NSCA CSCS Aerobic Endurance Program Design 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which training method involves alternating between high-intensity bouts and active recovery periods of equal or unequal duration?
- Continuous training
- Interval training (Correct answer)
- Fartlek training
- Tempo training
Correct answer: Interval training
Interval training alternates structured high-intensity work bouts with recovery periods to allow repeated high-quality efforts.
Question 2: The Karvonen formula for calculating target heart rate uses which two key values?
- Maximum HR and resting HR (Correct answer)
- Maximum HR and age
- Resting HR and VO2max
- Lactate threshold HR and resting HR
Correct answer: Maximum HR and resting HR
The Karvonen (heart rate reserve) method calculates target HR using the difference between maximum HR and resting HR.
Question 3: Which energy system predominates during a 10-kilometer road race lasting approximately 40 minutes?
- ATP-PC system
- Glycolytic system
- Oxidative system (Correct answer)
- Equally glycolytic and oxidative
Correct answer: Oxidative system
Events lasting longer than approximately 3 minutes rely predominantly on the oxidative (aerobic) energy system.
Question 4: A strength and conditioning specialist wants to improve an athlete's lactate threshold. Which training intensity is MOST effective?
- 40–50% VO2max
- 55–65% VO2max
- 80–90% VO2max (Correct answer)
- 95–100% VO2max
Correct answer: 80–90% VO2max
Lactate threshold training is most effective at intensities near or slightly above the lactate threshold, typically 80–90% VO2max for trained athletes.
Question 5: What is the PRIMARY physiological adaptation responsible for increased stroke volume following aerobic endurance training?
- Increased heart rate
- Cardiac hypertrophy and increased end-diastolic volume (Correct answer)
- Decreased blood viscosity
- Increased sympathetic tone
Correct answer: Cardiac hypertrophy and increased end-diastolic volume
Eccentric cardiac hypertrophy expands the ventricular chamber, increasing end-diastolic volume and thus stroke volume via the Frank-Starling mechanism.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the concept of 'periodization' in aerobic endurance programming?
- Maintaining the same training volume throughout the year
- Systematically varying training load and intensity over time (Correct answer)
- Performing only continuous aerobic work
- Using heart rate monitors to guide every session
Correct answer: Systematically varying training load and intensity over time
Periodization involves planned variation of training volume, intensity, and specificity across time to optimize performance and prevent overtraining.
Question 7: A collegiate soccer player's aerobic program should primarily focus on which energy system to match game demands?
- Purely anaerobic
- Predominantly oxidative with repeated anaerobic bursts (Correct answer)
- Purely oxidative
- Exclusively ATP-PC
Correct answer: Predominantly oxidative with repeated anaerobic bursts
Soccer involves long bouts of moderate aerobic work interspersed with repeated high-intensity sprints, requiring a strong oxidative base with anaerobic capacity.
NSCA CSCS Aerobic Endurance Program Design 2
Which training method involves alternating between high-intensity bouts and active recovery periods of equal or unequal duration?