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NASM Certified Personal Trainer · Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching

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NASM Certified Personal Trainer Motivation and Behavior Change Summary

Importance
★★★★★ (5 / 5)
Weight
About 8 of 15 Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching questions (50%)

Goal setting, motivation, stages of change, and adherence.

Motivation and Behavior Change: must-know points

  • SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.
  • Intrinsic motivation comes from within; extrinsic comes from rewards or pressure.
  • Stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance.
  • Find the barriers first when a client misses sessions.

Motivation and Behavior Change: 9 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 1. In a SMART goal, what does the letter T stand for?

  1. ① Total
  2. ② Trainer-approved
  3. ③ Time-bound
  4. ④ Tough
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Answer: ③ Time-bound

Key point: SMART: T = time-bound

SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and time-bound.

Wrong choices

  • Total: This is not part of SMART.
  • Trainer-approved: This is not part of SMART.
  • Tough: This is not part of SMART.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 2. Which is the best example of a SMART goal?

  1. ① Get in shape
  2. ② Lose weight as fast as possible
  3. ③ Walk briskly for 30 minutes, 3 days a week, for the next 8 weeks
  4. ④ Be healthier someday
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Answer: ③ Walk briskly for 30 minutes, 3 days a week, for the next 8 weeks

Key point: SMART goal is specific and has a deadline

A SMART goal has clear amounts, a time frame, and is realistic.

Wrong choices

  • Get in shape: This is not specific or measurable.
  • Lose weight as fast as possible: This is not realistic or time-bound.
  • Be healthier someday: This is not specific or time-bound.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 3. Which is an example of intrinsic motivation?

  1. ① Exercising to win a prize
  2. ② Exercising to please the trainer
  3. ③ Exercising because it feels good and is enjoyable
  4. ④ Exercising to avoid a fee
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Answer: ③ Exercising because it feels good and is enjoyable

Key point: Intrinsic = from inside the person

Intrinsic motivation comes from enjoyment or personal meaning. Prizes and pressure from others are extrinsic.

Wrong choices

  • Exercising to win a prize: A prize is an outside reward.
  • Exercising to please the trainer: This comes from outside.
  • Exercising to avoid a fee: This is an outside pressure.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 4. A client does not exercise and has no plans to start in the next six months. Which stage of change is this?

  1. ① Contemplation
  2. ② Preparation
  3. ③ Precontemplation
  4. ④ Action
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Answer: ③ Precontemplation

Key point: No plan to change = precontemplation

In precontemplation the client does not plan to change in the near future.

Wrong choices

  • Contemplation: In contemplation the client is thinking about starting.
  • Preparation: In preparation the client is getting ready to start.
  • Action: In action the client has begun exercising.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 5. A client has exercised regularly for more than six months. Which stage of change are they in?

  1. ① Action
  2. ② Maintenance
  3. ③ Preparation
  4. ④ Contemplation
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Answer: ② Maintenance

Key point: Maintenance = regular activity 6+ months

The stages are precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance. Maintenance means the new habit has lasted six months or more.

Wrong choices

  • Action: Action is the first six months of regular behavior.
  • Preparation: In preparation the person is planning to start soon.
  • Contemplation: In contemplation the person is only thinking about it.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 6. A client has missed three sessions in a row. What should the trainer do first?

  1. ① Charge a penalty fee
  2. ② Ask open questions to learn what is getting in the way
  3. ③ Tell them to be more disciplined
  4. ④ Drop all of their goals
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Answer: ② Ask open questions to learn what is getting in the way

Key point: Find barriers first

The trainer should listen and find the barriers, such as time, stress, or pain, and then solve them together.

Wrong choices

  • Charge a penalty fee: This can harm the relationship.
  • Tell them to be more disciplined: This blames the client.
  • Drop all of their goals: This gives up on the client.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★★

Question 7. Which of the following is NOT a good strategy to improve exercise adherence?

  1. ① Tracking progress with the client
  2. ② Building social support
  3. ③ Celebrating small wins
  4. ④ Setting vague, unrealistic goals
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Answer: ④ Setting vague, unrealistic goals

Key point: Adherence needs clear, realistic goals

Clear, realistic goals, progress tracking, support, and celebration help clients stick with exercise. Vague, unrealistic goals do not.

Wrong choices

  • Tracking progress with the client: This is a good strategy.
  • Building social support: This is a good strategy.
  • Celebrating small wins: This is a good strategy.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★☆

Question 8. What does self-efficacy mean?

  1. ① A person's belief in their ability to succeed
  2. ② A person's current fitness level
  3. ③ The amount of social support a person has
  4. ④ A reward for finishing a workout
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Answer: ① A person's belief in their ability to succeed

Key point: Self-efficacy = belief you can do it

Self-efficacy is confidence in your own ability. Small wins help it grow.

Wrong choices

  • A person's current fitness level: This is a result of training, not self-efficacy.
  • The amount of social support a person has: Support can help, but it is not self-efficacy.
  • A reward for finishing a workout: This is an extrinsic reward.
Practice questionReviewedClient Relations and Behavioral Coaching › Motivation and Behavior Change★★★★☆

Question 9. Which is most likely to help a client keep exercising?

  1. ① A goal with no deadline
  2. ② Support from friends or family
  3. ③ Avoiding any feedback
  4. ④ Changing the plan every day
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Answer: ② Support from friends or family

Key point: Social support helps adherence

Support from friends or family gives encouragement and accountability.

Wrong choices

  • A goal with no deadline: A goal with no deadline is hard to track.
  • Avoiding any feedback: Feedback helps clients improve and stay on track.
  • Changing the plan every day: Constant changes make it hard to build a habit.

Test yourself.

Motivation and Behavior Change: 5 questions →Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching: 5 questions →