Free NSCA CSCS Practical Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An American football lineman feels he has lost his explosiveness and finds it tough to drive into defensive linemen. Which of the following exercise sequences will help this athlete perform better?
- leg (knee) curl, back squat, power clean, hip sled
- back squat, hip sled, leg (knee) curl, power clean
- hip sled, power clean, leg (knee) curl, back squat
- power clean, back squat, hip sled, leg (knee) curl (Correct answer)
Correct answer: power clean, back squat, hip sled, leg (knee) curl
To improve explosiveness and strength, exercises should be ordered from most neurologically demanding and complex to least. Power cleans are highly explosive and require significant neural activation, making them ideal to perform first when the athlete is fresh. They are followed by heavy compound lifts like back squats, then accessory movements like the hip sled, and finally isolation exercises like leg curls, which are less demanding.
Question 2: What on the list below DOESN'T belong in an emergency plan?
- emergency equipment
- emergency personnel
- emergency communication
- emergency medicine (Correct answer)
Correct answer: emergency medicine
An emergency plan outlines the systematic procedures, personnel roles, communication protocols, and necessary equipment for responding to emergencies. While providing medical care is the ultimate goal during an emergency, 'emergency medicine' itself (referring to specific drugs or treatments) is not a structural component of the *plan*. The plan details *how* to access and administer care, not the specific medications to be used.
Question 3: Which volume of the following has the MOST potential to boost physical strength?
- 1 set of 15 repetitions
- 1 set of 5 repetitions
- 5 sets of 5 repetitions (Correct answer)
- 5 sets of 15 repetitions
Correct answer: 5 sets of 5 repetitions
For maximizing physical strength, training programs typically involve moderate repetitions (1-6 reps) with multiple sets. Five sets of five repetitions (5x5) provides sufficient volume and intensity to stimulate significant strength adaptations. A single set is generally insufficient for optimal strength gains, and 15 repetitions per set is usually associated with muscle hypertrophy or endurance, not maximal strength development.
Question 4: Golgi tendon organs are activated during PNF stretching and permit the relaxation of the
- stretched muscle by its own contraction (Correct answer)
- reciprocal muscle by its own contraction
- reciprocal muscle by contracting the stretched muscle
- stretched muscle by contracting the reciprocal muscle
Correct answer: stretched muscle by its own contraction
Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) are sensory receptors located in the tendons that detect changes in muscle tension. During PNF stretching, when the stretched muscle is actively contracted, the GTOs are activated. This activation sends inhibitory signals to the spinal cord, causing the *stretched muscle* to relax more deeply, a phenomenon known as autogenic inhibition.
Question 5: Which of the following trajectories will result in the MOST trusted outcomes?
- 1RM bench press, 1RM power clean, T-test, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run
- 1RM power clean, T-test, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run, 1RM bench press
- T-test, 1RM power clean, 1RM bench press, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run (Correct answer)
- 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run, 1RM bench press, T-test, 1RM power clean
Correct answer: T-test, 1RM power clean, 1RM bench press, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run
To achieve the most trusted and accurate outcomes in a testing battery, tests should be ordered to minimize the impact of fatigue from one test on subsequent performances. The optimal sequence typically starts with non-fatiguing agility tests (T-test), followed by power tests (1RM power clean), then strength tests (1RM bench press), and finally highly fatiguing aerobic endurance tests (1.5 mile run). This order ensures that maximal effort can be given to each test type.
Question 6: The length of an athlete's stride when upright sprinting is mostly determined by________.
- the amount of horizontal force produced during the toe-off of the stance phase
- the amount of vertical force produced during the stance phase (Correct answer)
- the athlete's flexibility
- the athlete's stride rate
Correct answer: the amount of vertical force produced during the stance phase
While horizontal force is crucial for forward propulsion, the *length* of an athlete's stride during upright sprinting is primarily determined by the amount of vertical force produced during the stance phase. Greater vertical force allows the athlete to project their body upwards and forwards more effectively, increasing air time and thus extending the distance covered with each stride before the next foot contact.
Question 7: What does the phrase "impulse" mean?
- the relationship between force and time (Correct answer)
- the relationship between force and velocity
- the relationship between power and velocity
- the relationship between acceleration and velocity
Correct answer: the relationship between force and time
In physics and biomechanics, impulse is defined as the product of force and the time interval over which that force acts (Impulse = Force × Time). It quantifies the effect of a force applied over a period, directly relating to the change in momentum of an object. This concept is fundamental to understanding how forces influence an athlete's movement and performance.
Question 8: Which season, in the context of periodization periods, corresponds to the training's preparation phase?
- off-season (Correct answer)
- postseason
- in-season
- preseason
Correct answer: off-season
In the context of periodization, the off-season corresponds to the general preparation phase of training. During this period, athletes focus on developing a broad base of general physical fitness, strength, and conditioning. This foundational work prepares them for the more specific and intense training phases that occur closer to the competitive season.
Question 9: Before beginning a lower body plyometric training program, which of the following should be evaluated? I. balance Strength II III. Training background IV. Fourth, "lean body mass"
- I, II, and III only (Correct answer)
- I, II, III, and IV
- I and III only
- II and IV only
Correct answer: I, II, and III only
Before initiating a lower body plyometric training program, it is crucial to evaluate an athlete's balance, strength, and training background. Adequate balance and strength are essential prerequisites to safely and effectively perform plyometric exercises, minimizing injury risk. The athlete's training history helps determine appropriate exercise selection and progression, while lean body mass is not a direct prerequisite for starting plyometrics.
Question 10: Which of the following activities shouldn't be done when a medial collateral ligament injury is in the inflammatory response phase?
- hip joint stretching
- upper extremity ergometry
- lower extremity plyometrics (Correct answer)
- submaximal isometric quadriceps strengthening
Correct answer: lower extremity plyometrics
The inflammatory response phase of an MCL injury is characterized by pain, swelling, and compromised tissue integrity. Lower extremity plyometrics involve rapid, powerful, and often high-impact movements that would place excessive, uncontrolled stress on the healing ligament. This could exacerbate inflammation, delay recovery, or even cause re-injury, making them inappropriate during this delicate healing stage.
Question 11: In which of the following structures does the stretch reflex first appear when there is rapid movement?
- muscle spindle (Correct answer)
- Golgi tendon organ
- Pacinian corpuscle
- extrafusal muscle fiber
Correct answer: muscle spindle
The muscle spindle is a specialized sensory receptor located within the muscle belly that detects changes in muscle length and the rate of stretch. When a muscle is rapidly stretched, the muscle spindle is activated, sending a signal to the spinal cord that immediately triggers a reflexive contraction of the stretched muscle, known as the stretch reflex. This protective mechanism helps prevent overstretching and injury.
Free NSCA CSCS Practical Questions and Answers
An American football lineman feels he has lost his explosiveness and finds it tough to drive into defensive linemen.
Which of the following exercise sequences will help this athlete perform better?
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