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NASM Bodybuilding Exam Study Guide
Questions and Answers
- Three Types of Muscle : 1. Skeletal
- Cardiac
- Smooth
- 2 forms of Hypertrophy : 1. In series
- In parallel
- Primary mechanism for hypertrophy associated with resistance training : - Increase in number of sarcomeres in parallel
- How is in series hypertrophy achieved : Increasing the number of sarcomeres- basic functional unit of muscle- along length of fiber
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- Though in series hypertrophy does take place in humans, it only occurs in extreme cases such as : Following immobilization of a joint by a cast or By performing very long duration incline treadmill walking
- How is in parallel hypertrophy achieved ?: When sarcomeres (basic functional unit of muscle) are added next to each other (Muscle cross-sectional area is increased) (Produces thicker/fuller muscle)
- Maximal muscular strength v Hypertrophy : Maximal muscular strength: Ability to lift heavy loads Substantial neurological component (By enhancing various neurological factors, an individual is better able to produce optimal force... the nervous system sends faster and stronger electrical signals to muscles to increase strength)
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- How can mechanical tension be developed ?: Either by static (no movement) or dynamic (traditional resistance training involving concentric and eccentric actions) muscle activity
- How does mechanical tension work ?: When resistance is applied to a muscle, the associated forces are sensed by the fibers and converted into chemical signals that ultimately result in increased production of muscle proteins
- Fibers recruited in accordance with the size principle :: Smaller Type 1 fibers (slow-twitch, endurance-based, + fatigue-resistant) activated first. Then Type 2 fibers (fast-twitch, high force-producing capacity, + easily fatigued) brought into play as demand on muscles increase
- Which fiber type has the most impact on muscular gains ?: Type 2
- Damage to muscle fibers is fundamentally caused by which type of exer-
5 / cise ?: Eccentric
- Concentric : Muscle shortening
- Eccentric : Muscle lengthens
- Contractile elements: Actin and mysoin
- Exercise-induced muscle damage promotes hypertrophy in several ways- : Increased activation of satellite cells Inflammatory response associated with exercise-induced muscle damage (acute inflammation is good) Cell swelling
- Limiting factor for protein synthesis: Number of nuclei in a muscle
- Satellite cells: Muscle stem cells Reside adjacent to muscle fibers Remain dormant until "awoken" by adaptive stimulus (muscle damage)
7 / (The acidic environment associated with lactic acid buildup inhibits muscle contrac- tility, thereby promoting fast-twitch fibers to be called into play)
- Two ways to promote cell swelling (although two different mechanisms are involved): 1. Muscle Damage
- Metabolic stress
- How cell swelling works in the context of metabolic stress: Muscular con- tractions compress veins, taking blood out of working muscles Arteries continue to deliver blood to these muscles, creating increased intramuscular blood plasma Plasma seeps out of capillaries into spaces between muscle cells and blood vessels (interstitial spaces) The buildup of fluid in the interstitial space + osmolytic properties of lactate creates an extracellular pressure gradient that causes plasma to rush back into muscle Blood pools in the muscles, causing them to swell Swelling increases protein synthesis and decreases protein breakdown Resulting in increased muscle development
- Somatotyping: A general classification system for identifying a person by body structure
- Three broad categorizations of somatotypes: 1. Ectomorph
- Mesomorph
- Endomorph
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- Ectomorph: Lean + lanky Do not gain weight easily Have a difficult time adding muscle "Hard-gainer" Examples: Marathon runners + runway models
- Mesomorph: Muscular with fairly low levels of body fat Athletic physique Typically have few problems gaining or losing weight Classic bodybuilding structure Often seen in sprinters + swimmers
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- SMART goals: Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely
- Hypertrophy-oriented routines involve performance of multiple sets of multiple repetitions which leads to a buildup of lactic acid and a: Consequent reduction in pH balance, which in turn causes a burning sensation in working muscles
- What separates good results from great results?: Ability to train past fleeting pain
- "Nightclub workout": Training chest + arms (not back or lower body) (End up with impressive "show muscles", but physiques completely out of proportion
11 / so they appear barrel chested and blocky - lacking any semblance of shape and aesthetics)
- Muscle imbalances: A condition in which the length-tension relationship be- tween muscles at a joint has been altered
- Overactive muscles: Shortened
- Underactive muscles: Lengthened
- An over-reliance on pushing exercises often leads to what syndrome?: Up- per crossed
- Upper crossed syndrome: Tight upper traps and pectorals overpower week neck flexors and mid-back muscles
- Asymmetries of upper crossed syndrome results in: Forward head posture, thoracic kyphosis (hunchback appearance), protracted (rounded) shoulders, and winging of the scapula - conditions that, in combination, can reduce shoulder joint stability
- Kyphosis: Hunchback appearance
- Protracted shoulders: Rounded shoulders
- What has been implicated as a primary cause of hamstrings and anterior cruciate ligament tears: A quadriceps/hamstring imbalance
- What is associated with rotator cuff tears and lesions of the shoulder labrum?: Weakness of the subscapularis
- Bodybuilders experience an overall decreased range of motion at the: - Shoulder As well as decreased activation of the lower trapezius
- Bodybuilders tend to demonstrate weakness in: Scapular stabilizers and
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- Most desirable forms of training for bodybuilders: Flexibility training Cardiorespiratory training Core training Resistance training
- Ways of improving range of motion: self-myofascial release (e.g., self-mas- sage, foam rolling), static, active-isolated, and dynamic stretching can be effective for improving range of motion
- A proper stretching program should only target muscles that have been identified as: Tight and restricted
- Muscle groups that are commonly tight and require stretching: The calves, hamstrings, hip flexors, latissimus dorsi (lats), chest, and neck
- Circuit training: Involves the completion of a number of carefully-selected resis- tance exercises arranged sequentially, with a short recovery between the exercises (stations) (Allows greater volumes of work to be performed, while permitting adequate muscle recovery)
- Primary objective of circuit training: Incorporate both cardiorespiratory and resistance training into a single session, enabling some simultaneous physiological adaptations from each
- Prime movers: Arms + legs
- Core: Abdomen, pelvis, hips, low-back
- An unstable or weakened core may limit a bodybuilder's ability to: Properly stabilize the spine, which is required to safely perform these movements
- Volume and intensity of core exercise during a hypertrophy training pro-
14 / gram: Perform a low volume of core exercises to prepare body for activity and to "wake up" the muscles designed to protect the spine (rather than working the core muscles to exhaustion)
- Resistance-stabilized exercises designed to improve: Coordination and joint stability by performing the exercises in unstable, yet controllable environments
- Connective tissues: Tendons and ligaments
- Resistance-strength exercises designed to enhance: Strength of prime movers by performing them in more stable environments (places more emphasis on prime movers and allows one to handle heavier loads and maximize muscle growth potential)
- General rule for resistance training session length: Shouldn't last much more than sixty minutes with a frequency of three to four days a week
16 / The soleus vis-a-vis the gastrocnemius
- Performing the lateral dumbbell raise involves: The middle deltoid to a greater extent than the other heads
- Can't train muscles in complete isolation, just increase: Activation of one relative to another
- Resistance training variables involved in hypertrophy: Exercises, sets, reps, rest intervals, and training frequency, among others
- Another name for principle of specificity: SAID Principle (Specific Adapta- tions to Imposed Demands)
- SAID Principle stands for: Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands
- Principle of Specificity: Adaptations are specific to the inflicted stimulus
- What is the driving factor in muscle hypertrophy?: Mechanical tension
- Progressive Overload: Adaptation only takes place when the body is chal- lenged beyond its present capacity
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- Principle of Reversibility: "Use it or lose it" principle Any gains made from a hypertrophy-oriented program will be progressively lost if you cease training
- De-training: A prolonged cessation from exercises Ultimately results in a return of muscle size to pre-training levels, with decreases in girth following a similar time course to that of training Studies show that, while muscle atrophies in response to detraining, the increased satellite cell pool is largely retained even in the absence of regular exercise, facili- tating increased muscle protein synthesis upon retraining
- Hypertrophy training programs take one of two basic forms:: 1. A total body approach
- A split routine
- Total-body training: Involves working all the major muscle groups (chest, shoul- ders, back, arms, and lower body) each and every workout
- Split routine: Segments training so that certain muscle groups are trained on different days than others
- Which training program form is the preferred choice for maximizing muscle growth and why?: Split routines As a general rule, muscles need about 48 hours to recover following intense resistance exercise so when you work all major muscle groups in a session, recovery issues dictate you won't train again for at least two days so max number
19 / (back, biceps, and abdominals) are worked another day, followed by the lower body on the third day
- Torso-extremities split: Back/Chest/abdominals one day Lower body Shoulders and arms
- 3 principles of exercise: 1. Principle of Specificity (SAID Principle)
- Progressive overload
- Principle of Reversibility
