NSCA CSCS Aerobic Endurance Program Design 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which term describes the minimum exercise intensity below which aerobic training adaptations are unlikely to occur in sedentary individuals?
- Lactate threshold
- Training threshold (Correct answer)
- Anaerobic threshold
- Ventilatory threshold
Correct answer: Training threshold
The training threshold is the minimum intensity (approximately 50–55% VO2max for sedentary individuals) required to elicit meaningful aerobic adaptations.
Question 2: An endurance athlete is performing a 20-minute time trial to estimate VO2max. This test MOST closely approximates which laboratory measure?
- Lactate threshold
- Functional threshold power (FTP) correlating to VO2max (Correct answer)
- Anaerobic capacity
- Maximum accumulated oxygen deficit
Correct answer: Functional threshold power (FTP) correlating to VO2max
A 20-minute all-out effort approximates functional threshold and can be used to estimate VO2max through established prediction equations.
Question 3: During prolonged aerobic exercise exceeding 90 minutes, which substrate becomes increasingly important for energy production?
- Phosphocreatine
- Muscle glycogen exclusively
- Blood glucose and free fatty acids (Correct answer)
- Dietary protein
Correct answer: Blood glucose and free fatty acids
As muscle glycogen depletes during prolonged exercise, blood glucose and free fatty acids become increasingly important oxidative substrates.
Question 4: Which of the following represents a CORRECT work-to-rest ratio for aerobic interval training targeting VO2max (e.g., 3–5 minute intervals)?
- 1:5 (work:rest)
- 1:3 (work:rest)
- 1:1 (work:rest) (Correct answer)
- 3:1 (work:rest)
Correct answer: 1:1 (work:rest)
Long aerobic intervals targeting VO2max typically use a 1:1 work-to-rest ratio to allow sufficient recovery while maintaining high quality efforts.
Question 5: Cardiac drift during prolonged aerobic exercise refers to:
- Declining heart rate despite constant workload
- Progressive heart rate increase at constant workload due to dehydration and cardiovascular stress (Correct answer)
- Irregular heart rhythm caused by exercise
- Sudden drop in heart rate at exhaustion
Correct answer: Progressive heart rate increase at constant workload due to dehydration and cardiovascular stress
Cardiac drift is the gradual increase in heart rate during sustained exercise at constant intensity, driven mainly by progressive dehydration reducing stroke volume.
Question 6: Which of the following BEST describes the purpose of a tapering phase before an endurance competition?
- Increase training volume to peak fitness
- Reduce training load to allow full recovery while maintaining fitness (Correct answer)
- Switch entirely to resistance training
- Eliminate all aerobic training for two weeks
Correct answer: Reduce training load to allow full recovery while maintaining fitness
Tapering reduces overall training load (primarily volume) in the weeks before competition to allow recovery and achieve peak performance.
Question 7: A runner's training plan includes one long slow distance (LSD) run per week. What is the PRIMARY benefit of LSD training?
- Maximizing anaerobic power
- Improving mitochondrial density, fat oxidation, and aerobic base (Correct answer)
- Increasing lactate production
- Developing fast-twitch muscle fiber recruitment
Correct answer: Improving mitochondrial density, fat oxidation, and aerobic base
LSD training enhances mitochondrial density, fat oxidation efficiency, and builds the aerobic base needed to support higher-intensity work.
NSCA CSCS Aerobic Endurance Program Design 5
Which term describes the minimum exercise intensity below which aerobic training adaptations are unlikely to occur in sedentary individuals?