ACSM CPT tips
Hello all,
first off just wanted to say that the other posts listing some of the topics to focus on are very helpful, please read them and it will help your test score, it did for me.
I passed the ACSM CPT with a 701 score. You need a 550 to pass, there are 150 questions, 120 of which are scored (they use the other 30 for possible future test questions). You have 150 minutes to complete the test.
In my studying I focused on the KSA's in the back to the textbook and the Guidelines for Exercise Testing (small green spiral book). I mostly used the textbook to find the info for each KSA, the Guidelines for Exercise Testing book was very helpful for the largest section of the test, exercise physiology. Here is what I remember from the test, hopefully it will help! I wont give answers because im not sure what was right or wrong.
-Know the 4 muscles of the rotator cuff and the functions each performs.
-Know risk stratification thoroughly, including what constitutes low, medium and high risk. Be very specific here, know it inside out. There were about 10 question on this alone.
-More on risk stratification: Know the definitions of old age for each gender, high overall cholesterol number, HDL and LDL readings, hypertension definition, obesity, and the exact definition of all other risk factors. An example of a question you will probably see is: Male/Female Client who is x years old has a cholesterol reading of x, blood pressure reading of x, quit smoking 15 years ago, has family history of x (etc.), what category risk is this client? what are the risk factors to consider?
-Know the PAR-Q form, what it asks and what is generally on one.
-Know Health history form, what it asks and what is generally on one.
-Neglience definition and applications to the CPT
-Malpractice definition and applications
-When to use an AED
-Sites to take heart rate, name and location of each site specifically
-BMI formula and BMI overweight and obesity thresholds (they will ask if a person of x height and x weight is normal, overweight or obese)
-How blood passes through the heart and through which valves (tricuspid, mitrial, aortic) and what each valve does
-SA Node
-difference between skeletal and cardiac muscle
-Agonists and antagonists of major exercises, as well as during the concentric and eccentric phases
-Incline and Decline walking/running and muscles involved as agonists and antagonists
-Planes in which muscle actions occur (sagital, transverse, frontal)
-muscles controlling forced expiration
-valsalva maneuver and its effects during different exercises
-effects of smoking on acute exercise
-spine curvatures including normal curvature
-how to determine body alignment in a potential client, specifically where to observe from
-anaerobic vs aerobic ATP generation
-type 1 vs type 2 muscle fibers
-HR Reserve and V02 reserve formulas
-must remember inch to cm and lb to kg conversions, used in 4 or 5 questions
-reasons for warming up and cooling down, durations, and % HRmax they should be performed at.
-Order of periodization (hypertrophy, strength gain, peaking, recovery)
-Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness due to Lactic Acid Buildup
-Lactic Acid mostly caused during eccentric phase of lifting
-Static, dynamic and DNF stretching and order of safest to least safe
-Specificity, Overload, Regression and Progression. There was one question on each.
-what to look for when client complains of ankle edema
-definitions of isotonic, isokinetic, isometric
-Specific sites for measuring skinfolds. VERY specific, like centimeters from a bone.
-types of joints and examples of each
-endurance and muscular strength training in children and adolescents and the effects.
-what waist to hip ratio tells about body
-waist to hip ratio warnings for men and women
-waist size warnings in inches and cm for men and women, and where to take this measurement
-plethysmography
-RPE values and where ACSM says they should be
-Exactly what informed consent form says
-RICE (rest ice compression elevation)
-IDEA, what it stands for when dealing with a clients problem
-Signs of anorexia, (dont confuse with bulimia)
-Convert V02 to METs
-How to find HRmax
-Visual, Aesthetic, Auditory and Kinesthetic Learners
-calories per gram of fat, protein and carbohydrate (remember to subtract fiber from carbohydrate total)
-Target weight for the client if he wants to stay at the same lean body mass but decrease his body fat to x%
-How often to drink water in general and during exercise
-What to consider when training in high temperature conditions
-What USDA Pyramid says about fat calorie intake
-3500 kcals in one pound of body fat. They will ask how much caloric intake should be decreased in order to lose x lbs.
-DHEA information (made by body, controlled substance)
-Basic understanding of each of the behavioral strategies to use with clients, 3 questions
-Stages of behavior (I wont/cant, I might, etc.)
-SMART goals, what acronym stands for
-What increased activity does to HDL, LDL, systolic and diastolic blood pressure readings
-difference between relative and absolute contraindictions to exercise
The next few you will be able to find most answers in the green spiral Guidelines for Exercise Testing:
-Minutes of moderate exercise per day and per week ACSM recommends all adults get
-Programming for children and adolescents
-Programming for the eldery and the risks associated with the elderly
-Most used cardio fitness tests
-Factors to consider about the potential client when determining the proper fitness test type and program progression
-Order of activities during the initial client screening
-How muscular strength and muscular endurance are tested
-FITT recommendations, and what FITTE stands for (Frequency Intensity Time Type and Enjoyment)
-Proper spotting techinque, I remember 4 or 5 questions asking how to spot on bench presses, shoulder presses, lunges, couple others i cant remember
-Definitions of interval and circuit training and examples
-Asthma - 3 or 4 questions - conditions not to train an asthmatic in, conditions you prefer to train an asthmatic in, what a bronchodilator does, fitness test methods you should not perform if client has asthma.
-What to do if a diabetic passes out, after you call 911
-%1RM and number of sets per muscle group to program for someone looking to gain muscle mass
-Position pregnant women should avoid (prone)
-Muscles that must be strengthened for a healthy lower back
-General guidelines for exercise in healthy population
Thats all i can remember, there's about 100 questions on the items listed above.
Good luck!
