Free NSCA CSCS Health & Safety Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: You are tasked with creating a plan for a collegiate wrestling squad in order to get ready for the forthcoming season. Which of the following exercises should you include in your program to train upper body stability using closed-chain movements?
- Single arm TRX row (Correct answer)
- Neutral grip lat pulldown
- Pallof press
- Goblet squats
Correct answer: Single arm TRX row
A single-arm TRX row is a closed-chain exercise because the hands (distal segment) are fixed on the TRX handles, and the body moves relative to them. This movement requires significant core and upper body stability to resist rotation and maintain proper form, making it an excellent choice for training upper body stability in a functional, wrestling-specific manner.
Question 2: How many repetitions of an exercise would you plan to perform when training for maximum strength at 85% of 1RM?
- 8-12
- 4-8
- 1-2
- 2-4 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 2-4
Training for maximum strength typically involves lifting very heavy loads for a low number of repetitions. An intensity of 85% of an athlete's 1-repetition maximum (1RM) is considered heavy, and the recommended repetition range to elicit optimal maximal strength adaptations at this intensity is generally 2-4 repetitions per set.
Question 3: Protein has _____ calories per gram.
- 9
- 6
- 2
- 4 (Correct answer)
Correct answer: 4
This is a fundamental nutritional fact. Both protein and carbohydrates provide approximately 4 calories per gram, while fats are more energy-dense, providing 9 calories per gram. This knowledge is crucial for calculating macronutrient intake and understanding energy balance in athletic populations.
Question 4: Which of the following would be the best update for a football strength and conditioning facility that has both indoor and outdoor space?
- A sled (Correct answer)
- Rings
- Isokinetic machines
- Battle ropes
Correct answer: A sled
A sled is an excellent update for a football strength and conditioning facility with both indoor and outdoor space due to its versatility. It allows for highly effective pushing and pulling exercises that develop power, strength, and conditioning, and can be used on various surfaces, making it ideal for football-specific training in either environment.
Question 5: Where should the dumbbells go in a new free weights room while it is being designed?
- Along the wall of the room. (Correct answer)
- In the middle of the room.
- Right in front of the door for easy access.
- Next to each power rack for supersets.
Correct answer: Along the wall of the room.
Placing dumbbells along the wall of a free weights room is the most practical and safest design choice. This arrangement maximizes open floor space in the center of the room, which is crucial for performing dynamic exercises like Olympic lifts, plyometrics, and other movements that require significant clearance, while also improving overall traffic flow and safety.
Question 6: Which of the following benefits of effective warm-up design does not result in improved performance?
- Improved reaction time
- Enhanced static flexibility (Correct answer)
- Improved muscle strength and power
- Increased blood flow to muscles
Correct answer: Enhanced static flexibility
While static flexibility is important for range of motion, performing extensive static stretching immediately before a workout or competition has been shown to potentially decrease muscle strength, power, and reaction time. Therefore, it does not typically result in improved performance and may even hinder it, unlike dynamic warm-up components that enhance blood flow, power, and reaction time.
Question 7: One of your athletes, who you are coaching on a basketball team in the weight room, complains of acute agony while performing a walking overhead lunge. Which of the following would be the best course of action? She claims the discomfort started after a tumble during the game last night and returned as soon as she tried to raise a plate over her head.
- Have her run sprints instea
- Modify her workouts to push-ups instead of overhead lunge.
- Call her parents to let them know.
- Send her to the physio or athletic trainer immediately. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Send her to the physio or athletic trainer immediately.
An athlete complaining of acute agony, especially after a recent fall and with pain returning upon attempting a movement, indicates a potential injury that requires professional medical evaluation. As a strength coach, it is outside your scope of practice to diagnose or treat injuries; the immediate and responsible action is to refer the athlete to a qualified healthcare professional like a physiotherapist or athletic trainer.
Question 8: Where does fatty acid oxidation take place in the cell?
- Ribosomes
- Extracellular matrix
- Mitochondria (Correct answer)
- Cytoplasm
Correct answer: Mitochondria
Fatty acid oxidation, also known as beta-oxidation, is the metabolic pathway that breaks down fatty acids into acetyl-CoA for energy production. This entire process, along with the subsequent Krebs cycle and oxidative phosphorylation, takes place within the mitochondria, which are often referred to as the 'powerhouses' of the cell.
Question 9: What one of the following best defines how to recognize a hang power snatch?
- Do not spot. Instead, teach the athlete to move out of harm's way properly. (Correct answer)
- Have the athlete perform the exercise within a caged squat rack.
- The strength coach should spot from behind, with hands underneath the armpits.
- Gather two or more athletes to help catch the barbell if the lifting athlete struggles.
Correct answer: Do not spot. Instead, teach the athlete to move out of harm's way properly.
For Olympic lifts like the snatch, spotting is generally not recommended due to the dynamic nature of the movement and the potential danger to both the lifter and spotter. Instead, athletes should be thoroughly taught proper bail-out techniques to safely drop the barbell if they fail a lift, ensuring their safety without direct physical intervention.
Question 10: The bar makes contact with the body at the ___________ when doing a barbell hang clean.
- mid-shin
- mid-to-upper thigh (Correct answer)
- hip crease
- knee
Correct answer: mid-to-upper thigh
In a barbell hang clean, the lift initiates from a 'hang' position, meaning the bar is not on the floor. The optimal starting point for the explosive second pull typically involves the bar being positioned around the mid-to-upper thigh, just above the knees. This allows for proper body mechanics and maximal power generation during the lift.
Question 11: Which stage of the General Adaptation Syndrome does an athlete enter when they start to supercompensate and adjust to additional stressors?
- Resistance Stage (Correct answer)
- Exhaustion Stage
- Homeostasis
- Alarm Stage
Correct answer: Resistance Stage
The General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) describes the body's response to stress. After the initial 'Alarm Stage' (shock and temporary performance decrease), the 'Resistance Stage' is where the body adapts to the stressor, leading to supercompensation and an increased capacity to handle future stress. This is the stage where positive training adaptations occur.
Free NSCA CSCS Health & Safety Questions and Answers
You are tasked with creating a plan for a collegiate wrestling squad in order to get ready for the forthcoming season.
Which of the following exercises should you include in your program to train upper body stability using closed-chain movements?