1 week away from NSCA-CPT! Help!! - Personal Trainer Community - Forum

[Khiva Jo]

Is there ANY last advice that anyone can give me about the test? I have to pass this test the first time. I have been studying for 3 months, and have the book, the cd's and the practice tests. I have taken all three and have been getting about %75 on them. Some of the question are confusing to me. Does anyone know if there are any of the same questions on the test that are in the book/cds/pretests? any other helpful advice would be great!! Also, would you reccomend the morning or afternoon test??? Thanks!

[Christina]

Hi and welcome. I took the test a few years ago so I cannot offer a whole lot of help. One thing though, make sure you study the exercise techniques book (I can't remember what it is called off hand). Make sure you know which muscles are used during various exercises. Know more than just "the biceps are involved in the bicep curl." I took the morning exam and biked 20 miles before hand to get out all the anxiety. Good luck!

Christina

[Khiva Jo]

Thanks for the information! I am having trouble with the nutritional information...fats/protiens/carbs. One of the questions on my "pre-test" is this.....
A 46 yr. old male, weighing 220lbs, his estimated REE---combined with the kilocalories expended from normal daily activities is 2200 kilocalories. He expends an additional 500 kilocalories during each workout (7days a week). His food record revealed this....Pro-150 grams, Carbs--400grams, and fat 40 grams.

What is this clients daily caloric deficit?
A. 140 cals
B. 360
C. 420
D. 500

The book says it is A how do they get this answer??? I am stummped!
Thank you so much for taking the time to help me out! Thanks! Khiva

[Christina]

Ok, here is how they got it. Let me see if I can explain this...

He burns a total of 2,700 calories a day through REE/daily expenditure (2,200 kcal/day) + his daily workouts (500 kcal/day).
2,200 + 500 = 2,700.

He consumes:
Protein: 150 grams. There are 4 calories per 1 gram of protein therefore he consumes 600 calories of protein.
Carbs: 400 grams. There are 4 calories per 1 gram of carbohydrate therefore he consumes 1600 calories of carbs.
Fat: 40 grams. There are 9 calories per 1 gram of fat therefore he consumes 360 calories of fat.

Now it's time to add everything up:
600 kcal/protein + 1600 kcal/carbs + 360 kcal/fat = 2,560 kcal

If he burns a total of 2,700 kcal/day through a combination of REE/daily expenditure + exercise BUT only consumes 2,560 kcal/day of food, that means he has a daily deficit of 140 kcal.
2,700 - 2,560 = 140

Make sense?

Christina

[Khiva Jo]

Wow, yes that totally makes sense now. Thank you so much for helping me out with that and for the quick response. I can't tell you how helpful it is to know that I can actually ask someone for help. I just found this website yesterday, and it's already making me feel better about the test next week!

So, one more question for you then.....
1. What is the load for a "medium" training day if the athlete's 1RM is 400 pounds, and the number of goal reps is 4 per set??

or

2. What is the load for the bench press exercise on a "light" day of a strength trainging program if the clients 1RM is 200 pounds and the number of goal reps is 6 per set?

I can't figure these out, and I have a feeling there will be a lot of these on the test.

Thank you soooooo much! Khiva

[Christina]

You can learn how to calculate these by following the example on page 382 under "Within-the-Week Variation." It walks you through how to do these calculations.

Tip: I suggest anyone taking the NSCA-CPT exam to do what I did: memorize Table 15.3 on page 371 and write it down on the scratch paper or dry erase board provided by the testing center the moment the exam begins. If you encounter any of these sorts of questions on the test you will be able to answer them quickly.

Good luck!
Christina

[Christina]

I will do one for you...

What is the load for the bench press exercise on a "light" day of a strength trainging program if the clients 1RM is 200 pounds and the number of goal reps is 6 per set?

1RM = 200 pounds

Now go to Table 15.3 on page 371.

If the goal repetition is 6, according to Table 15.3 that is 85% of the 1RM.

200 x .85 = 170 pounds

A light day, according to page 382, is 80% of the load lifted on heavy days. Therefore...

170 x .80 = 136 (and then you round DOWN)

Answer: 135 pounds

Hope this helps.
Christina

[Khiva Jo]

You are awesome! Thank you sooooooo much!

Any ideas on how to remember all of the Risk Factors ex... chol <200, HDL<LDL, glucose, the good one, HDL>60? It is so hard to get this straight, and there are so many questions on this? Thanks again

[Christina]

Don't just memorize them, LEARN what they mean and how to apply them. If you learn what they mean then they won't be just a bunch of numbers. Memorizing the %1RM chart is one thing, but cholesterol/glucose readings is another.

Question: When do you take the exam? Do you have to take it NOW?

Christina

[Khiva Jo]

I am taking it next Friday the 19th, so I am just really trying to "fine tune" everything this week.