Question 1Planes of motion
During a forward lunge, the hips and knees flex and extend as the client steps ahead. In which plane does this movement occur?
Get ready for the NASM personal trainer exam, one domain at a time.
Find your weakest domain in a free 15-minute practice test, fix it with a short lesson, and practice client scenarios with every answer explained.
The only interactive course with a tutor that finds your weak spots and fixes them.
One payment in US dollars. Full refund within 14 days, for any reason.
Free heart rate zone calculator
Target heart rate by percent of max or heart rate reserve, with every step shown. The full table and both maximal heart rate formulas are on the calculator page.
Target heart rateEstimated
137-155bpm
60% to 75% of heart rate reserve (120 beats) plus the resting rate
- Maximal heart rate
- 185 bpm (220 - age)
- Heart rate reserve
- 185 - 65 = 120 beats
More free tools
- One-rep max calculatorEstimate 1RM from a set of 10 or fewer, then the load for stabilization, hypertrophy, strength and power.
- Training phase plannerSets, reps, tempo, rest and intensity for all five phases of the OPT model, with loads from a one-rep max.
- 15-question practice testWeighted like the exam blueprint: your score in each domain, a lesson on the weakest, and a plan. No account.
- Exam date and retest plannerYour last day to sit the exam after purchase, and your earliest retest date.
The six exam domains
120 four-option questions in two hours, 100 of them scored, with a scaled score of 70 to pass. Weights are from NASM's exam blueprint.
1. Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts
Body systems, planes of motion and muscle actions, energy systems, macronutrients, hydration and supplements.
15% of the exam
2. Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching
Rapport and active listening, SMART goals, the stages of change and behavior change strategies.
15% of the exam
3. Assessment
Health screening, heart rate and blood pressure, body composition, cardio tests, and posture and movement assessments.
16% of the exam
4. Program Design
Periodization and the five training phases, acute variables, flexibility, cardio, core, balance, reactive and SAQ training.
20% of the exam
5. Exercise Technique and Training Instruction
Exercise set-up, cueing, spotting, breathing, progressions and regressions, and the signs that mean stop.
24% of the exam
6. Professional Development and Responsibility
Ethics and scope of practice, credentials, marketing and sales, equipment safety and emergencies.
10% of the exam
Try one question from each domain
Question 2Stages of change
A client plans to start exercising within the next two weeks and has already joined a gym. Which approach fits this stage best?
Question 3Movement assessments
During the overhead squat, a client's knees move inward. Which muscles are likely overactive?
Question 4Acute variables
In the OPT model, what rest interval is prescribed between sets in Phase 1?
Question 5Spotting
What body position should a spotter take while spotting a heavy free-weight lift?
Question 6Scope of practice
Which of these activities falls within a certified personal trainer's scope of practice?
In the course
- 23 interactive lessons
- 285 practice questions
- 2 full 120-question, two-hour practice exams
Guides
Trainer Exam Genius Pro
US$49one payment
- 23 interactive lessons
- 285 practice questions
- 2 full 120-question practice exams
Full refund within 14 days. Ask within 14 days of paying, for any reason. Our refund promise still applies after you start the course. The note under the pay button is about the separate legal right to cancel. Terms
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