CPT Exam Study
Guide
Section 1: Professional Development and
Responsibility
Chapter 1. The Modern State of Health and Fitness
The focus on scientific principles makes NASM’s systems and methodologies safe and
effective for any client working toward any fitness goal.
NASM recommends that all fitness professionals maintain a focus on an evidence-based
practice to attain the highest levels of success.
Evidence-based practice is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making
decisions about patient or client care.
NASM’s proprietary approach to exercise training, the OPT model, was developed with
evidence-based practice as a core guiding philosophy.
Acute disease is any suddenly occurring medical condition that can be treated and
healed in a short period of time.
A chronic disease is a medical condition that persists without quickly going away or
being cured altogether.
The terms overweight and obesity refer to a body weight that is greater than what is
considered normal or healthy for a certain height, specifically due to excess body fat.
Being overweight or obese greatly increase the chances of developing a chronic disease.
Cardiovascular disease is a broad term describing numerous problems of the heart and
blood vessels, including stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, heart valve problems, and
arrhythmias.
Hypertension is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease and stroke, which are
the global leading causes of death.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the blood that is made up of a combination of
protein and fatty acids.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are too high. Glucose comes from the
foods we eat.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps glucose get into cells to
provide the energy for work.
Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells that can result from a wide range of genetic and
environmental factors.
COPD is an umbrella term for lung diseases characterized by increased breathlessness,
airflow limitation, and accelerated decline of lung function.
,CPT Exam Study
Guide
Two of the most common issues at the foot and ankle are sprains and plantar fasciitis.
An ankle sprain occurs when a person rolls, twists, or turns an ankle, which stretches or
tears ligaments, whereas plantar fasciitis causes pain in the plantar fascia tissue located
on the underside of the foot.
The LPHC is made up of the lumbar spine (low-back area), pelvis, abdomen, and hip
musculoskeletal structures; it is more commonly referred to as the “core.” The LPHC is
an important anatomical structure because it connects the upper and lower halves of a
person’s body.
Shoulder dysfunction is very common in the greater population, especially in those who
frequently lift objects overhead.
Regular exercise and increased physical activity have been frequently shown by research
to improve numerous types of musculoskeletal dysfunction and chronic disease.
Understanding the scopes of practice for all adjacent allied health professionals, as well
as all relevant local laws and regulations, will ensure CPTs are always working within
their own scope of practice.
Networking with other allied health professionals and certified fitness professionals can
lead to great levels of success in the fitness industry.
An NASM-CPT must always adhere to the NASM Code of Professional Conduct.
Chapter 2. The Personal Training Profession
From working in a large health club, to training clients in their own homes, fitness
professionals have numerous options to establish a personal training practice with a
consistent flow of clients.
Another employment choice for fitness professionals is starting a fitness business, which
could include working with clients in their homes, running outdoor group workout
programs, or opening a studio.
As technology is evolving, there are many options for offering training services online.
Working as an independent contractor allows a fitness professional to establish his or
her own pay rates and to earn the entire amount, but operational expenses, insurance
costs, and taxes must also be accounted for.
The first step in succeeding as a CPT is offering uncompromising customer service.
Selling personal training services is about asking a client to make a commitment to an
exercise program to improve his or her own health, wellness, and fitness, which makes
selling an activity of uncovering client needs and presenting solutions to those
problems.
If rapport is properly built with a prospective client, sales will feel natural and
automatic.
,CPT Exam Study
Guide
Forecasting techniques should be used to predict how many clients will need to be
serviced to support a desired annual financial goal.
Marketing is the process of communicating how a specific product or service will meet
the wants and needs of a potential client.
The Four Ps of marketing include product, price, promotion, and place.
Social media and other digital marketing campaigns are extremely important for
growing a modern fitness business.
Continuing education courses are not just necessary for recertification; they can teach
fitness professionals how to work with niche populations and enable the expansion of a
fitness business to new and exciting areas.
The most popular methods of earning CEUs are attending workshops or conferences or
completing online education programs. Additionally, CEUs can be earned by
participating in livestream webinars, reading fitness articles and passing a quiz or test, or
contributing to the industry by creating content for fitness education programs,
speaking at conferences, and presenting webinars.
, CPT Exam Study
Guide
Section 2: Client Relations and Behavioral
Coaching
Chapter 3. The Psychology of Exercise
● Psychology is an important component to behavioral change and plays a key role in
adopting a regular habit to exercise.
● Psychologists and psychiatrists are trained and licensed professionals who treat people
with mental illnesses.
● Sport and exercise psychology is a subtopic of psychology that focuses on understanding
why people participate in sports and exercise, including motives and barriers to
participation.
● Extrinsic motivation happens when someone does something for rewards or
recognition.
● Intrinsic motivation describes the motivation to do something that comes from within
an individual; it is strongly related to long-term adherence.
● Motivation to exercise differs among individuals and will change over time; therefore,
motives should be reevaluated over time.
● Common barriers to exercise include lack of time, unrealistic goals, lack of social
support, social physique anxiety, lack of convenience, and ambivalence, but all barriers
can be either eliminated or minimized with some basic strategies that provide realistic
solutions or alternatives.
● Lack of time can be minimized by improving time management and reevaluating daily
priorities.
● Setting unrealistic goals can become a barrier to exercise, therefore, the fitness
professional should assist clients with setting appropriate outcome and process goals.
● Social physique anxiety refers to people feeling anxious about how others perceive their
bodies and can be a barrier to exercise participation. Helping clients find activities that
reduce this type of anxiety will help create a comfortable exercise environment.
● The perception barrier of exercise as inconvenient can be overcome by making the
exercise experience as appealing as possible, both by providing excellent customer
service in clean facilities and by helping clients find ways to exercise outside of a fitness
facility.
● Ambivalence to exercise occurs when someone has mixed feelings about exercise and
likely sees pros and cons to participation.
● Social influences on exercise can come from other people, the internet, or the
environment; these influences can lead people both toward and away from exercise.
Guide
Section 1: Professional Development and
Responsibility
Chapter 1. The Modern State of Health and Fitness
The focus on scientific principles makes NASM’s systems and methodologies safe and
effective for any client working toward any fitness goal.
NASM recommends that all fitness professionals maintain a focus on an evidence-based
practice to attain the highest levels of success.
Evidence-based practice is the conscientious use of current best evidence in making
decisions about patient or client care.
NASM’s proprietary approach to exercise training, the OPT model, was developed with
evidence-based practice as a core guiding philosophy.
Acute disease is any suddenly occurring medical condition that can be treated and
healed in a short period of time.
A chronic disease is a medical condition that persists without quickly going away or
being cured altogether.
The terms overweight and obesity refer to a body weight that is greater than what is
considered normal or healthy for a certain height, specifically due to excess body fat.
Being overweight or obese greatly increase the chances of developing a chronic disease.
Cardiovascular disease is a broad term describing numerous problems of the heart and
blood vessels, including stroke, heart attacks, heart failure, heart valve problems, and
arrhythmias.
Hypertension is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease and stroke, which are
the global leading causes of death.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance found in the blood that is made up of a combination of
protein and fatty acids.
Diabetes is a disease in which blood glucose levels are too high. Glucose comes from the
foods we eat.
Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps glucose get into cells to
provide the energy for work.
Cancer is an abnormal growth of cells that can result from a wide range of genetic and
environmental factors.
COPD is an umbrella term for lung diseases characterized by increased breathlessness,
airflow limitation, and accelerated decline of lung function.
,CPT Exam Study
Guide
Two of the most common issues at the foot and ankle are sprains and plantar fasciitis.
An ankle sprain occurs when a person rolls, twists, or turns an ankle, which stretches or
tears ligaments, whereas plantar fasciitis causes pain in the plantar fascia tissue located
on the underside of the foot.
The LPHC is made up of the lumbar spine (low-back area), pelvis, abdomen, and hip
musculoskeletal structures; it is more commonly referred to as the “core.” The LPHC is
an important anatomical structure because it connects the upper and lower halves of a
person’s body.
Shoulder dysfunction is very common in the greater population, especially in those who
frequently lift objects overhead.
Regular exercise and increased physical activity have been frequently shown by research
to improve numerous types of musculoskeletal dysfunction and chronic disease.
Understanding the scopes of practice for all adjacent allied health professionals, as well
as all relevant local laws and regulations, will ensure CPTs are always working within
their own scope of practice.
Networking with other allied health professionals and certified fitness professionals can
lead to great levels of success in the fitness industry.
An NASM-CPT must always adhere to the NASM Code of Professional Conduct.
Chapter 2. The Personal Training Profession
From working in a large health club, to training clients in their own homes, fitness
professionals have numerous options to establish a personal training practice with a
consistent flow of clients.
Another employment choice for fitness professionals is starting a fitness business, which
could include working with clients in their homes, running outdoor group workout
programs, or opening a studio.
As technology is evolving, there are many options for offering training services online.
Working as an independent contractor allows a fitness professional to establish his or
her own pay rates and to earn the entire amount, but operational expenses, insurance
costs, and taxes must also be accounted for.
The first step in succeeding as a CPT is offering uncompromising customer service.
Selling personal training services is about asking a client to make a commitment to an
exercise program to improve his or her own health, wellness, and fitness, which makes
selling an activity of uncovering client needs and presenting solutions to those
problems.
If rapport is properly built with a prospective client, sales will feel natural and
automatic.
,CPT Exam Study
Guide
Forecasting techniques should be used to predict how many clients will need to be
serviced to support a desired annual financial goal.
Marketing is the process of communicating how a specific product or service will meet
the wants and needs of a potential client.
The Four Ps of marketing include product, price, promotion, and place.
Social media and other digital marketing campaigns are extremely important for
growing a modern fitness business.
Continuing education courses are not just necessary for recertification; they can teach
fitness professionals how to work with niche populations and enable the expansion of a
fitness business to new and exciting areas.
The most popular methods of earning CEUs are attending workshops or conferences or
completing online education programs. Additionally, CEUs can be earned by
participating in livestream webinars, reading fitness articles and passing a quiz or test, or
contributing to the industry by creating content for fitness education programs,
speaking at conferences, and presenting webinars.
, CPT Exam Study
Guide
Section 2: Client Relations and Behavioral
Coaching
Chapter 3. The Psychology of Exercise
● Psychology is an important component to behavioral change and plays a key role in
adopting a regular habit to exercise.
● Psychologists and psychiatrists are trained and licensed professionals who treat people
with mental illnesses.
● Sport and exercise psychology is a subtopic of psychology that focuses on understanding
why people participate in sports and exercise, including motives and barriers to
participation.
● Extrinsic motivation happens when someone does something for rewards or
recognition.
● Intrinsic motivation describes the motivation to do something that comes from within
an individual; it is strongly related to long-term adherence.
● Motivation to exercise differs among individuals and will change over time; therefore,
motives should be reevaluated over time.
● Common barriers to exercise include lack of time, unrealistic goals, lack of social
support, social physique anxiety, lack of convenience, and ambivalence, but all barriers
can be either eliminated or minimized with some basic strategies that provide realistic
solutions or alternatives.
● Lack of time can be minimized by improving time management and reevaluating daily
priorities.
● Setting unrealistic goals can become a barrier to exercise, therefore, the fitness
professional should assist clients with setting appropriate outcome and process goals.
● Social physique anxiety refers to people feeling anxious about how others perceive their
bodies and can be a barrier to exercise participation. Helping clients find activities that
reduce this type of anxiety will help create a comfortable exercise environment.
● The perception barrier of exercise as inconvenient can be overcome by making the
exercise experience as appealing as possible, both by providing excellent customer
service in clean facilities and by helping clients find ways to exercise outside of a fitness
facility.
● Ambivalence to exercise occurs when someone has mixed feelings about exercise and
likely sees pros and cons to participation.
● Social influences on exercise can come from other people, the internet, or the
environment; these influences can lead people both toward and away from exercise.
