FREE NSCA CSCS Practical Questions and Answers

Question 1

An American football lineman feels he has lost his explosiveness and finds it tough to drive into defensive linemen. Which of the following exercise sequences will help this athlete perform better?

Accepted Answer

power clean, back squat, hip sled, leg (knee) curl

Answer

To improve explosiveness and strength, exercises should be ordered from most neurologically demanding and complex to least. Power cleans are highly explosive and require significant neural activation, making them ideal to perform first when the athlete is fresh. They are followed by heavy compound lifts like back squats, then accessory movements like the hip sled, and finally isolation exercises like leg curls, which are less demanding.

Question 2

What on the list below DOESN'T belong in an emergency plan?

Accepted Answer

emergency medicine

Answer

An emergency plan outlines the systematic procedures, personnel roles, communication protocols, and necessary equipment for responding to emergencies. While providing medical care is the ultimate goal during an emergency, 'emergency medicine' itself (referring to specific drugs or treatments) is not a structural component of the *plan*. The plan details *how* to access and administer care, not the specific medications to be used.

Question 3

Which volume of the following has the MOST potential to boost physical strength?

Accepted Answer

5 sets of 5 repetitions

Answer

For maximizing physical strength, training programs typically involve moderate repetitions (1-6 reps) with multiple sets. Five sets of five repetitions (5x5) provides sufficient volume and intensity to stimulate significant strength adaptations. A single set is generally insufficient for optimal strength gains, and 15 repetitions per set is usually associated with muscle hypertrophy or endurance, not maximal strength development.

Question 4

Golgi tendon organs are activated during PNF stretching and permit the relaxation of the

Accepted Answer

stretched muscle by its own contraction

Answer

Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) are sensory receptors located in the tendons that detect changes in muscle tension. During PNF stretching, when the stretched muscle is actively contracted, the GTOs are activated. This activation sends inhibitory signals to the spinal cord, causing the *stretched muscle* to relax more deeply, a phenomenon known as autogenic inhibition.

Question 5

Which of the following trajectories will result in the MOST trusted outcomes?

Accepted Answer

T-test, 1RM power clean, 1RM bench press, 1.5 mile (2.4 km) run

Answer

To achieve the most trusted and accurate outcomes in a testing battery, tests should be ordered to minimize the impact of fatigue from one test on subsequent performances. The optimal sequence typically starts with non-fatiguing agility tests (T-test), followed by power tests (1RM power clean), then strength tests (1RM bench press), and finally highly fatiguing aerobic endurance tests (1.5 mile run). This order ensures that maximal effort can be given to each test type.

NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Practice Test

NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Practice Test

FREE NSCA CSCS Practical Questions and Answers