The NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist exam contains 220 multiple-choice questions on two main subjects: Scientific Foundations and Practial/Applied. These are divided further into:

- Scientific Foundations (95 questions; 1.5 hours): Exercise Science, Nutrition
- Practical/Applied (125 questions, 2.5 hours): Exercise Technique, Program Design, Organization and Administration, Testing and Evaluation

NSCA CSCS Practice Test

Time left 00:00

25 Questions

1. In the illustration, the blue plane represents the:

transverse planeLongitudinal axissagittal planefrontal plane

2. Which energy system does an athlete's body primarily rely on during a 3-minute period in a wrestling match?

GlycolyticATP-CP/Phosphagen systemOxidative/AerobicProtein metabolism

3. What is the primary action of the highlighted muscle?

External rotation and flexion of the humerusExtension and internal rotation of the humerusAbduction of the humerusScapular elevation

4. Which of the following nutritional interventions would most likely improve the anabolic response to resistance training, reduce muscle damage and slow protein catabolism?

Fish oilBaconWaterBCAA's

5. A high school lacrosse team is holding summer practices to prepare for their upcoming season. The team captain wants to hold extra conditioning on Sunday afternoons, even though it's 90 degrees outside. You absolutely cannot be there due to a prior commitment. As a strength coach, which of the following is the best way to proceed?

Allow the conditioning to ensue per the captain's creativity and guidance.Suggest an alternative day/time during which both yourself and the athletic trainer can be present.Notify the head coach of the extra sessions.Send the captain a conditioning program and let the team run on their own.

6. The ________ phase of sprinting begins when the ball of the lead foot creates forceful contact with the surface and ends when the foot leaves the surface"."

driverecoveryaccelerationdeceleration

7. When performing a lower body one-rep maximum testing protocol, about how much should you increase the weight after a 3-5 rep initial warm-up load?

0 lbs (0%)5-10 lbs (1-2%)30-40 lbs (10-20%)10-20 lbs (5-10%)

8. A soccer player is preparing for the national championship, and he wants to optimally fuel his performance through 90 minutes. Which of the following represents the best nutritional intervention?

Avocado toast and bacon 20 minutes before kick offA protein shake 2 hours before the gameA salad with salmon an hour before the game and a protein shake at halftimeChicken and rice 3 hours before the game, electrolyte and carb drink before kick-off and at half time

9. When ordering upgraded equipment for an indoor/outdoor football strength and conditioning facility, which of the following would be the most appropriate addition?

Isokinetic machinesA sledRingsBattle ropes

10. When training for maximum strength, how many reps of an exercise would you program at 85% of 1RM?

1-24-88-122-4

11. A freshman 400-meter sprinter starts the season as a novice in the weight room. After two weeks, however, she's able to increase her five-rep front squat load by 25lbs. Which of the following is the most likely reason for this improvement?

Increased support from her teammatesNeural adaptationBetter nutritionMuscular hypertrophy

12. After aerobic endurance exercise, athletes should rehydrate with _________ of fluids for every pound of body weight lost.

20-24 oz20-24 L6-12 L6-12 oz

13. Which of the following exercises primarily targets the highlighted muscles?

Dumbbell Romanian deadliftLateral X Band WalksSingle Arm Bent over rowBarbell Push Press

14. A written and posted emergency response plan covers all of the following, except:

Transportation to a medical facilityOn-site emergency care equipmentInstructions on how to administer CPRAccess to medical care givers

15. In which part of the cell does fatty acid oxidation occur?

RibosomesMitochondriaCytoplasmExtracellular matrix

16. Which of the following aspects is not an increased performance benefit of good warm-up design?

Enhanced static flexibilityImproved muscle strength and powerImproved reaction timeIncreased blood flow to muscles

17. During pre-season preparation, you need to test a group of hockey players on their ability to stop on the ice, change direction, and reaccelerate to chase the puck. Which of the following assessments would be best to score this information?

40-yd dashVertical jump300m shuttlePro-agility

18. Which of the following is not considered appropriate exercise technique for a high plank?

Place wrists underneath shouldersMaintain a neutral pelvis and spineContract the glutesLook straight ahead

19. During an explosive training day, which of the following exercises could logically serve as a main lift?

Dumbbell curl to pressBarbell push pressDead bugsTriceps press down

20. Which of the following movement screens would be most appropriate for determining thoracic mobility?

Overhead squatSingle leg balanceIn-line lungeBilateral overhead raise

21. In preparation for the upcoming season, you are tasked with designing a program for a collegiate wrestling team. In order to train upper body stability through closed-chain movements, which of the following exercises would be best to include in your program?

Pallof pressNeutral grip lat pulldownSingle arm TRX rowGoblet squats

22. During which phase of the General Adaptation Syndrome has an athlete begun to adapt to new stressors and started supercompensation?

HomeostasisAlarm StageExhaustion StageResistance Stage

23. During which portion of the athletic season would program design center on maintaining sufficient cardiovascular fitness, injury rehabilitation, low training intensities and improved weak spots?

In-seasonPre-seasonPost-seasonOff-season

24. Which of the following represents the most appropriate way to test and retest power in youth populations?

Vertical jump test (contact mat)Wingate anaerobic cycle test1RM bench pressTreadmill VO2 Max test

25. When setting up for a barbell hang clean, the bar makes contact with the body at the ___________.

mid-to-upper thighkneehip creasemid-shin