Now that I have officially passed my NASM Certified Personal Trainer test, I want to answer a few questions I have received over the last few weeks about studying and the test itself.

How did you go about studying for the test?


Before I answer this, you need to know that I am not a good studier. I was an English major. I read books and wrote papers. We did not have tests. Education was all practicals. Stand up and teach.

That being said, I spent a lot of time studying. I started in September and devoted at least an hour a day during the week and as much as I could on weekends. Don’t underestimate how much work it takes to solidify all this information! Here is how I studied:

  • Read the chapters and took notes. I kept a notebook just for NASM.

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  • Watched the online presentations. <–This is one of the best parts of NASM. I would recommend watching the presentations first, then reading the chapters. It will help things make sense.
  • Answered the practice test questions. I did this about once a week to check my progress.
  • Reviewed the online flashcard bundle.
  • Typed all my notes so they were organized and in one place. This helped sine I was able to refer to it instead of lugging around the whole book when I wanted to check something.

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  • Wrote notecards for concepts that were still giving me trouble.

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  • Made a memory / matching game for the concepts I needed to know cold. This was a HUGE help to me, especially for the overactive and underactive muscles on fitness assessments.

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  • Downloaded the Upward Mobility app. This was the BEST part of what I did. The app has 475 questions, with explanations. I went over and over them every spare moment. I HIGHLY recommend this app.

What specific topics should I focus on?

These are some topics that I saw on my test:

  • overactive and underactive muscles on fitness assessments <—This is a HUGE part of the test!
  • knowledge of performance vs. knowledge of results
  • muscles as movers (agonist, synergist, antagonist, stabiliers)
  • stability <—Lots of questions on this stage of the OPT model.
  • acute training variables (tempos, reps, sets)
  • 10 steps to success
  • postural distortions
  • READ
  • straight percentage method
  • types of training and who they are best for (circuits, single set, multiple set, PHA, horizontal & vertical loading)
  • OPT model
  • fitness assessments (who should do which assessment)
  • skinfolds (how to take them and where on the body)
  • flexibility continuum
  • stage training
  • SMART goals
  • special populations (arthritis, hypertension, seniors, obese, pregnant, youth)
  • law of thermodynamics
  • carb loading
  • supplement / vitamin recommendations and dangers
  • stages of change
  • buying decisions (based on emotion)
  • communication skills (reflecting)

What was the testing environment like?

One of my biggest worries was about the testing environment. It stressed me out to not know what the testing center would look like. Your experience may differ, but hopefully this will give you a better picture if you have some of the same worries.

  • My test was scheduled for 10 am, but they ask you to arrive 30 minutes before. They let me start as soon as I checked in, around 9:37.
  • The PSI testing center was in a large office building.
  • A kind lady and older gentleman checked my ID, CPR card, and took my confirmation number and picture before the test.
  • They held onto my cellphone, pen, and a small stack of flashcards I had brought in case I had to wait.
  • I went into an anterior room and sat in my assigned cubicle (#8) with a computer. There were 10 computers in the room, all of them were full with other people taking various tests.
  • There were new earplugs on the desk in case I wanted them.
  • After reading through the on screen testing instructions, the test automatically began.
  • When I finished, an hour and a half later, I went back to the check in room. The woman returned my things and printed my test results.

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That was it! If you get a bit of test anxiety, not to worry. It was all very easy and efficient.

Why did you pick NASM?

NASM is the only program that uses the OPT Model. The more I studied for the test, and started using OPT in my own workouts, I realized how well it truly works.

NASM offers study materials both online and in person. I knew that if I got stuck studying, I could rely on these programs to get me through. Though the programs can be pricey, NASM allows its future trainers to pay in installments. I love that they keep a real-world outlook on things like that.

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Since you have to complete continuing education credits to keep your certification, NASM makes it easy by offering additional certifications to help make that happen. For example, I am already signed up to become a Women’s Fitness Specialist through NASM, which will count towards my needed credits.

If you’re thinking about NASM, or working on your continuing education credits, get in touch with  Michael at Michael.Golembewski@nasm.org, or 602-383-1263. He helped me register for NASM in the beginning and has been there to answer all my questions through the study process.

RQ: How did/do you study for tests? (college/high school/continuing education) What study tips can you add if you have taken NASM? 

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