NCAA CPL Human Performance study plan

Label every major bone and joint landmark on a blank skeletal diagram from memory, then list the joint type and primary plane of motion for the shoulder, hip, knee, and ankle.

Trace the path of a motor command from motor cortex through the corticospinal tract to a skeletal muscle, naming each synaptic or anatomical relay point.

Explain the sliding filament theory step by step, including the roles of calcium, troponin, tropomyosin, actin, myosin, and ATP hydrolysis.

Differentiate the three muscle fiber types by contraction speed, fatigue resistance, capillary density, and oxidative versus glycolytic capacity.

Build a one-page muscle-origin-insertion-action table for the eight muscles most commonly tested on movement of the hip and shoulder.

Describe the cardiac cycle in sequence, identifying when the AV and semilunar valves open and close and how that maps to heart sounds.

Compare pulmonary and systemic circulation by vessel type, pressure, and oxygenation, and explain how cardiac output changes from rest to maximal exercise.

Diagram the acute cardiovascular and respiratory responses to a single bout of aerobic exercise, including stroke volume, heart rate, ventilation, and arteriovenous oxygen difference.

Explain how the Fick equation links cardiac output, oxygen extraction, and VO2, and use it to predict the effect of a 20% rise in stroke volume.

Summarize how blood pressure regulation (baroreceptors, sympathetic tone, local vasodilation) responds to sustained aerobic work.

Compare the phosphagen, glycolytic, and oxidative systems by peak power, time to fatigue, ATP yield, and oxygen requirement, and state which dominates in a 10-second sprint versus a 20-minute run.

Calculate ATP yield from one glucose molecule through each pathway and from one palmitate molecule via beta-oxidation.

Explain the lactate threshold concept, why it shifts with training, and how it relates to ventilatory threshold.

Interpret a VO2max test result, including the criteria used to confirm maximal effort and the factors that limit oxygen delivery versus utilization.

Describe the hormonal responses to exercise (catecholamines, cortisol, insulin, glucagon, growth hormone) and how they support fuel mobilization.

Apply Newton's three laws to at least four sport movements, naming the forces involved and the direction of each.

Resolve a force vector into vertical and horizontal components and calculate the torque produced at a given joint angle.

Identify the lever class, fulcrum, effort, and load for the biceps curl, calf raise, and neck extension, then explain the mechanical disadvantage of third-class levers.

Explain how the stretch-shortening cycle and series elastic components contribute to jump performance, and describe the eccentric, amortization, and concentric phases.

Analyze a sprint stride or a vertical jump using a free-body diagram, labeling ground reaction force, center of mass, and joint-angle changes.

Distinguish the stages of motor learning (cognitive, associative, autonomous) and describe the characteristics of a performer in each stage.

Compare blocked, random, and variable practice schedules and predict which best supports retention and transfer for a given skill.

Explain the Fitts and Posner model alongside Gentile's two-dimensional taxonomy and classify three sport skills using Gentile's dimensions.

Design a periodized 12-week program that applies progressive overload, specificity, and recovery principles, specifying sets, reps, intensity, and rest for each mesocycle.

Select appropriate fitness assessments for each health-related component (cardiorespiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, flexibility, body composition) and justify each choice.

Calculate target heart rate using both the percent-of-maximum method and the Karvonen method, and explain why the results differ.

Interpret a set of fitness test results (VO2max, 1RM, sit-and-reach, body composition) and translate them into training recommendations prioritized by need.

Explain the roles of carbohydrate, protein, and fat in fueling exercise, including recommended intake ranges for endurance and strength athletes.

Describe the timing and composition of pre-, during-, and post-exercise nutrition, including carbohydrate loading and the protein dose-and-timing rationale.

Evaluate hydration status and explain the sodium and fluid replacement considerations for exercise lasting longer than 60 to 90 minutes.

Identify modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors for common injuries (ACL, hamstring strain, ankle sprain, shoulder impingement) and match each to a preventive strategy.

Explain the RAMP warm-up protocol and contrast it with static stretching before activity, citing the evidence on performance effects.

Describe emergency action plan components, including scene assessment, emergency activation, and the recognition of heat illness and concussion red flags.

Explain how self-determination theory, self-efficacy, and the transtheoretical model explain exercise adherence, and apply each to a sedentary adult.

Identify psychological barriers to physical activity and design two behavior-change strategies (e.g., goal setting, implementation intentions) with a way to measure each.

Complete a full-length timed practice exam under test conditions, then score it and categorize every error by domain.

Rank your three weakest domains by error rate and re-review the corresponding notes, rewriting each missed concept as a one-sentence rule.

Recite from memory the key formulas (Fick equation, Karvonen, ATP yields, torque, percent-of-max heart rate) and apply each to a fresh problem.

Build a one-page summary sheet per domain that you could review in the final 48 hours before the exam.

Simulate explaining three difficult concepts aloud to a peer, checking for gaps in your own reasoning.