The NASM Practice Test
For every personal trainer wanting to succeed in the fitness industry, obtaining a NASM certification is an important big step. This certification is granted by the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM). NASM is a globally renowned health and fitness organization operating for 30 years. NASM certified personal trainers are accredited by NCCA (National Commission for Certifying Agencies). This makes NASM certification the most desirable among employers in the fitness industry.
A NASM certified personal trainer (NASM-CPT) can join the fitness industry in just a few weeks and start helping people to live a healthier life. This valuable certification can be achieved after qualifying on the NASM practice test.
To enroll for the NASM practice test, the candidate must be at least 18 years old. Also, the candidate also needs to have a high school diploma or within 90 days of completion. In case the candidate does not have a high school diploma, an equivalent certification or diploma is required such as Admissions Officers for secondary education or American Association of Collegiate Registrars.
Additionally, candidates must have certification for Automated External Defibrillator (AED) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) from a registered provider. These certifications should include hands-on training from approved organizations like American Heart Association, American Red Cross, American Safety and Health Institute, etc. NASM provides a complete list of registered providers on their official website.
NASM practice test includes 120 multiple choice questions to be answered in 2 hours. Candidates are not allowed to take any phones, computers, or other electronic devices with them inside the examination room. The exam is completely online. It is administered by an independent vendor PSI which has many testing locations across the globe including U.S. and Canada. Candidates can check their scores immediately after the exam to know if they have qualified for the NASM certification or not. Qualified candidates can use the title of NASM-CPT.
NASM commissioned the Professional Examination Service or ProExam in 2015 for a practice analysis of CPTs. This exam has helped NASM to assess the knowledge and skills of the candidates to become successful CPTs. The practice analysis test comprises 17% of Sciences and Nutritional Concepts, 18% of Assessment, 21% of Program Design, 22% of exercise and training instruction, 12% of client Behavioral Coaching and 10% of professional development.
NASM Practice Tests Domains
Domain 1
In this domain, the candidate is assessed on the basis of nutritional concept and science at both basic and applied levels. Broadly considering it, the subject focuses on human anatomy, metabolism, and bioenergetics that comprise a detailed study of the human nervous system, skeletal system, cardiovascular system, muscular system, digestive system, and endocrine system.
The domain also includes studies related to human movement, biomechanics, principles of human movement, micro & macronutrients, calories, hydration, body energy, dietary system, and different kinds of diets. This further takes into account various aspects of weight management and physiology. It also includes education on the effects, benefits, applications, and risks related to popular nutrition plans and nutrition supplements.
Domain 2
This domain has been designed to evaluate the candidate’s capability of on the spot assessment. This assessment is followed by a detailed documentation by the candidate which will then be used to interpret and develop a fitness plan for a client. This assessment includes questions related to static posture, body movement, strength, body flexibility, cardio and respiratory assessment, body composition, etc.
The domain further evaluates the candidate's knowledge through PAR-Q assessment. The other aspects of assessment involve medical history, risk factors, lifestyle changes, and criteria that determines if a client needs to be referred due to certain conditions that are out of scope.
Domain 3
This domain performs evaluation on a candidate’s ability to assess and design appropriate exercise programs for clients. The assessment is conducted in areas of flexibility, resistance training, core training, balance workouts, cardio-respiratory workouts, plyometric training, and speed training.
The domain further evaluates the candidate's knowledge to conduct assessment based on proprioceptive manipulation, exercise progression and regression, periodization concepts, general adaptation syndrome, acute variables, risks and rewards of exercises, recovery and rest, current techniques, uses and implementations of fitness technology, ability to develop exercise programs for varied groups of the population.
Domain 4
This domain focused on techniques of exercises and different methods of training. This is assessed on the basis of the candidate's ability of instruction. The assessment criteria include the candidate’s knowledge of safe and effective ways to exercise, spotting the techniques when required, correcting set-ups, and different forms of training and exercise methods.
This further includes knowledge on appropriate warm-ups and cool-down sessions, techniques of cueing, adopting safer methods to exercise, checkpoints on kinetic chains, and signs that indicate a modification in current training procedures are required.
Domain 5
The fifth domain includes evaluations related to the relationship with clients and their behavioral studies. This broadly diversifies into areas like communication with clients, professional relationship between client and certified personal trainer, guiding clients to switch to healthier lifestyle changes, listening patiently to all problems faced by individual clients, developing fitness goals for clients, overcoming obstacles to behavioral changes, studying client’s psychological response to training and suggested fitness program.
Domain 6
The sixth domain takes into account the developmental aspects of professionalism and its responsibilities. The domain evaluates a candidate’s knowledge on the basics of business in the fitness industry, along with skills on adopting the right marketing strategies and sales methods.
The domain further focuses on the candidate’s ability on developing the business of personal training, maintaining equipments and infrastructure, understanding the limitations of a certified personal trainer, taking measures to avoid or prevent emergencies, knowledge on occupational limitations of a personal trainer, earning and sustaining professional credentials, use of appropriate resources related to health and fitness education, exploring growth opportunities in business, understanding of ethical standards of business practice, and knowledge of code of conduct in the profession as a certified personal trainer.
The NASM practice test resource is provided absolutely free by Mometrix Test Preparation offered by Mometrix Academy.
Conclusion
We hope this information on the NASM practice test has helped you to understand the assessment criteria of NASM better. Here we guided you through the process of the NASM practice test so that you can prepare yourself to ace the certification test for a brilliant career in the fitness industry.