NASM CRAM GUIDE

For NASM ESSENTIALS OF PERSONAL FITNESS TRAINING 5th

EDITION

This guide is designed to help you focus and study on the most heavily tested areas of the
book. This guide is not designed to be a replacement for reading your book. I recommend
anyone who is studying for the NASM exam to first read through the book in its entirety then use
the cram guide to help them hone in and refresh their memories on the key topics that are most
likely to be tested.

Chapter 1:
● Don’t expect questions from chapter 1.
Chapter 2:
● Understand the different roles other fitness professionals have. Like athletic trainers and
dieticians. The key here is to know what a personal trainer CANNOT do. You cannot
write nutrition plans, you cannot prescribe exercises for physical therapy, you cannot
perform the role of an athletic trainer.
● Know that you require 2 CEUs in order to renew your NASM cert every two years.
● Understand the limitations on diagnosing and prescribing on page 36.
Chapter 3:
● You will receive several questions relating to your understanding of the different planes
of movement. I.e. midline, lateral, ipsilateral, anterior, posterior. Memorize all of these
definitions on page 42.
● Know the planes of motion on page 43.
● Know flexion and extension on page 44.
● Know adduction and abduction on page 48.
● Know eccentric vs concentric on page 58.
● Know tempo and rep schemes on page 62.
● Know the common overactive and underactive muscles starting on page 70. This is
heavily tested(5+ questions).
Chapter 4:
● Know the definitions in bold on page 87 and 90. They like to test especially GTO,
proprioception, and mechanoreceptors.
● Know the definitions of agonist, synergists, stabilizers, antagonists on page 92.
● You can largely skip the skeletal system. You might get 1 question at the most on bones.
● Know reciprocal inhibition on page 108.
● Know the functions of the SA and AV node on page 122. They like to ask questions
about how these function.
● Know the definitions on page 124 of SV, HR, and cardiac output.
 ● Chapter 4 is important and many of the concepts in here are built upon in later chapters.
Questions will mostly be based off later chapters but you will miss them without a firm
understanding of the concepts in chapter 4.
Chapter 5:
● Most people should have a firm grounding on nutrition topics already. Focus on knowing
the basics of how macros function. Also focus on the ratios, they will ask questions
pertaining to what % of calories carbs or protein should make up for an individual with a
specific goal.
● Study the RDA of intake on page 144, 147, and 149.
● On page 154-157 understand the different energy pathways. There are several
questions that will ask you which energy pathway is used in say weight-lifting, vs
running. Remember every exercise always starts with ATP-PC, then moves into aerobic
systems, even long runs.
● Study the guidance for water intake page 158. 2.7 liters for women, 3.7 liters for men.
Chapter 6:
● Know definition of the General adaptation syndrome pg. 179. Very frequently in the test.
Know and be able to list the different phases you go through in the GAS.
● Understand the different principles on page 180-181. They like to give the definition for
one principle then list 4 different principles and have you identify which principle they’re
talking about. It’s easy to mix up specificity for example with overload.
● Know what autogenic inhibition means pg. 186.
● They will ask questions about the difference between active, dynamic, and corrective
stretching. Usually they’ll give you an example of a stretch and ask you to determine
which of these it is. Pg. 188
● Know the different formulas for VO2 max, max heart rate, and HRR. You don’t have to
memorize the formulas just be able to recognize which formula is for which method.
Expect 1-3 questions here. Pg. 189
● Memorize figure 6.8 on pg. 190. Expect 1 question on this.
● Know the definition of proprioceptively rich environment pg. 195
● Know the different set systems on page 208. Pretty easy but refresh your memory before
the test.
Chapter 7:
● Study the notable characteristics, common clientele, and considerations of the different
facility types on page 235. That table will cover the 2-3 questions you’ll receive on the
test.
Chapter 8:
● Know the definitions on page 239 and 240. Easy to remember but look over them before
the test. 1-2 questions here every time.
● Know the difference in objective and subjective assessments starting page 258.
● Know where to take bodyfat measurements with calipers. Pg. 262
Chapter 9:
● Study cumulative injury cycle and relative flexibility on page 283 and 284.
 ● You really have to memorize tables in this chapter. Memorize table 9.4, 9.5, 9.6 on page
288. They’ll ask lots of questions like “Your client has pronation distortion syndrome
which muscles are generally shortened” then give you a list of muscles to choose from.
● Memorize table 9.7 - ​You’ll see at least 3 if not 5+ questions from this. Usually the
question will be “excessive forward lean during overhead squat assessment, what’s a
probable overactive muscle” and then you’ll choose hip flexors, or abdominal complex.
They like to trip you up by adding overactive muscles from other compensation patterns.
Be very careful and read the questions and answers very carefully on the test. Pg. 295
● Memorize table 9.8 & 9.9 ​pg. 298 & 299. Same deal as above. Expect several
questions that read “on a pulling assessment the client's shoulders elevate, what
muscles are probably underactive(or overactive).”
● Know what a Davies test and Shark skill test measures pg. 304 & 305.
● Know how to perform a YMCA 3 min step test.
● Memorize table 9.13 ​pg. 316
Chapter 10:
● Study table 10.1 on page 329. They’ll ask several questions like “In stage 1 endurance
training what tempo will you use” or “In stage 5 power training what tempo will you use”
● Study table 10.3 and 10.4 on pg. 330. Several questions about rest times. Questions will
be like “you’re on phase 5 power training how much rest should you use between each
set” and the answer will be 3-5 mins.
● Know the definitions on page 331-333
● Know the difference in macro cycles, meso cycles, and microcycles from pg 339-341.
● There’s a lot more in the chapter but the above will cover 90% of the questions you’ll be
asked on the test.
Chapter 11:
● Know the definitions of horizontal loading and vertical loading pg. 379.
● Know training frequency vs. training duration pg. 380.
● Know Davis’s law pg. 382 - Soft tissue remodels along lines of stress.
● Study table 11.6 - there will be questions on how to progress. For example you’d
progress from stable to unstable, two legs to one leg.
● Study table 11.7 & 11.9 on pg. 392 - there will be questions on tempo, reps, sets, and
rest intervals.
● Study table 11.14 on pg. 396.
● Study table 11.15 on page 400. Expect 3-5 questions on how to progress & regress
movements.
Chapter 12:
● Know definition of strength endurance pg. 410.
● Know the three zones, zone 1, 2, and 3 on pg. 415. You will be tested over this. Know
that 65-75% is zone one, etc.
● Study tables 12.2 - 12.6 pages 421-427.
Chapter 13:
● Study tables 13.1 - 13.6 starting pg. 457. This is mostly what you will have to know for
this chapter. Again questions will look something like this: “What will your rep scheme be
 for resistance training for a client in phase 5 of the OPT model” and the answer will be
1-5 reps. Expect these types of questions over reps, sets, rest periods, tempo, intensity,
and frequency.
Chapter 14:
● Know the definition of modality on pg. 476.
● The different modalities you should already be familiar with as a fitness enthusiast. Study
it if needed but only expect 1-2 questions.
● In the special populations starting page 493 study mostly the special considerations
section. Focus on the categories after older adults. You will usually get 1-2 questions on
pregnant women, people with cancer, and people with heart problems and hypertension.
Chapter 15:
● There isn’t a good way to study this chapter. Mostly you should already know how to
perform exercises. The big one to study is the squat. Know that knees should track toes,
etc. I would not spend too much time here.
Chapter 16:
● Know the stages of change figure 16.2. You’ll get 2-3 questions here. And know what
the behavior of people in each stage will look like.
● Study table 16.1. Expect 1-2 questions here.
● Study goals on pg. 677. Know the difference between objective and subjective. Know
the acronym SMART goals on page 680.

And that should cover it! I highly recommend you take all the online quizzes, midterm, and full
practice test in the NASM’s e-learning portal. Those will help you get a better feel for how
questions will be structured.

Also read questions very carefully. I believe more people fail the test due to not fully
reading the question and answers than not knowing the material. Questions can be very
tricky and can mislead you if you’re not focused. Take your time. Read each question
carefully.

Goodluck!