ACSM ACSM Sports Performance Coaching 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) and its relevance to sports performance?
- A purely isometric muscle action used in slow strength exercises
- A rapid sequence of eccentric loading followed by concentric contraction that stores and releases elastic energy (Correct answer)
- A training method that eliminates the need for plyometrics
- A passive flexibility technique for injury prevention
Correct answer: A rapid sequence of eccentric loading followed by concentric contraction that stores and releases elastic energy
The SSC involves rapid eccentric pre-loading that stores elastic energy in tendons and muscles, which is released during the subsequent concentric phase to enhance power output.
Question 2: A football lineman needs to develop maximal strength. Which loading scheme aligns with ACSM recommendations for maximal strength development?
- 3 sets × 20 reps at 50% 1RM
- 4–6 sets × 1–5 reps at 85–100% 1RM with long rest (Correct answer)
- 2 sets × 15 reps at 65% 1RM
- 5 sets × 12 reps at 70% 1RM
Correct answer: 4–6 sets × 1–5 reps at 85–100% 1RM with long rest
ACSM guidelines for maximal strength training recommend low repetitions (1–5), high loads (≥85% 1RM), and long rest periods (3–5 minutes).
Question 3: An athlete complains of chronic fatigue, mood disturbance, and declining performance despite no change in training load. What should the coach suspect FIRST?
- Normal training adaptation
- Non-functional overreaching or overtraining syndrome (Correct answer)
- Muscle hypertrophy plateau
- Improved training efficiency
Correct answer: Non-functional overreaching or overtraining syndrome
Persistent performance decline with mood disturbance and fatigue despite stable training load are hallmark signs of non-functional overreaching or overtraining syndrome.
Question 4: Which of the following BEST describes the role of a needs analysis in ACSM sports performance programming?
- Selecting the best supplement protocol for the athlete
- Systematically evaluating sport demands and the athlete's current capacities to guide program design (Correct answer)
- Determining the athlete's preferred training environment
- Assessing the coach's technical knowledge
Correct answer: Systematically evaluating sport demands and the athlete's current capacities to guide program design
A needs analysis examines the physiological, biomechanical, and injury risk demands of the sport alongside the athlete's current fitness to create a targeted program.
Question 5: During high-altitude training camps, which primary physiological adaptation provides performance benefits upon return to sea level?
- Decreased plasma volume
- Increased erythropoietin production leading to greater red blood cell mass (Correct answer)
- Reduced VO2max
- Lower hemoglobin concentration
Correct answer: Increased erythropoietin production leading to greater red blood cell mass
Hypoxic exposure stimulates EPO release, which increases red blood cell production and oxygen-carrying capacity, enhancing endurance performance at sea level.
Question 6: A coach programs trap bar deadlifts instead of conventional deadlifts for an athlete with limited hip mobility. This is an example of:
- Exercise regression to address a movement limitation (Correct answer)
- Overloading the posterior chain excessively
- Non-specific training unrelated to sport performance
- Violating the principle of progressive overload
Correct answer: Exercise regression to address a movement limitation
Exercise regression involves selecting a variation that achieves similar training goals while accommodating the athlete's current movement capabilities.
Question 7: Which of the following training variables should be manipulated FIRST when applying the principle of progressive overload to a beginner athlete?
- Exercise intensity (load)
- Training volume (sets × reps) (Correct answer)
- Exercise complexity
- Training frequency
Correct answer: Training volume (sets × reps)
For beginners, increasing training volume (sets and repetitions) is the safest initial progression before advancing intensity or exercise complexity.
ACSM ACSM Sports Performance Coaching 5
Which of the following BEST describes the stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) and its relevance to sports performance?