AEA CERTIFICATION EXAM
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2026
____ is defined as the maximum force that can be exerted by a muscle or muscle group against
a resistance - ANS muscular strength
what type of stretching activates the muscle spindles, specialized receptors in the muscle that
monitor muscle length change and the speed of muscle length change? - ANS ballistic
stretching
name the six skill-related components of fitness - ANS balance, coordination, speed, power,
agility, and reaction time
what is the difference between maximal heart rate and heart rate reserve - ANS maximal
heart rate is the highest heart rate a person can achieve. it is measured with a max HR test or
estimated with 220- age. Heart rate reserve is your maximal HR minus your resting heart rate.
how does compression lower your heart rate in the water? - ANS water compresses all the
body systems, including the vascular system, causing a smaller venous load to the heart,
reducing heart rate.
what is the ACSM (2018) recommended frequency for resistance training? - ANS two to three
days/week for each major muscle group
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
, define body composition - ANS the body's relative percentage of fat as compared to lean
tissue (bones, muscles, and organs)
list five benefits of regular exercise - ANS improves physical appearance, increases functional
capacity, heart becomes stronger, strengthens the walls of the blood vessels, improves strength
and endurance,
when calculating exercise intensity, a popular method is the Karvonen Formula, which is also
known as the ____ - ANS Heart Rate Reserve method
____ is a subjective method of assessing effort, strain, discomfort, and fatigue experienced
during exercise. - ANS rating of perceived exertion
The skeletal system provides our bodies with support, protection, and _____. - ANS Structure
During the cardiac cycle, ____ is the active contraction of the heart muscle and ___ is the
relaxation of the heart muscle. - ANS Systole, Diastole
Which characteristic of muscle allows it to shorten and thicken - ANS Contractility
The ____ muscle group flexes the leg at the knee. - ANS Hamstrings
What is a motor neuron - ANS Efferent neurons that relay outgoing information from the
central nervous system to the muscle cells
Describe the valsalva maneuver - ANS Holding one's breath while exerting. Creates unequal
pressure in the chest, causing blood pressure to drop and decreasing blood flow to the heart.
Resuming normal breathing creates a surge of blood flow to the heart, causing a sharp increase
in blood pressure.
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS GRADED A+
2026
____ is defined as the maximum force that can be exerted by a muscle or muscle group against
a resistance - ANS muscular strength
what type of stretching activates the muscle spindles, specialized receptors in the muscle that
monitor muscle length change and the speed of muscle length change? - ANS ballistic
stretching
name the six skill-related components of fitness - ANS balance, coordination, speed, power,
agility, and reaction time
what is the difference between maximal heart rate and heart rate reserve - ANS maximal
heart rate is the highest heart rate a person can achieve. it is measured with a max HR test or
estimated with 220- age. Heart rate reserve is your maximal HR minus your resting heart rate.
how does compression lower your heart rate in the water? - ANS water compresses all the
body systems, including the vascular system, causing a smaller venous load to the heart,
reducing heart rate.
what is the ACSM (2018) recommended frequency for resistance training? - ANS two to three
days/week for each major muscle group
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
1
, define body composition - ANS the body's relative percentage of fat as compared to lean
tissue (bones, muscles, and organs)
list five benefits of regular exercise - ANS improves physical appearance, increases functional
capacity, heart becomes stronger, strengthens the walls of the blood vessels, improves strength
and endurance,
when calculating exercise intensity, a popular method is the Karvonen Formula, which is also
known as the ____ - ANS Heart Rate Reserve method
____ is a subjective method of assessing effort, strain, discomfort, and fatigue experienced
during exercise. - ANS rating of perceived exertion
The skeletal system provides our bodies with support, protection, and _____. - ANS Structure
During the cardiac cycle, ____ is the active contraction of the heart muscle and ___ is the
relaxation of the heart muscle. - ANS Systole, Diastole
Which characteristic of muscle allows it to shorten and thicken - ANS Contractility
The ____ muscle group flexes the leg at the knee. - ANS Hamstrings
What is a motor neuron - ANS Efferent neurons that relay outgoing information from the
central nervous system to the muscle cells
Describe the valsalva maneuver - ANS Holding one's breath while exerting. Creates unequal
pressure in the chest, causing blood pressure to drop and decreasing blood flow to the heart.
Resuming normal breathing creates a surge of blood flow to the heart, causing a sharp increase
in blood pressure.
@COPYRIGHT 2026/2027 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
2
