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NASM Certified Personal Trainer · Assessment

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NASM Certified Personal Trainer Movement and Posture Assessment Summary

Importance
★★★★★ (5 / 5)
Weight
About 6 of 16 Assessment questions (35%)

Reading the overhead squat assessment and common posture patterns.

Movement and Posture Assessment: must-know points

  • The overhead squat assessment looks for movement compensations.
  • Knees moving in: adductors and TFL overactive; gluteus medius underactive.
  • Low back arches: hip flexors overactive; glutes and deep core underactive.
  • Upper crossed syndrome means rounded shoulders and forward head.

Movement and Posture Assessment: 6 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★★

Question 1. What is the main purpose of the overhead squat assessment?

  1. ① To test maximal leg strength
  2. ② To find movement compensations in the body
  3. ③ To measure resting heart rate
  4. ④ To measure body fat
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Answer: ② To find movement compensations in the body

Key point: Overhead squat finds movement compensations

The overhead squat assessment shows how the body moves as a whole. A trainer uses it to spot compensations and plan corrective work.

Wrong choices

  • To test maximal leg strength: It does not measure maximum strength.
  • To measure resting heart rate: It does not measure heart rate.
  • To measure body fat: It does not measure body fat.
Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★★

Question 2. Rounded shoulders with a forward head posture is called which pattern?

  1. ① Upper crossed syndrome
  2. ② Lower crossed syndrome
  3. ③ Pronation distortion syndrome
  4. ④ Scoliosis
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Answer: ① Upper crossed syndrome

Key point: Upper crossed = rounded shoulders + forward head

Upper crossed syndrome includes a forward head and rounded shoulders. It involves tight chest and neck muscles and weak upper back muscles.

Wrong choices

  • Lower crossed syndrome: This pattern involves the hips and low back.
  • Pronation distortion syndrome: This pattern involves the feet and knees.
  • Scoliosis: This is a side-to-side curve of the spine, not this pattern.
Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★★

Question 3. In an overhead squat assessment, the client's knees move inward. Which muscle is likely underactive?

  1. ① Adductor complex
  2. ② Tensor fasciae latae
  3. ③ Gluteus medius
  4. ④ Vastus lateralis
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Answer: ③ Gluteus medius

Key point: Knees move in: glute medius is underactive

When the knees move in, the adductors, TFL, and vastus lateralis are often overactive, while the gluteus medius and maximus are underactive.

Wrong choices

  • Adductor complex: The adductors are likely overactive.
  • Tensor fasciae latae: The TFL is likely overactive.
  • Vastus lateralis: The vastus lateralis is likely overactive.
Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★☆

Question 4. Which posture pattern includes an arched low back and a forward tilt of the pelvis?

  1. ① Upper crossed syndrome
  2. ② Pronation distortion syndrome
  3. ③ Overhead squat syndrome
  4. ④ Lower crossed syndrome
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Answer: ④ Lower crossed syndrome

Key point: Arched low back = lower crossed syndrome

Lower crossed syndrome includes an arched low back and an anterior pelvic tilt.

Wrong choices

  • Upper crossed syndrome: Upper crossed syndrome involves rounded shoulders and a forward head.
  • Pronation distortion syndrome: Pronation distortion syndrome involves flat feet and knees moving inward.
  • Overhead squat syndrome: Overhead squat syndrome is not a posture pattern.
Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★☆

Question 5. In an overhead squat assessment, the arms fall forward. Which muscle is likely overactive?

  1. ① Middle trapezius
  2. ② Rhomboids
  3. ③ Rotator cuff
  4. ④ Latissimus dorsi
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Answer: ④ Latissimus dorsi

Key point: Arms fall forward: lats are overactive

When the arms fall forward, the latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major and minor, and teres major are often overactive.

Wrong choices

  • Middle trapezius: This muscle is likely underactive.
  • Rhomboids: These muscles are likely underactive.
  • Rotator cuff: These muscles are likely underactive.
Practice questionReviewedAssessment › Movement and Posture Assessment★★★★☆

Question 6. A client's low back arches during an overhead squat. Which muscle group is likely overactive?

  1. ① Hip flexor complex
  2. ② Gluteus maximus
  3. ③ Hamstrings
  4. ④ Anterior tibialis
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Answer: ① Hip flexor complex

Key point: Low back arch = overactive hip flexors

An arched low back points to a tight, overactive hip flexor complex.

Wrong choices

  • Gluteus maximus: The gluteus maximus is likely underactive here.
  • Hamstrings: The hamstrings are likely underactive here.
  • Anterior tibialis: The anterior tibialis is not the key muscle for this fault.

Test yourself.

Movement and Posture Assessment: 5 questions →Assessment: 5 questions →