ACE Muscular Training Principles 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which muscle fiber type is most recruited during a 400-meter sprint?
- Type I (slow-twitch oxidative)
- Type IIa (fast-twitch oxidative-glycolytic)
- Type IIx (fast-twitch glycolytic) (Correct answer)
- Both Type I and Type IIx equally
Correct answer: Type IIx (fast-twitch glycolytic)
A 400-meter sprint relies heavily on Type IIx fast-twitch fibers due to high-speed, high-force demands that quickly deplete phosphocreatine and utilize anaerobic glycolysis.
Question 2: According to the ACE IFT Model, which component of a resistance training program should be established first for a beginner?
- Maximal strength
- Muscular hypertrophy
- Neuromuscular efficiency and movement quality (Correct answer)
- Muscular power
Correct answer: Neuromuscular efficiency and movement quality
The ACE IFT Model prioritizes establishing a base of neuromuscular efficiency, joint stability, and correct movement patterns before progressing to load-focused phases.
Question 3: What does the term 'training volume' represent in resistance training?
- The total number of exercises performed per session
- Sets × reps × load across a given training period (Correct answer)
- The maximum weight lifted in any single exercise
- The duration in minutes of a resistance training session
Correct answer: Sets × reps × load across a given training period
Training volume is quantified as the product of sets, repetitions, and load (sets × reps × weight), representing total mechanical work performed.
Question 4: A client wants to improve muscular power for a sport that requires explosive jumps. Which training method is MOST appropriate?
- High-volume bodybuilding splits at 75% 1RM
- Slow eccentric-focused training at 60% 1RM
- Olympic lifts and plyometrics at 30–70% 1RM with maximal velocity (Correct answer)
- Isometric holds at 80% 1RM for 30 seconds
Correct answer: Olympic lifts and plyometrics at 30–70% 1RM with maximal velocity
Power training requires moving loads at high velocity; Olympic lifts and plyometrics at 30–70% 1RM develop the rate of force development needed for explosive sport movements.
Question 5: Which of the following is an example of a bilateral strength deficit?
- Being stronger during a single-leg squat than during a bilateral back squat on a per-leg basis (Correct answer)
- Having equal strength in both arms on a dumbbell curl
- A greater 1RM on a machine leg press than a barbell squat
- Performing more push-ups than pull-ups
Correct answer: Being stronger during a single-leg squat than during a bilateral back squat on a per-leg basis
A bilateral deficit occurs when each limb produces less force when both are working simultaneously than when working independently, suggesting inhibition during bilateral efforts.
Question 6: The 'repeated bout effect' in resistance training refers to:
- Greater soreness experienced on the second workout compared to the first
- Reduced muscle damage and soreness following a second bout of the same exercise (Correct answer)
- The cumulative fatigue from doing the same workout repeatedly
- Faster hypertrophy on compound movements repeated twice per week
Correct answer: Reduced muscle damage and soreness following a second bout of the same exercise
The repeated bout effect describes the rapid protective adaptation after an initial muscle-damaging bout, resulting in significantly less damage and soreness upon repetition.
Question 7: Which variable manipulation is MOST effective for preventing training plateaus in long-term resistance training clients?
- Keeping all variables constant to measure true progress
- Periodically altering exercises, intensity, volume, or rest periods (Correct answer)
- Adding 5 lbs to every lift each session indefinitely
- Reducing frequency to once per week to allow full recovery
Correct answer: Periodically altering exercises, intensity, volume, or rest periods
Systematic variation of training variables (periodization) disrupts accommodation, forcing continued neuromuscular and structural adaptations beyond initial plateau points.
ACE Muscular Training Principles 3
Which muscle fiber type is most recruited during a 400-meter sprint?