acsm study tips - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[shaq]

hey i am doing the acsm cpt exam just need sum study tips wonderin if anyone can help

wouldnt mind a study buddy 2 heads better than one

[Dinah]

Hi Shaq,

Not sure if you've looked around the ACSM section of this forum, but there are some great tips that helped me prepare for the exam. Also, if you're looking for a study buddy, which I was too -- you may want to post a new thread with that in the title, so people know you're looking.

My tips for studying are:
- Familiarize (read) yourself with the required texts
- Go through the KSAs one by one and make sure you research and study the applicable information
- Don't get too focused on the tiny details
- Take a workshop if one is offered near you
- Take practice tests esp the ones in the Certification Review
- Use the forum to ask questions

Hope this helps.



Dinah

[jeff]

Shaq!

I found this particular post made by Brian two years ago very helpful.

Brian's tips to studying effectively for the ACSM CPT

Two heads are better than one. But how about three, four, five, six, and etc... This is what is so powerful about a forum like this one.

By the way, great advice Dinah!

I think it would be a great idea for all of us who are studying to take the ACSM CPT exam to use this fourm to help us study.

For this reason I would love to be a study buddy of yours. I think it would be even more helpful if we can get a few others to do this in this forum as a group.

We could do this by throwing out (posting) some questions to test each other's knowledge with the criteria being that it must be a question that has a good chance of being on the actual exam.

So if this is something you would like to try to do, count me in.

Jeff

[jeff]

I'll go first. The following questions came from information that ACSM provided in an answer explanation for one of its practice CPT exams.

What happens to resting heart rate as a result of regular exercise?

Okay, hopefully you know the answer. If you don't, you just need to work on studying more of the basic information that you need to know.

But do you know the answer to the following: Why does the resting heart rate do this in response to regular (chronic) exercise?

I will give a prize to the first person that can post the correct answers to these two questions.

Jeff

[Dinah]

I love your enthusiasm, Jeff!!! If only I were taking the CPT test again, I'd be thrilled to have a partner like you.

I found my study buddy on this very site and we developed flashcards (a.k.a PowerPoint slides) -- where we made one flashcard for EVERY KSA. Yes, I said every KSA. It took a long time, but we divvied up the work. We would also make up test questions for every slide. So we would review the completed cards, give each other time to study and then come together to ask the test questions. It took about 3 solid months, but totally worth it -- we passed on our first time around!

Also, BrianB's tips? My study buddy and I referred to them as the "Holy Grail" of our resources. Fantastic guide and quite spot on. Used them all the time -- up until the very last night of studying.


Just a few more endorsements from the newly certified...

[shaq]

thanx guys , yeah i looked through the forum some great tips

brain tips are very good, like u said dinah i keep tryin to remember the lil bits which i dont need to

one question theres a new book out 3rd edition acsm resources of personal trainer i stll got the 2nd is it worth buying it
i am off work recovering from surgery i think if i study 3-5 hours a day or more i should be ready soon, as i bn personal training for over 4 years now
thanx for the help guys very informative

[Chris_78]

I'll go first. The following questions came from information that ACSM provided in an answer explanation for one of its practice CPT exams.

What happens to resting heart rate as a result of regular exercise?

Okay, hopefully you know the answer. If you don't, you just need to work on studying more of the basic information that you need to know.

But do you know the answer to the following: Why does the resting heart rate do this in response to regular (chronic) exercise?

I will give a prize to the first person that can post the correct answers to these two questions.

Jeff

Hey Jeff,

I'll take a stab at answering your questions - although, I'm not preparing for this particular exam. This is just for pure fun.

In theory, the resting heart rate should decrease. However, the amount of decrease may differ depending upon the mode of exercise - for example, you will see more significant changes with aerobic exercise as opposed to anaerobic exercise.

For question #2, cardiac output is measured by HR x stroke volume. As one becomes more fit, their stroke volume will tend to increase and thus, the HR is able to decrease because more blood is ejected after ventricular contraction (systole). If you really want to get specific, what we tend to see with aerobic exercise are morphological changes in the heart such that the size of the left ventricle actually increase. This is referred to as eccentric hypertrophy. In anaerobic exercise, we tend to see greater left ventricular wall thickness and increased contractility due to such. This is referred to as concentric hypertrophy.

I think that those are the right answers with a little extra, just in case

[Dinah]

Hi Shaq,

Hope your surgery wasn't too serious and you're recuperating just fine.

I am not sure about the differences between the 2nd edition of Resources vs the 3rd. Try and look around to see if anyone's commented on sites like Amazon to see if there really is a significant difference that it would be worth your while to purchase.

I would use the practice tests as a benchmark to see how you are doing (not that that's necessarily an indicator of how you'd do on the test, but it's as good as any measuring stick). Make sure you are really, really, really familiar with the KSAs. If, after all of that, you feel confident, then I would say it's time.


Dinah

[shaq]

hey dinah

surgery was a pain should bn out of action for 3 months tops its bn 18 and counting but, gives me time to study and look for new jobs once i am healed, so i can study alll day everyday

from wat i read on amazon only difference is they highlighted important points in the 3rd edition

with the practice tests i done really well, i have to read the KSA in more depth, focus on the higher % ones

i reckon few months i should be fine, can i ask wat books would u recommend i got all of them but i dont wann read every single page word by word

[brooksr]

Dinah,

By any chance do you still have the powerpoints you created and would you be willing to pass them on?

Brooks