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NASM Certified Personal Trainer · Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts

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NASM Certified Personal Trainer Anatomy and Biomechanics Summary

Importance
★★★★☆ (4 / 5)
Weight
About 5 of 15 Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts questions (35%)

Planes of motion, muscle roles, contractions, and the nervous system.

Anatomy and Biomechanics: must-know points

  • Sagittal plane: flexion and extension. Frontal plane: abduction and adduction. Transverse plane: rotation.
  • An agonist is the prime mover; an antagonist opposes it.
  • Eccentric means the muscle lengthens under tension.
  • Golgi tendon organs sense tension; muscle spindles sense length.

Anatomy and Biomechanics: 7 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 1. A muscle produces force while it lengthens. Which type of contraction is this?

  1. ① Eccentric
  2. ② Concentric
  3. ③ Isometric
  4. ④ Isokinetic
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Answer: ① Eccentric

Key point: Eccentric = muscle lengthens under tension

Lowering a weight slowly is an eccentric contraction. The muscle makes force as it gets longer.

Wrong choices

  • Concentric: In a concentric contraction the muscle shortens.
  • Isometric: In an isometric contraction the muscle stays the same length.
  • Isokinetic: This is constant speed movement.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 2. A biceps curl happens mainly in which plane of motion?

  1. ① Sagittal plane
  2. ② Frontal plane
  3. ③ Transverse plane
  4. ④ Oblique plane
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Answer: ① Sagittal plane

Key point: Flexion and extension = sagittal plane

The sagittal plane divides the body into left and right. Bending and straightening movements, like a curl, happen here.

Wrong choices

  • Frontal plane: The frontal plane includes side-to-side movements.
  • Transverse plane: The transverse plane includes rotation.
  • Oblique plane: This is not a main plane of motion.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 3. Which movement happens mainly in the frontal plane?

  1. ① A biceps curl
  2. ② A squat
  3. ③ A trunk rotation
  4. ④ A side lateral raise
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Answer: ④ A side lateral raise

Key point: Abduction and adduction = frontal plane

Side-to-side movements like a lateral raise (abduction) happen in the frontal plane.

Wrong choices

  • A biceps curl: This is in the sagittal plane.
  • A squat: This is mainly in the sagittal plane.
  • A trunk rotation: This is in the transverse plane.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 4. A muscle produces force without changing length while a client holds a plank. Which type of contraction is this?

  1. ① Concentric
  2. ② Eccentric
  3. ③ Isometric
  4. ④ Plyometric
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Answer: ③ Isometric

Key point: No length change = isometric

In an isometric contraction the muscle produces force but its length does not change.

Wrong choices

  • Concentric: Concentric means the muscle shortens.
  • Eccentric: Eccentric means the muscle lengthens.
  • Plyometric: Plyometric is a fast stretch-then-shorten movement.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 5. Which plane divides the body into left and right halves?

  1. ① Frontal plane
  2. ② Transverse plane
  3. ③ Sagittal plane
  4. ④ Anterior plane
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Answer: ③ Sagittal plane

Key point: Sagittal plane = left and right halves

The sagittal plane splits the body into left and right halves.

Wrong choices

  • Frontal plane: The frontal plane splits the body into front and back.
  • Transverse plane: The transverse plane splits the body into top and bottom.
  • Anterior plane: Anterior plane is not one of the three planes.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 6. During the up phase of a squat, what role does the gluteus maximus play?

  1. ① Antagonist
  2. ② Synergist
  3. ③ Neutralizer
  4. ④ Agonist (prime mover)
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Answer: ④ Agonist (prime mover)

Key point: Agonist = prime mover

The gluteus maximus is the main muscle that extends the hip as the client stands up, so it is the agonist.

Wrong choices

  • Antagonist: An antagonist opposes the movement.
  • Synergist: A synergist only assists the main mover.
  • Neutralizer: A neutralizer cancels unwanted motion.
Practice questionReviewedBasic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts › Anatomy and Biomechanics★★★★☆

Question 7. What do Golgi tendon organs sense?

  1. ① Change in muscle length
  2. ② Blood pressure
  3. ③ Body temperature
  4. ④ Muscle tension
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Answer: ④ Muscle tension

Key point: Golgi tendon organ = tension sensor

Golgi tendon organs sit in the tendon and sense tension. High tension can cause the muscle to relax.

Wrong choices

  • Change in muscle length: This is sensed by muscle spindles.
  • Blood pressure: Other receptors sense this.
  • Body temperature: Other receptors sense this.

Test yourself.

Anatomy and Biomechanics: 5 questions →Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts: 5 questions →