Sports Performance Coaching 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 Sports Performance Coaching flashcards as text
A performance coach uses GPS data showing an athlete's high-speed running distance has dropped 20% over three consecutive weeks. The BEST initial response is to:
Answer: Assess total training load and recovery markers before modifying programming
A consistent decline in high-speed output is a load-monitoring red flag requiring assessment of acute:chronic workload ratios and recovery status before adjustments.
Which acute variable manipulation would MOST increase the specificity of resistance training for a shot putter?
Answer: Incorporating accommodating resistance with bands and chains
Accommodating resistance maintains tension throughout the strength curve and trains force at velocities more specific to throwing mechanics.
In the context of sports performance coaching, 'functional threshold power' (FTP) is MOST directly relevant to which athlete population?
Answer: Competitive cyclists
FTP represents sustainable aerobic power output and is a primary performance metric in cycling-specific periodization and training.
A coach monitors an athlete's heart rate variability (HRV) and notices a sustained 10-day depression. According to ACSM guidance, this MOST likely suggests:
Answer: Accumulated fatigue or early non-functional overreaching
Sustained HRV depression over multiple days indicates the autonomic nervous system is not recovering, a sign of accumulated fatigue or non-functional overreaching.
Which training protocol BEST develops alactic speed endurance for a 100-meter sprinter?
Answer: Repeated 6-8 second maximal sprints with 2-3 minute rest intervals
Short maximal sprints (≤10 seconds) with long recovery (1:10-1:20 work:rest ratio) train the ATP-PCr system without significant glycolytic accumulation.
When assessing movement quality in athletes, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) is BEST used to:
Answer: Identify fundamental movement pattern asymmetries and limitations
The FMS identifies asymmetries and movement limitations that may increase injury risk, not to predict sport performance directly.
An ACSM-certified performance coach is working with a high school athlete. Which ethical responsibility is MOST critical?
Answer: Coordinating with medical and coaching staff while respecting athlete confidentiality
Ethical practice requires working within an interdisciplinary team, maintaining communication with medical staff, and respecting athlete confidentiality and developmental needs.