NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Exercise Technique and Coaching Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: An athlete is performing a dumbbell bench press with a challenging load. To provide the safest and most effective spot, where should the strength and conditioning specialist position their hands?
- At the athlete's elbows to help drive the weight up.
- On the ends of the dumbbells to prevent them from tipping.
- Near the athlete's wrists to guide the path of the dumbbells. (Correct answer)
- Lightly on the athlete's chest to provide a tactile cue.
Correct answer: Near the athlete's wrists to guide the path of the dumbbells.
When spotting dumbbell exercises, the most effective technique is to spot near the athlete's wrists. This allows the spotter to provide direct assistance to the load without interfering with the athlete's natural movement mechanics at the elbow or shoulder. Spotting at the elbows can be dangerous as it may alter the lifter's form and doesn't provide good control over the dumbbells themselves.
Question 2: A strength and conditioning specialist observes an athlete's hips rising significantly faster than their shoulders during the initial pull of a conventional deadlift. Which of the following is the MOST effective verbal cue to correct this fault?
- "Pull the bar faster off the floor."
- "Keep your chest up and push the floor away." (Correct answer)
- "Focus on locking out your knees first."
- "Start with your hips much lower."
Correct answer: "Keep your chest up and push the floor away."
Hips rising faster than the shoulders indicates poor coordination between the hips and back, often due to an incorrect starting position or initiating the pull with the back instead of the legs. The cue "Keep your chest up and push the floor away" addresses this by encouraging the athlete to maintain their torso angle and initiate the drive with their legs, promoting a synchronized lift where the hips and shoulders rise together.
Question 3: When performing a heavy barbell exercise such as a 1RM deadlift, which grip is characterized by one hand in a pronated position and the other in a supinated position to prevent the bar from rotating?
- Hook grip
- Open grip
- Alternated grip (Correct answer)
- Supinated grip
Correct answer: Alternated grip
The alternated grip, also known as a mixed grip, involves one hand being pronated (overhand) and the other supinated (underhand). This configuration creates opposing rotational forces on the barbell, which makes it significantly more difficult for the bar to roll out of the hands, making it a very strong and common grip for heavy deadlifts.
Question 4: Which of the following correctly describes the primary purpose of the Valsalva maneuver during a heavy resistance exercise like the back squat?
- To increase oxygen delivery to working muscles by hyperventilating.
- To decrease intra-abdominal pressure and reduce stress on the lumbar spine.
- To increase the heart rate and blood pressure to maximal levels for power output.
- To increase intra-abdominal pressure to help stabilize the spine. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: To increase intra-abdominal pressure to help stabilize the spine.
The primary purpose of the Valsalva maneuver during heavy lifting is to increase intra-abdominal pressure. This is achieved by forcefully exhaling against a closed glottis, which traps air and, along with contraction of the core musculature, creates a rigid torso. This rigidity supports and stabilizes the lumbar spine, helping to prevent injury during high-load exercises.
Question 5: During the landing phase of a depth jump, which of the following represents correct technique to ensure safety and effectiveness?
- Landing with knees fully extended to maximize ground contact time.
- The shoulders should be behind the knees upon landing.
- Landing should be as loud as possible to indicate high force production.
- The shoulders should be over the knees and the center of gravity over the base of support. (Correct answer)
Correct answer: The shoulders should be over the knees and the center of gravity over the base of support.
Proper landing mechanics are critical for both safety and performance in plyometrics. A correct landing involves flexing at the hips, knees, and ankles to absorb the impact. The athlete's shoulders should be positioned over their knees, which helps keep the center of gravity stable and over the base of support (the feet). This allows for efficient force absorption and a powerful subsequent concentric contraction.
Question 6: A strength and conditioning specialist is coaching an experienced athlete on the power clean. The athlete successfully completes a heavy but technically imperfect lift. What is the MOST effective form of feedback to provide immediately following the lift?
- A long, detailed explanation of every technical flaw observed during the lift.
- Positive reinforcement for the effort, followed by one simple, actionable cue for the next attempt. (Correct answer)
- Only pointing out the negative aspects of the lift to motivate the athlete to improve.
- Telling the athlete to watch a video of a professional lifter before the next set.
Correct answer: Positive reinforcement for the effort, followed by one simple, actionable cue for the next attempt.
Effective coaching feedback should be timely, specific, and concise, especially after a fatiguing effort. Providing too much information can be overwhelming. Acknowledging the successful effort with positive reinforcement maintains motivation. Following this with a single, crucial, and actionable cue allows the athlete to focus on improving one specific aspect of the complex movement on their next attempt. This method is often referred to as the 'feedback sandwich'.
NSCA CSCS - NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist Exercise Technique and Coaching Questions and Answers
An athlete is performing a dumbbell bench press with a challenging load.
To provide the safest and most effective spot, where should the strength and conditioning specialist position their hands?