PRIMAL ACADEMY FOR SPORTS SCIENCE

ANSWER KEYS
PAPER 1
1 Which of the following is within the ACE Personal Trainer scope of practice?
a. Helping clients gain a better understanding of portion sizes and healthful foods so they can
make better food choices
b. Providing clients with recipes for 4 weeks to get them on track with healthful eating
c. Conducting 24‐hour dietary recalls to help clients learn where they have micronutrient
deficiencies
d. Education clients about resting metabolic rates (RMR) and the importance of consuming fewer
calories than that in order to lose weight

2 Which are the three sites used when performing Jackson‐Pollack skinfold measurements on a male
client?
a. Chest – suprailiac ‐ thigh
b. Triceps – abdomen – thigh
c. Abdomen – chest ‐ triceps
d. Thigh – abdomen – chest

3 A prospective client tells you that she used to participate in 10K and 21K running events before
having
twin girls 2 years ago. Although she had wanted to keep running, she has not been able to find the
time since her daughters were born. Now that they are in daycare 3 mornings a week, she has been
going for walks and running a bit. She has decided that she wants to run her first marathon next year
and is therefore seeking your help. Based on this, what stages of change has she been through from
pre‐pregnancy to meeting with you today?
a. Action – precontemplation – action
b. Maintenance – contemplation – action
c. Action – maintenance – preparation
d. Maintenance – contemplation – preparation

4 Complete the following statement: “The medial epicondyle is situated more…………..”

a. toward the front of the body than the lateral epicondyle
b. toward the back of the body than the lateral epicondyle
c. toward the midline of the body than the lateral epicondyle
d. away from the midline of the body than the lateral epicondyle
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5 Which of the following goals would you describe as a SMART goal?

a. “I will improve my cholesterol and blood pressure through better eating and exercise.”
b. “I will run 4 days per week, gradually progressing from 10 to 40 minutes duration to prepare
for a 5K run in 4 months.”
c. “I will lose 9 kgs for my trip to Japan in 2 months by exercising 7 days a week to maximise
results.”
d. “I will try a new group exercise class each week to avoid boredom.”
6 Which of the following documents represents a client’s voluntary abandonment of the right to file
a
lawsuit against the personal trainer?
a. Informed consent form
b. Release of liability waiver
c. Behavioral contract
d. Medical release form

7 Which of the following movements takes place in the frontal plane?

a. Scapular depression
b. Shoulder extension
c. Hip horizontal abduction
d. Ankle plantarflexion

8 During your initial interview with a new client, you learn that his motivation to sign up for personal
training was based on a recent medical exam during which his physician informed him he was
perhypertensive
(BP = 137/88), had high cholesterol (Total = 227) and a family history of cardiovascular
disease. Based on this, what model would best explain his motivation to exercise?
a. Transtheoretical model of change
b. Cognitive behavioural techniques
c. Negative reinforcement
d. Health belief model

9 You are working with a client who is beginning to perform basic bodyweight squats with fairly
decent
form. She is now ready for more specific feedback to help her refine her squatting technique. In
which
stage of motor learning would she be classified in relation to this exercise?
a. Associative
b. Cognitive
c. Autonomous
d. Independent
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10 You are evaluating your new client’s mobility using a few key movement screens. You ask her to
perform the bend and lift screen. Which observation would indicate that your client may suffer from
weak knee extensors?
a. Her hamstrings touch her calves at the lower end of the movement
b. She initiates the movement at the knees
c. Her left knee moves inward as she moves downward
d. Her heels raise off the floor at the end of the movement

11 Your new client has come in for an initial assessment. You are evaluating her posture and you
notice
that she has a long outward curve of the thoracic spine with an accentuated lumbar curve and a
backward shift of the upper trunk. How would you describe your client’s postural deviation?
a. Kyphosis
b. Lordosis
c. Flat back
d. Sway back
12 You have been working with your client for about 3 weeks now and believe it is time to introduce
interval training to her cardiorespiratory training program i.e. you think she is ready to enter Phase 2
of her program. What primary goal of introducing this type of training at this stage?
a. To improve aerobic endurance by raising the intensity of exercise
b. To add variety to the program to avoid boredom
c. To help your client exercise at intensities beyond her first ventilatory threshold (VT1)
d. To increase your client’s adherence to the program by improving her mood state

13 Which of the following BEST describes the personal trainer’s role in the allied healthcare
continuum?
a. Personal trainers are able to provide detailed dietary planning to combat chronic illnesses
b. Personal trainers are at the top of the allied healthcare pyramid due to the amount of time
they spend with clients
c. Personal trainers can design exercise programs and show clients how to exercise effectively
while following physicians’ general recommendations
d. Personal trainers are licensed professionals who can prescribe specific exercise programs

14 Which muscles act as prime movers (agonists) for shoulder joint adduction at various points
through
the full range of motion of a wide‐grip pull‐up?
a. Trapezius and rhomboids
b. Deltoids and latissimus dorsi
c. Teres major and serratus anterior
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d. Pectoralis major and latissimus dorsi

15 Which of the following is NOT included in the definition of a professional’s “scope of practice”?
a. The legal range of services that can be provided by professionals in a specific field
b. The code of ethics that must be adhered to while in the workplace
c. The setting in which the professional services can be provided
d. Guidelines or parameters that must be followed while providing the services

16 In your notes regarding a client performing the external and internal shoulder rotation tests, you
recorded that the client displayed potential tightness in the infraspinatus and teres major. What
might
you have observed during the test that led to that conclusion?
a. Client externally rotated the forearms 90 degrees to touch the mat
b. Client displayed discrepancies between arms when externally rotating the forearms
c. Client internally rotated the forearms 70 degrees toward the mat
d. Client displayed discrepancies between arms when internally rotating the forearms

17 Your client has spent the weekend in a local tennis tournament and shows up for his workout
complaining of muscular aches and pains. What would be an appropriate response on your part?
a. You should recommend the use of an over‐the‐counter anti‐inflammatory medication
b. You should recommend the use of a creatine supplement prior to his or her next tournament
c. Provide your client with deep tissue massage to help relieve the soreness
d. Discuss proper technique to use for icing the affected areas

18 What is the best strategy to implement to enhance the likelihood of your clients continuing to
work
with you?
a. Designing a program so the client can work out without having to think about the exercises
b. Motivating your clients through extrinsic motivators to enhance self‐efficacy
c. Encouraging client ownership of the program to facilitate the development of intrinsic
motivation
d. Creating an exercise coaching style based primarily on direction rather than education to
ensure they need your continued knowledge

19 Your client is in phase 3 of the cardiorespiratory training component of the ACE IFT Model and is
beginning to use the three‐zone training model based on ventilatory threshold. Approximately what
percentage of his time should be spent training between VT1 and VT2?
a. >80%
b. 70–80%
c. 10–20%
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d. <10%

20 You have just completed your initial discussions with four new clients described briefly below.
Which
of these clients is MOST LIKELY to adhere to a supervised physical‐activity program?
a. Bill – is a highly motivated beginner who wants to start a vigorous‐intensity exercise program
b. Adam ‐ perceives his health to be poor and has been encouraged by his doctor to exercise
c. Don – is obese and concerned that be may develop some of the unfavorable health conditions
that are common in his family
d. Troy – is a middle‐aged man with pre‐hypertension who believes he has personal control over
his health

21 Which of the following pelvic tilt screens may be invalid if your client has a well‐developed
gluteus
maximus?
a. The relationship of the ASIS and PSIS
b. The appearance of lordosis in the lumbar spine
c. The alignment of the pubic bone to the ASIS
d. The degree of flexion or hyperextension in the knees

22 Which of the following would best help you develop rapport with a new client during your initial
interview session?
a. Looking away from the client frequently to prevent staring while sitting with good posture and
a slight forward lean.
b. Speaking in a soft, friendly voice while leaning back against the chair armrest with forearms
and legs crossed calmly.
c. Maintaining direct eye contact, always smiling and showing enthusiasm throughout the
session.
d. Speaking in a firm voice with confidence, sitting with a slight forward lean, using fluid hand
gestures while speaking and keeping your hands still while listening
.
23 Which pair of muscles is BEST strengthened by shoulder shrugs performed against resistance?
a. Rhomboid major and rhomboid minor
b. Pectoralis minor and serratus anterior
c. Levator scapulae and trapezius
d. Teres major and latissimus dorsi
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24 You have a client who wants to gain muscle mass and he tells you he has recently purchased
whey
protein isolate, BCAAs and creatine. You assure him that he can reach his goals without the use of
these supplements, yet he insists on trying them out because his friends all have. What should you
do?
a. Refer your client to your club manager to help you make your case
b. Refer the client to a registered dietitian or physician
c. Check that your health club’s insurance policy covers the sale of these products
d. Tell your client that you cannot train him unless he agrees to stop using these products

25 Performance training including speed, agility, quickness and reactivity drills would be most
appropriate
for which of your following clients?
a. 45‐year‐old male competitive tennis player
b. 33‐year‐old female triathlete
c. 27‐year‐old male power lifter
d. 52‐year‐old female competitive golfer

26 What is the MOST effective way to teach a new exercise to a client?

a. Show the client how to do the exercise, then have them perform it while mirroring to provide
a good example of form
b. Tell the client what the exercise is, demonstrate it and have the client perform the exercise
while providing feedback
c. Use photos of the exercise to help explain the exercise to the client, then have the client
perform the exercise while providing feedback
d. Have the client perform the exercise while providing verbal instructions to coach him through
it with proper form

27 Which of the following intervention strategies would be LEAST APPROPRIATE when working with
a
neighbour who is in the pre‐contemplation stage?
a. Make inactivity a relevant issue
b. Provide information about the risks of being inactive and the benefits of being active
c. Provide information from multiple sources (e.g. news, posters, pamphlets, general
healthpromotion
material)
d. Introduce different types of exercise activities to find something the individual enjoys

28 You have a new client who is a 54‐year‐old male with no contraindications to exercise, has
answered
no to all PAR‐Q questions but he has not been regularly active since he was in his 30s. Which
cardiorespiratory fitness test would be most appropriate to administer to him?
a. McArdle step test
b. Rockport fitness walking test
c. VT1 threshold test
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d. Astrand‐Ryhming cycle ergometer test

29 Your client weighs 80 kgs and has a body‐fat percentage of 20%. What will he weigh once he
meets his
goal of 15% body fat, assuming that he does not lose any lean body mass?
a. 69 kgs
b. 73 kgs
c. 75 kgs
d. 94 kgs

30 A client who has been with you on and off for several years now tells you that he has started to
leave
his gym bag in the front seat of his car every morning as a reminder that he needs to stop at the gym
and go for a work out on his way home from work. What behavior‐change strategy is he using?
a. Stimulus control
b. Behavioral contracting
c. Shaping
d. Operant conditioning

31 In what phase of the function and resistance training component of the ACE IFT Model would you
start
your new client in, if he has been performing resistance training four times per week using a 4‐day
upper/lower body split, shows slight lumbar lordosis and has limited range of motion in his hips and
ankles?
a. Phase 1 – Stability and mobility training
b. Phase 2 – movement training
c. Phase 3 – load training
d. Phase 4 – performance training

32 In a reassessment interview with your client, you are seeking clarification from him about how he
feels
about his progress to date by restating the main points and feelings he has mentioned. What
method
of effective listening are you using?
a. Encouraging
b. Paraphrasing
c. Reflecting
d. Summarizing

33 After several months of working with your client, you notice that his level of self‐efficacy and his
exercise ability have both improved. How much feedback you should be providing from now on?
a. You should increase the amount of feedback
b. You should not change the amount of feedback you provide
c. You should reduce the amount of feedback
d. You should immediately stop providing feedback
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34 Which of the following is considered a positive risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease?
a. Body mass index of 28 kg/m2
b. HDL cholesterol of 66 mg/dL
c. Serum cholesterol of 195 mg/dL
d. Systolic blood pressure of 143 mmHg

35 Which of the following is the best assessment for measuring lower‐body muscular strength?
a. Bodyweight squat test
b. 10RM leg press test
c. Standing long jump test
d. 1RM squat test

36 Which of these medications causes a dose‐related decrease in a person’s resting, exercise and
maximal heart rates?
a. Beta blockers
b. Antihistamines
c. Antidepressants
d. Diuretics

37 You are planning your new client’s pre‐participation screening. Which of the following MUST be
included?
a. Body‐composition testing
b. Movement screens
c. Static posture assessment
d. Health‐risk appraisal

38 Which of the following is a non‐correctible factor related to postural deviations and muscular
imbalances?
a. Side dominance
b. Structural deviations
c. Habitual poor posture
d. Imbalanced strength training program

39 You have just started a static postural assessment of your new client from the front view. You
note
that she has severely pronated ankles. In your interview with her, she indicated that she had no
structural issues. What other related effects might you discover as you continue your assessment?
a. Internal rotation of the tibia as well as some internal rotation of the femur
b. Nothing, as there will be no effect further up the body’s kinetic chain
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c. External rotation of the tibia as well as some external rotation of the femur
d. Inverted foot, lifting the inside of the foot and heel slightly off the ground

40 A competitive soccer player, whose sport requires an ability to accelerate, decelerate, change
direction, and then accelerate again, is interested in completing an assessment to serve as a baseline
against which he can measure future improvements. Which test will BEST measure these sports
skills?
a. 300‐yard shuttle run
b. 40‐yard dash
c. Pro agility test
d. Margaria‐Kalamen stair climb

41 Which medication has no primary affect on heart rate, but can cause dangerous cardiac
arrhythmias
due to water and electrolyte imbalances?
a. ACE inhibitors
b. Calcium channel blockers
c. Diuretics
d. Bronchodilators
42 Your previously sedentary client has been exercising regularly with you for 5 months. She has just
told
you that she is concerned because her mother is coming to stay with her for a 3‐week visit next
week.
What would be the most effective way to help your client prevent relapsing into non‐healthy
sedentary habits?
a. Enhance your client’s assertiveness in relation to her mother
b. Encourage your client to develop a system of social support during that time
c. Help your client plan ahead and be prepared for the visit
d. Sign a behavioral contract with your client

43 The coupling relationship defined as the “lower‐cross syndrome” may involve tightness in which
of the
following muscle groups:
a. Rectus abdominis; hamstrings
b. Hip flexors; erector spinae
c. Rectus abdominis; erector spinae
d. Hip flexors; hamstrings

44 The primary purpose of professional certification is to:

a. Provide the professional with additional education to enhance his or her knowledge, skills and
abilities
b. Enhance a professional’s resume for employment and help them earn higher compensation
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c. Protect the public from harm by assessing if candidates meet established levels of minimum
competence
d. Confirm a candidate’s understanding of key concepts following the completion of a bachelor’s
degree
45 You are performing a shoulder screen and observing your client from a posterior view. You notice
that
there is an outward protrusion of the vertebral borders ‐ but not the inferior angles ‐ of the
scapulae.

What deviation are you most likely observing?

a. Scapular protraction
b. Kyphosis
c. Sway‐back posture
d. Winged scapulae

46 Which body‐composition assessment method produces % body fat estimates that vary greatly
from
day to day based on the hydration status of the client being tested?
a. Skinfold measurements
b. Bioelectrical impedance tests (BIA)
c. Hydrostatic weighing
d. Dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA)

PLEASE USE THIS CASE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS 47 to 50

Client: 38‐year‐old male
Family History: Father diagnosed with hypertension at 53 years of age
Smoking: Quit smoking 3 years ago
Height: 1.78 m
Weight: 89 kgs
BMI: 28 kg/m2
Blood pressure: 137/86 mmHg
Total cholesterol: 221 mg/dL
Fasting plasma glucose: 98 mg/dL
Current exercise: Resistance training 60‐90 minutes per day for the last 7 years, 5 day/week split
routine (3 days UB; 1 day CORE and back; 1 day LB) with 10 minute warm‐up on the
elliptical machine and a 5 minute hamstring stretch for cool‐down
Goals: He is concerned about his BP and cholesterol and health; he would like to lose 4.5
kg of body fat while increasing his muscular strength and size. He wants to train
with you 2 times per week for 12 weeks to start with.
Initial assessment: Posture: internal rotation of shoulders; lordosis
Lack of ROM in shoulder external rotation and flexion;
Lack of ROM in hip flexion
Lack of ROM and extension in lumbar spine
Trunk endurance tests: Flexion = 80 secs; extension = 50 seconds; right‐side bridge
= 50 secs; left‐side bridge = 48 seconds

47 According to the ACSM risk stratification, what is this client’s level of risk?
a. Low
b. Moderate (high cholesterol and sedentary)
c. High
d. With disease

48 What is the most appropriate initial cardiorespiratory program to help him work toward his
goals?
a. Extend warm‐up to 15 minutes of steady‐state exercise in Zone 1, progressively increase
duration to 20‐30 minutes of continuous minutes and then progress to Phase 2: aerobicefficiency
b. Begin in Phase 2: aerobic efficiency training, with a primary focus on progressing from lowzone
2 intervals to high‐zone 2 intervals to boost caloric expenditure
c. Begin in Phase 1 by increasing to 20 minutes of continuous zone 1 exercise, add brief 1
minute intervals (1:3 work‐to‐recovery). Progress duration to 30 minutes while increasing
interval length, then progress to Phase 2.
d. Extend WU to 15 minutes, with a 5 minute zone 2 interval in the middle and add a 10
minute cool‐down with intensity in Zone 1 to increase cardio training time to boost caloric
expenditure

49 Based on the trunk endurance test results, in which of the following ratios did his performance
meet
the criteria for balanced endurance among the muscle groups tested?
a. Flexion: extension ratio
b. Right‐side bridge: left‐side bridge ratio
c. Right‐side bridge: extension ratio
d. Left‐side bridge: extension ratio

50 What would be the appropriate initial functional movement and resistance training program for
this
client?
a. Progress current program using an undulating periodisation model and add a dynamic
warm‐up to improve core stability
b. Train proper techniques for squatting, lunging, pushing, pulling and rotation through
movement training
c. Implement a new load training split routine with an extended flexibility focus during the
cool‐down
d. Work on postural stability, core strength and function and flexibility through stability and
mobility training before progressing to movement and load