Exercise Prescription Flashcards
7 cards from real ACSM practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Exercise Prescription flashcards as text
According to ACSM, what is the recommended volume of aerobic physical activity per week that provides additional health benefits beyond the minimum?
Answer: 300 minutes of moderate-intensity or 150 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity
ACSM and DHHS guidelines indicate that 300+ min/week of moderate or 150+ min/week of vigorous activity provides additional health and fitness benefits.
Which ACSM principle states that the body must be stressed beyond its current capacity for training adaptations to occur?
Answer: Overload principle
The overload principle dictates that training stress must exceed habitual levels to stimulate physiological adaptations in strength, endurance, or flexibility.
A deconditioned client with obesity begins a walking program. After 4 weeks, they report the same walks feel easier. How should the exercise physiologist progress the program?
Answer: Increase duration, frequency, or intensity incrementally to maintain progressive overload
When exercise feels easier (RPE drops), the stimulus has become sub-threshold; progressive overload must be reapplied to continue driving adaptations.
Which cool-down strategy is MOST appropriate immediately following a high-intensity aerobic exercise session?
Answer: 5–10 minutes of low-intensity aerobic activity followed by static stretching
A gradual reduction in exercise intensity allows venous return to normalize, reduces orthostatic hypotension risk, and prepares muscles for stretching.
For an individual with type 2 diabetes, which exercise prescription precaution is MOST important to address?
Answer: Monitor blood glucose before, during, and after exercise to manage hypoglycemia risk
Blood glucose monitoring is critical for diabetic clients because exercise can cause hypoglycemia, particularly in those using insulin or sulfonylureas.
In the context of ACSM exercise prescription, what does 'specificity' mean?
Answer: Training adaptations are specific to the muscles used, energy systems stressed, and movement patterns trained
The specificity principle (SAID) states that the body adapts specifically to the type, intensity, and pattern of training imposed on it.
Which statement about rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and heart rate during exercise is most accurate?
Answer: RPE correlates linearly with heart rate and can serve as a valid proxy for exercise intensity
Research demonstrates a strong linear correlation between RPE (Borg scale) and heart rate, making RPE a practical and valid intensity monitoring tool.