NCSF-STRENGTH & CONDITIONING QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
Exercise vs sport training environment - Answers-Exercise environment is usually
consistent and predictable, while a sports environment may provide varying conditions
and unexpected challenges
Universal attributes of an elite athlete - Answers-1. neuromuscular efficiency
2. exposure to the sport at an early age
3. participation in a sport that reflects the athlete's strengths
4 possession of unique skills applicable to competition
5. requisite anthropometric measures
reaction time - Answers-response rate from perception to action
dynamic equilibrium - Answers-state of balance between continuing actions; force sums
do not equal zero, but are close enough to maintain necessary balance and stability
*more reflective of performance measures
common athlete weaknesses - Answers-poor flexibility and strength imbalances
successful strength and conditioning establishes - Answers-maintains health related
components of fitness (muscle strength/endurance, cardio, flexibility, and body comp) in
the offseason to ensure preseason training can focus on sport specific improvements
rather than baseline conditioning
vo2 max - Answers-Maximum oxygen uptake; most oxygen used when working the
hardest you can
Proprioception - Answers-Related to the perception of position and movement within the
body
Power - Answers-rate of work performed expressed as (force x distance)/time;
associated with the ability to produce high velocity contractions
Fact or fiction: high strength=high work and power - Answers-fiction: strength denotes
production of max force, but not power; strong does not always equal powerful; slow
heavy lifting without power training can reduce efficiency of explosive movements
Speed - Answers-Rate of performing work (force X distance/time)
Speed, velocity and acceleration are often erroneously used as synonymous terms
An athlete may be slow during a 40-yd dash (speed) but quick in bursts (acceleration)
,An athlete that can accelerate to the highest velocity in the shortest period of time is
quick
An athlete that can move his/her body between two given points at a faster rate possess
greater speed
Velocity - Answers-the rate of change of position where both speed and direction are
used to quantify it
Acceleration - Answers-the change in velocity over time; can change in magnitude
and/or direction
agility - Answers-defined as the ability to change body positions efficiently in response
to a stimulus
Quickness can be quantified by the ability to accelerate to a high velocity in a given
direction, or in a repeated fashion during a series of directional changes (agility and
quickness are connected)
Requires the interaction of several fitness variables
A lower center of mass maintained directly over the base of support helps to maximize
agility
Agility is affected by - Answers-experience, size, stability, center of gravity, muscular
fitness, power, and flexibility
balance - Answers-stable state characterized by cancellation of all forces equal and
opposing
Determined by depth perception, CNS/PNS, and tactile ground reaction forces
*When factors of ground reaction force shift, so will the requirements for balance. Ice,
sand, and mud all affect tactile properties, therefore making balance a more difficult
endeavor
coordiantion - Answers-the "intelligence" of muscles and their ability to communicate
efficiently with central processing for harmonious adjustment
The neuromuscular system has a learning capacity as it is an extension of the brain
Elite athletes physically learn and adapt faster than non-athletes
Repetition can mask athleticism - repeating a drill can improve outcomes for the
movement pattern but not reactive, in-game performance
stability - Answers-property of a body to resist displacement
Competitive power lifting vs Olympic lifting - Answers-PW lifting: bench, squat, deadlift;
fails to employ high levels of power, requires notable stability and max force production,
but work is performed at low velocity
O lifting: clean, jerk, snatch; requires greater movement velocity and energy transfer
efficiency
,Lifts that imporve___connections and linkage of the ____ are optimal - Answers-force
couple; kinetic chain
sport movement forces tend to - Answers-start from the ground, accelerate through the
hips/trunks, and manifest in the hands/feet
force couples - Answers-occur when two or more forces are pulling in different directions
on an object, causing the object to rotate about its axis
coordination between dynamic and static contractions acting upon a joint/body segment
why does early exposure matter for sport performance - Answers-Greater use of fast-
twitch fibers during youth = greater affinity for immediate energy system efficiency as an
adult
-plasticity of muscle tissue is greater during youth, potentially enhancing chronic
adaptions
-satellite cells are higher among children than adults, making the potential for muscle
regeneration and fiber specific adaptations greater
Most sport outcomes are defined by which system? - Answers-anaerobic pathways:
Maximal force and high-velocity movements require phosphagen system efficiency
(immediate energy for ~15sec). Fast-twitch fiber recruitment via rapid neural pathways
manage powerful sport actions
-Aerobic efficiency is also relevant to anaerobic sports:
Efficient use of O2 is necessary in buffering anaerobic energy byproducts
Athletes with high CRF can train harder due to shortened rest periods between bouts of
work
Endurance sports rely heavily on the aerobic system, but also depend on anaerobic
efficiency for success
how id anaerobic efficiency related to endurance athletes? - Answers-Control fatigue
during higher-intensity segments (e.g., end of a race)
Reduce musculoskeletal movement restrictions
Allow for an improved lactate threshold
Primary role of strength and conditioning professionals - Answers-Injury Prevention;
elite athletes must be kept on the field
Sports economy - Answers-energy conservation associated with efficient task
performance in a given sport
*Factors that limit movement should be addressed before attempting to accelerate
actions
Improving an athlete's strength-to-weight ratio and metabolic efficiency can enhance
economy and prevent premature fatigue
, neural vs. muscular improvements - Answers-Sports require the training of movements
not isolated muscles (neural-dominated vs. muscle-dominated); muscles must be taught
to work synergistically rather than independently
Training aimed specifically at neural characteristic (i.e., motor unit recruitment, firing rate
and synchronicity) can increase force with or without fiber hypertrophy
Hypertrophy is not necessary for power/speed improvements, but larger fibers tend to
produce greater force
key goal of metabolic conditioning - Answers-being able to repeat high-level
performance without a decline in movement proficiency or speed
strength coaches must: 1. identify sport specific metabolic pathways, 2. understand the
factors that affect repeat performance, 3. ensure the athletes can play hard until the end
of the game
Identify the two major factors associated with the Olympic lifts that make them more
effective for developing sport-specific power over the exercises performed during
competitive "power-lifting". - Answers-The velocity of the lifts
The energy transfer efficiency necessary to accelerate the resistance
negative performance-related implications associated with tissue inflexibility. - Answers--
Improper movement patterns
-Joint actions can be resisted
-The length of muscle to produce peak tension can be lost
-Biomechanics can be altered in a manner that promotes injury -The athlete may be
unable to properly perform key exercises
Equilibrium is influenced by which of the following: - Answers-All of the above:
a. The width of the base of support
b. Height of the center of mass relative to the base of support
c. Alignment of the center of mass relative to the base of support
Emphasis on proper ____________ contraction will help ensure that the pelvis does not
rotate posteriorly during heavily-loaded squats or deadlifts - Answers-Pelvic floor
Which of the following sling systems is involved in forward locomotion and incorporates
cooperative action from the obliques, anterior abdominal fascia and hip adductors? -
Answers-Anterior oblique sling system
motion analysis - Answers-Analysis of crucial actions that dictate performance for a
sport
decelerators - Answers-Global movers active during the eccentric phase of movement
accelerators - Answers-Global movers active during the concentric phase of movement
ballistics - Answers-Velocity-based lifts that emphasize concentric acceleration
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