NCSF CPT cheat sheet

Muscle spindles lie within the muscle belly and trigger the stretch reflex when the muscle is rapidly lengthened; Golgi tendon organs sit at the musculotendinous junction and inhibit tension through autogenic inhibition.

Sliding filament theory: calcium binds troponin, tropomyosin shifts, and actin-myosin cross-bridges form; concentric action shortens the muscle, eccentric action lengthens it under tension, and isometric action produces force without joint movement.

Fiber types: Type I slow oxidative fibers are fatigue resistant with high capillary and mitochondrial density; Type IIa are fast oxidative-glycolytic; Type IIx are fast glycolytic with the highest force and fastest fatigue.

Energy systems: ATP-PCr covers roughly 0-10 seconds; anaerobic glycolysis covers about 10 seconds to 2 minutes (net 2 ATP, lactate produced); the oxidative system dominates beyond 2 minutes and yields about 30-32 ATP per glucose.

Cardiac output equals heart rate multiplied by stroke volume; the Fick equation states VO2 = cardiac output x the arterial-venous oxygen difference.

HRmax is estimated as 220 minus age; 1 MET equals 3.5 mL/kg/min; a respiratory exchange ratio of 0.7 indicates fat oxidation, 1.0 indicates carbohydrate oxidation, and above 1.0 suggests hyperventilation.

Movement planes: sagittal = flexion and extension; frontal = abduction, adduction, and lateral flexion; transverse = rotation and horizontal abduction/adduction.

Lever classes: first class = neck extension; second class = calf raise during plantar flexion; third class = biceps curl, which is the most common lever in the human body.

Henneman size principle: motor units are recruited smallest to largest as force demand rises; torque equals force multiplied by the moment arm.

BMI = weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared; below 18.5 is underweight, 18.5-24.9 normal, 25-29.9 overweight, and 30 or above obese.

Karvonen target heart rate = ((HRmax - HRrest) x intensity percentage) + HRrest; this method accounts for resting heart rate unlike a simple percentage of HRmax.

Blood pressure categories: normal below 120/80; elevated 120-129 and below 80; stage 1 is 130-139 or 80-89; stage 2 is 140/90 or higher; 180/110 or higher is a hypertensive crisis and exercise is withheld.

Epley 1RM prediction: 1RM = weight lifted x (1 + repetitions/30); accuracy declines when repetitions exceed about 10.

Jackson-Pollock 3-site skinfolds: men use chest, abdomen, and thigh; women use triceps, suprailiac, and thigh.

Waist circumference raises risk above 40 inches (102 cm) in men and above 35 inches (88 cm) in women.

Body composition accuracy: hydrostatic weighing, DEXA, and Bod Pod are high-accuracy methods; bioelectrical impedance and skinfolds depend on hydration status and technician skill.

Reliability is the consistency of repeated measurements; validity is the degree to which a test measures what it claims to measure.

Borg RPE 6-20 roughly maps to heart rate by multiplying the rating by 10; the talk test is a practical marker of the ventilatory threshold.

Aerobic guideline: 150 minutes per week of moderate or 75 minutes per week of vigorous activity spread over 3-5 days; resistance training on 2 or more days per week.

Strength prescription: 85% 1RM or higher, 1-6 reps, 2-6 sets, 2-5 minutes rest; hypertrophy: 67-85% 1RM, 6-12 reps, 3-6 sets, 1-2 minutes rest.

Muscular endurance: 67% 1RM or lower, 12 or more reps, 2-3 sets, 1 minute rest or less; power: 30-45% 1RM or body weight, 1-5 reps, 3-5 minutes rest.

Load progression rule: when the client completes the top of the rep range with good form on all sets, increase load 2-10%, using smaller increments for upper body and larger for lower body.

Exercise order: explosive/power lifts first, then multi-joint large-muscle movements, then single-joint assistance exercises; alternating push and pull manages local fatigue.

Static stretching holds 30-60 seconds for 2-4 repetitions per muscle; dynamic movements are used in the warm-up; PNF uses a contract-relax sequence.

Periodization: macrocycle (typically a year), mesocycle (weeks to months), microcycle (1-2 weeks); linear periodization raises intensity gradually while undulating periodization varies it frequently.

Breathing: exhale during the concentric phase and inhale during the eccentric phase; sustained Valsalva raises intrathoracic pressure and blood pressure and is avoided in at-risk clients.

Spotting is required for barbell exercises passing over the face or shoulders and for heavy dumbbell work; it is generally not required for most selectorized machines or abdominal exercises.

Energy yield: carbohydrate 4 kcal/g, protein 4 kcal/g, fat 9 kcal/g, alcohol 7 kcal/g.

Acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges: carbohydrate 45-65%, protein 10-35%, and fat 20-35% of total calories.

Protein intake: 0.8 g/kg/day for sedentary adults, 1.2-1.7 g/kg/day for resistance training, and up to 2.0 g/kg/day for athletes.

Weight loss: a 500-1000 kcal daily deficit produces roughly 1-2 pounds per week; 3,500 kcal approximates 1 pound of body fat.

Hydration: fluid loss above 2% of body weight impairs performance; drink 5-7 mL/kg about 4 hours before exercise and 1.0-1.5 L per kilogram of body weight lost afterward.

Post-exercise recovery: 20-25 g protein plus 1.0-1.2 g/kg carbohydrate within 0-2 hours supports glycogen resynthesis and repair.

Creatine monohydrate at 3-5 g/day raises phosphocreatine stores; caffeine at 3-6 mg/kg improves endurance performance.

Fiber intake of 25-38 g/day, sodium below 2,300 mg/day, and saturated fat below 10% of calories are standard guidelines.

Female athlete triad components: low energy availability, menstrual dysfunction, and low bone mineral density.

Pregnancy: 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity activity is recommended, but supine exercise after the first trimester and Valsalva maneuvers are avoided.

Older adults: 150 minutes per week of moderate aerobic activity, resistance training on 2 or more days, and balance training to reduce fall risk.

Youth: supervised resistance training with light loads and emphasis on technique is safe; maximal lifting is not recommended before physical maturity.

Hypertension: moderate aerobic training with normal breathing is preferred; exercise is contraindicated when blood pressure is 180/110 mmHg or higher.

Diabetes: exercise increases insulin sensitivity; type 1 clients monitor glucose, carry fast-acting carbohydrate, and avoid injecting insulin into the exercising limb.

Beta blockers blunt the heart rate response, so heart-rate-based intensity formulas become unreliable and RPE or the talk test is used instead.

Osteoporosis: weight-bearing and resistance training are recommended, while loaded spinal flexion, rotation, and high fall-risk activities are avoided.

Absolute contraindications to exercise include unstable angina, severe aortic stenosis, uncontrolled arrhythmia, and acute systemic infection.

Scope of practice: a certified personal trainer may screen clients and prescribe exercise but may not diagnose conditions, prescribe diets, or treat injuries.

Negligence requires four elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages; the standard of care is what a reasonably prudent professional would do in the same situation.

A PAR-Q+ and health history precede exercise participation; medical clearance is required for symptoms or known cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease.

Emergency action plan: recognize the emergency, activate EMS and the AED, provide CPR, and document the event; AED pads are placed away from an implanted pacemaker.

RICE for acute soft-tissue injury: rest, ice for 15-20 minutes, compression, and elevation.

A sprain injures a ligament; a strain injures a muscle or tendon; tendinitis is tendon inflammation; bursitis is inflammation of a bursa.

Heat illness progresses from cramps to heat exhaustion (heavy sweating, weakness, dizziness) to heat stroke (core temperature above 104 degrees F, confusion, collapse), which is a medical emergency.

Overtraining indicators: elevated resting heart rate, persistent soreness, performance decline, and sleep or mood disturbance.

Facility practice: inspect equipment before use, keep walkways and exercise space clear, and monitor temperature and humidity because heat raises core temperature and cardiovascular strain.