ACSM ACSM Certified Personal Trainer: Client Assessment 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A client's resting blood pressure reading is 142/91 mmHg on two separate occasions. How should the ACSM-CPT classify this?
- Normal
- Elevated
- Stage 1 Hypertension (Correct answer)
- Stage 2 Hypertension
Correct answer: Stage 1 Hypertension
ACSM classifies blood pressure of 130–139/80–89 mmHg as Stage 1 and ≥140/90 mmHg as Stage 2 Hypertension.
Question 2: When measuring skinfold thickness, which site is pinched vertically on the right side of the body for women in the three-site protocol?
- Suprailiac
- Triceps (Correct answer)
- Thigh
- Abdomen
Correct answer: Triceps
The triceps skinfold is measured as a vertical fold on the posterior midline of the upper arm and is included in the female three-site protocol.
Question 3: What does a Functional Movement Screen (FMS) score of 14 or below suggest about a client?
- Excellent movement quality
- Low aerobic capacity
- Elevated injury risk (Correct answer)
- Poor muscular endurance
Correct answer: Elevated injury risk
An FMS composite score ≤14 has been associated with a significantly higher risk of musculoskeletal injury.
Question 4: A client completes a 1-mile walk test in 16 minutes with a heart rate of 122 bpm at completion. This protocol primarily estimates which fitness component?
- Muscular strength
- Flexibility
- Cardiorespiratory fitness (Correct answer)
- Body composition
Correct answer: Cardiorespiratory fitness
The Rockport 1-Mile Walk Test uses time and heart rate to estimate maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max), a measure of cardiorespiratory fitness.
Question 5: Which PAR-Q+ response would require a client to obtain medical clearance BEFORE beginning a vigorous exercise program?
- A 'No' answer to all questions
- A 'Yes' answer to any question (Correct answer)
- BMI above 25 kg/m²
- Age over 45 years
Correct answer: A 'Yes' answer to any question
Any 'Yes' response on the PAR-Q+ triggers follow-up questions and may require physician clearance before vigorous exercise participation.
Question 6: During a sit-and-reach test, a client's fingertips stop 3 cm short of the footplate. How is this result recorded?
- +3 cm
- −3 cm (Correct answer)
- 0 cm
- 3 cm absolute
Correct answer: −3 cm
Scores that fall short of the footplate baseline are recorded as negative values, so stopping 3 cm short is recorded as −3 cm.
Question 7: Which assessment tool specifically evaluates a client's readiness and motivation to change exercise behavior?
- PAR-Q+
- Stages of Change (Transtheoretical Model) (Correct answer)
- YMCA Bike Test
- Waist-to-hip ratio
Correct answer: Stages of Change (Transtheoretical Model)
The Transtheoretical Model's Stages of Change categorizes clients from pre-contemplation to maintenance to assess behavioral readiness for exercise.
ACSM ACSM Certified Personal Trainer: Client Assessment 2
A client's resting blood pressure reading is 142/91 mmHg on two separate occasions.
How should the ACSM-CPT classify this?