athletic performance?
• In the context of emergency planning, which element is not required?
• Which of the following is NOT typically the result of overuse?
• Which of the following is NOT a key consideration when determining space requirements for a college strength and conditioning facility?
• Creatine supplementation is most likely to improve which of the following?
• Maintaining adequate glycogen stores primarily affects energy use by sparing which resource?
• Creatine supplementation improves all of the following variables EXCEPT
• In athletes, the increased need for protein is best explained by which of the following?
• Which method is most commonly used to assign and regulate exercise intensity?
• Which combination includes only stimulants?
• Acute hormonal responses after resistance training provide all of the following information except
• Which factor would most likely reduce the reliability of maximal strength testing?
• Choose the item that is not part of an emergency plan.
• Power is calculated as the product of force and velocity. Which option lists the correct components?
• Training on instability devices reduces the athlete's overall agonist force production capacity and power output to less than what percent of what can be achieved in stable conditions?
• To improve testing reliability, which action is recommended?
• In an effective emergency response framework, which option does not belong?
• Which nutrient deficiency is most commonly associated with fatigue and reduced athletic performance?
• During a competition lasting less than 1 hour, how often should athletes drink water or a sports drink?
• Which energy system uses creatine phosphate for rapid ATP resynthesis?
• Which sprint distance is used in the football-specific performance test battery described?
• Which substance acts at the NMJ to excite the muscle fibers of a motor unit?
• Which of the following is most likely to contribute to fatigue and poor performance?
• Which plane best describes the primary movement plane in a vertical jump?
• A 17 year old high school cross-country runner has been training aerobically for six months in preparation for the upcoming season. Which of the following adaptations will occur in the muscles during that time?
• An Olympic weightlifter focusing intently on the performance while ignoring external distractions demonstrates which cognitive ability?
• During which sport season should the longest aerobic endurance training sessions be performed?
• In the rehabilitation scenario, which rotator cuff muscle is explicitly mentioned?
• Which of the following should be assessed before beginning a lower body plyometric training program?
• An 8-year-old boy dramatically increased his upper body strength after six months of resistance training. Which adaptation is most likely responsible?
• Which of the following combinations represents the primary training adaptations observed in elite aerobically trained athletes?
• With regard to core training, when is instability exercise best applied?
• Which of the following is a non-temperature-related effect of a warm up?
• Which sequence of exercises is identified as the BEST order for an offensive lineman to enhance explosive performance?
• Which statement is NOT listed as an adaptation outcome of aerobic endurance training?
• What is the recommended minimum distance between the floor and the bottom of the mirrors on the walls?
• Following a period of chronic high-intensity resistance training, which adaptation would NOT be expected consequent to this type of anaerobic exercise?
• Which professional cannot provide medical supervision during a college soccer match?
• Where should a spotter place their hands during incline dumbbell bench press?
• Which test is commonly used to assess lower-body power through staircase stepping?
• Which two hormones are identified as enhancers of muscle tissue growth?
• In athletic nutrition, maintaining glycogen stores helps spare energy from which macronutrient?
• Which component is not part of an emergency plan's framework?
• Which of the following is characteristic of anorexia nervosa?
• The rotator cuff muscles act as stabilizers to which joint?
• Power is defined as which of the following?
• Drills that require rapid response to a stimulus are best for measuring which attribute?
• How does optimal arousal level change when an activity is of limited skill and ability to perform?
• Approximately how many net ATP are produced via the oxidative energy system from the metabolism of one molecule?
• Which season corresponds to the preparatory period of training?
• Soccer team is transitioning from off-season to preseason training. How should the team's resistance training frequency be altered?
• Which energy system produces ATP at the quickest rate?
• Growth cartilage in children is located at which structure?
• The amount of blood ejected from the left ventricle during each beat is the
• Which of these would be unnecessary in a standard emergency plan?
• The primary movement during the second pull phase of the power clean exercise is
• Which component is not typically addressed within an emergency plan?
• Which element is not typically included when developing an emergency plan?
• Which grips should be used during the deadlift exercise?
• Flexibility of which body areas is assessed during the sit-and-reach test?
• What is the correct order of the four phases involved in designing a new strength and conditioning facility?
• During PNF stretching, Golgi tendon organs allow the relaxation of the
• In sprinting, how do elite sprinters compare to novice sprinters in ground contact time and force?
• After a bout of resistance training, acute hormonal secretions provide all of the following information to the body EXCEPT
• Which of the following protein sources does not contain all essential amino acids in appreciable quantities?
• Which neural mechanisms contribute to increased range of motion in hold-relax with agonist contraction stretching?
• What is the primary reason for using variable-resistance training methods?
• If evaluating an emergency plan, which choice would be identified as not part of the plan?
• The precompetition meal should emphasize which macronutrient to support performance?
• Which performance or physiological characteristic is NOT usually observed in a state of nonfunctional overreaching (NFOR) within athlete populations?
• Which of the following volumes has the potential to increase muscular strength the MOST?
• Which test is used to measure maximum muscular power?
• In the General Adaptation Syndrome, which stage is associated with the body adapting to heavier training loads?
• When throwing a baseball, which structure detects and responds to rapid stretch by reflexively increasing muscle activity?
• During which period are sport-specific activities performed in the greatest volume?
• Which hormone has the greatest influence on neural change?
• In upright sprinting, stride length is largely dependent on what?
• An American football lineman has difficulty driving into defensive linemen and believes he has lost his explosive ability. Which of the following is the BEST exercise order to help this athlete improve his performance?
• During a box-to-box plyometric drop jump, which muscle fiber type is bypassed through selective recruitment in rapid force production?
• During a free weight exercise, muscle force varies with which combination of factors?
• Which item is not considered a component of emergency planning?
• Which item is not considered part of an emergency plan's core elements?
• Which fiber-type transformation is most likely to occur with chronic high-intensity resistance training?
• Which performance-enhancing substance is most likely to increase lean body mass?
• What is the term for a medium-sized training cycle lasting two to six weeks?
• Which test is NOT used to measure maximum muscular power?
• Which metric is commonly used to set training zones for endurance workouts?
• Which of the following exercises requires a spotter?
• In a periodized training plan, which phase immediately follows the preparatory period?
• An athlete performing a concentric isokinetic elbow flexion and extension exercise. Which type(s) of lever occur(s) at the elbow during this exercise?
• Among the following, which is not a part of an emergency plan?
• In the General Adaptation Syndrome, which stage is the initial response to a new stressor?
• Which adaptation is commonly elevated after a period of heavy resistance training?
• Which energy substrate cannot be depleted during extreme exercise intensities or durations?
• Which ECG component is most directly associated with ventricular depolarization?
• Which statement best explains why space is left between the ends of racks?
• If during the tire flip the athlete's hips rise faster than the shoulders during the initial pushing motion, what is an effective correction to give the athlete?
• During the preparatory period, which training focuses are commonly used?
• To compare performances of Olympic weightlifters of different body weights, the classic formula divides the load lifted by the athlete's
• What is the minimum recommended space between the ends of racks to provide room for spotters?
• Which adaptation is specifically associated with increased pennation angle in some muscles after strength training?
• The primary macronutrient that is addressed in the precompetition meal is
• Which adaptations occur as an outcome of an aerobic endurance training program?
• Which type of activity is inappropriate during the inflammatory response phase of a medial collateral ligament sprain?
• Which of the following is NOT one of the phases of healing following an injury?
• Which of the following is NOT a function of growth hormone?
• From which structure is the heart's electrical impulse normally initiated?
• Anaerobic capacity is quantified as the maximal power output achieved during activity lasting which duration?
• Which dietary adjustment is recommended to improve your lipid profile?
• Which item is NOT part of the records that should be kept on file in the strength and conditioning facility?
• Which substance regulates muscle actions?
• Which of the following structures detects rapid movement and initiates the stretch reflex?
• The bench press, vertical jump, and 10m (11-yard) sprint are the MOST valid tests for which American football position?
• Growth cartilage in children is located at all of the following EXCEPT which structure?
• In the step-up pattern, which sequence represents proper alternating foot movement?
• Which statement describes fat utilization as a result of aerobic endurance training?
• Which stretching technique decreases muscle spindle stimulation?
• Pace/tempo training is conducted at what intensity?
• Which sequence will produce the MOST reliable results?
• In addition to beginning a plyometric program, which resistance exercises are MOST specific to increasing vertical jump height for a basketball center?
• The rotator cuff muscles stabilize which joint?
• Deconditioned female college athletes who participate in sports such as basketball and soccer are at increased risk for injuries to which joint?
• Which rest period length will maximize muscular endurance for a 3 sets x 15 reps protocol?
• Which option does not belong in the set of emergency plan components?
• An athlete’s desire to perform to his or her potential is an example of which motivational construct?
• When most volleyball team vertical jump scores are similar but three scores are much higher, which measure of central tendency is most appropriate?
• During the maturation-remodeling phase of rotator cuff tendinitis rehabilitation, which exercise repetition range is MOST appropriate to improve muscular endurance?
• Which combination of neural adaptations contributes to augmented neural drive after resistance training?
• Which statement BEST explains the need for increased protein intake for athletes?
• Which of the following substances can be metabolized anaerobically?
• Which two hormones among the following are known to enhance skeletal muscle growth?
• During the QRS complex, which statement is true?
• During ATP hydrolysis used for muscle contraction, which products are released?
• The bone mineral density that is more than 2.5 standard deviations below the young adult mean is classified as which condition?
• In which of the following athletes might you expect limited bone mineral density (BMD) levels as a consequence of the force vectors and the physical demands associated with the given sport?
• The mean arterial pressure is defines as the
• What is the best reason for aerobic endurance athletes to avoid erythropoietin use?
• Which combination explains the increased flexibility after hold-relax with agonist contraction PNF stretching of the hamstrings?
• The loss of physiological adaptations upon cessation of training is an example of
• Which work-to-rest ratio is MOST appropriate for a plyometric training workout?
• Which of the following is a recommendation for lowering undesirably high levels of blood lipids?
• In facility planning, during which phase should a master plan be created?
• All of the following procedures should be followed when testing an athlete's CV fitness in the heat EXCEPT
• Which events are associated with the QRS complex on an ECG?
• Which of the following is not involved in an emergency plan's structure?
• In addition to plyometric training, which two resistance exercises are MOST specific to improving vertical jump height for a basketball center?
• Which statement is NOT a primary adaptation observed in elite aerobically trained athletes?
• Which adaptation is associated with aerobic endurance training?
• Which training volume is most likely to increase muscular strength?
• In weightlifting performance scaling, which exponent is used to normalize for body size?
• The motivation to perform to one’s full potential is best described as which concept?
• Following resistance training, augmented neural drive to the working musculature is primarily due to which combination of adaptations?
• Which is the correct foot pattern in the step-up exercise?
• Which reaction is the primary cause of metabolic acidosis during high-intensity exercise?
• To improve change-of-direction ability, which training aspect requires extra emphasis?
• Which set of factors could potentially affect the test-retest reliability when measuring maximal strength in soccer players?
• Which of the following is a rationale for using variable-resistance training methods?
• Which of the following is a recognized phase of tissue healing?
• Stimulation of muscle spindles induces a
• In a scenario where a player receives a reward for meeting a performance goal, this is an example of which form of reinforcement?
• Warm-up effects: which statements are observed?
• Which statement about caffeine's effect on fat oxidation during exercise is supported by the material?
• During emergency planning, which item would be excluded?
• Following prolonged detraining in elite strength/power athletes, which physical characteristic will show the largest reduction due to the removal of an anaerobic stimulus?
• If a strong athlete incorporates only unilateral training into his or her program, what might the strength and conditioning professional expect to happen?
• Which description best defines selective attention in sports performance?
• In a dataset with several extreme high scores, which measure best represents the typical value?
• Which of the following is part of the records that should be kept on file in a strength and conditioning facility?
• In teaching the push press, which sequence demonstrates segmentation with pure-part training integration?
• If running economy improves, at a given submaximal speed an athlete will typically exhibit which of the following?
• Which neural change is a marker of augmented neural drive that can improve force production?
• Which of the following is NOT a phase of the stretch-shortening cycle?
• A vertical jump involves knee, hip, and shoulder movement primarily in which anatomical plane?
• Which of the following makes the GREATEST contribution to total energy expenditure?
• Which individual is responsible for allowing an athlete to begin formal involvement in a strength and conditioning program?
• During the transition from off-season to preseason, the team's resistance training frequency should be adjusted in which way, to allow increased sport skill practice?
• The strength and conditioning professional's knowledge and skill development includes competencies in all of the following EXCEPT
• What type of resistance training workout promotes the highest growth hormone increases following the exercise session?
• Which of the following types of plyometric drills is generally considered to be the MOST intense?
• Which substance is the fastest direct source of phosphate for ATP resynthesis in the phosphagen system?
• Which of the following is a reason for a trial of the T-test to be disqualified?
• During which exercise should a spotter's hands be placed on the athlete's forearms near the wrists?