ACE GROUP FITNESS INSTRUCTOR EXAM 2025/2026 QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Three Planes of Motion - ✔✔conceptual planes in which the body moves (sagittal,
frontal, transverse)
✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔-separates the body into right and left halves
-forward and backwards movements occur in this plane
-possible joint actions include flexion/extension (elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, spine),
and plantar flexion (pushing down foot)/dorsiflexion (foot pushing up)
-exercises include cycling, pilates, resistance training, squats, lunges, and crunches
-imaginary wall on right/left side of body
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔-separates the body into anterior (front of body) and posterior
(back of body) halves
-lateral movements occur in this place
-possible joint actions include abduction /adduction (shoulders and hips), lateral spine
flexion, and ankle inversion (inside of foot going up)/eversion (outside of foot going up)
-exercises include jumping jacks, lateral lunges, and lateral raises
-imaginary wall in front of you
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔-divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower)
parts
-rotational or twisting movements occur in this plane
-possible joint actions are rotation and horizontal shoulder abduction/adduction
-exercises include russian twists, bicycle crunches, and yoga twists
-imaginary wall cutting through mid section
✔✔Adduction - ✔✔movement toward the midline of the body
✔✔Abduction - ✔✔movement away from the midline of the body
ex. shoulder side raise
✔✔Inversion - ✔✔rotation of foot to direct the plantar surface inward
✔✔Eversion - ✔✔rotation of foot to direct the plantar surface outward
✔✔Five Primary Movement Patterns - ✔✔-bend and lift/raising and lowering (ex.
standing up from a chair or squat)
-single leg movements (ex. climbing stairs, walking, lunging)
-upper body pushing movements (ex. pushing open a door or push ups)
-upper body pulling movements (ex. opening a car door or rowing)
-rotational movements (ex. buckling seatbelt or russian twists)
✔✔Agonist - ✔✔muscle directly responsible for observed movement (prime mover)
,✔✔Antagonist - ✔✔muscle that acts in opposition to the contraction produced by
agonist
✔✔Three Principles of Balance in Group Exericse - ✔✔-neuromuscular (ex. standing on
one leg, raising one foot in plank)
-training (bilateral training -both sides of the body worked equally, four key components
of training incorporated)
-programming (opposing muscles used, motions in multiple planes)
✔✔Carbohydrates - ✔✔-quick source of energy
-easy for the body to break down
-glucose-->a simple sugar that is the form in which all carbohydrates are used as the
body's principal energy source
✔✔Proteins - ✔✔-building blocks of human structure
-not a primary source of energy
-triglycerides--> how fat is stored in the body
✔✔Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) - ✔✔-provides energy for cellular function
-produced both aerobically and anaerobically
✔✔Creatine Phosphate (CP) - ✔✔a storage form of high-energy phosphate in muscle
cells that can be used to immediately resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
✔✔Creatine Phosphate System - ✔✔the energy pathway that consists of adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PC) and provides immediate energy (between
10 and 15 seconds) through the breakdown of these stored high-energy phosphates
ex. sprints at max speed
✔✔Glycolytic Anaerobic System - ✔✔the energy pathway that uses glycogen to
produce power, but not quite as much or as quickly as the creatine phosphate system
ex. HIIT
✔✔Aerobic System - ✔✔the energy pathway that uses oxygen, fats, carbohydrate, and
sometimes proteins for re-synthesizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for prolonged
energy use
ex. swimming
✔✔Three- Zone Intensity Model - ✔✔-Zone 1: low-to-moderate intensity exercise,
during which, the exerciser can talk comfortably
-Zone 2: moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise, during which talking is a little
challenging
- Zone 3: vigorous-to-very vigorous exercise (anaerobic), during which the exerciser
definitely cannot talk comfortably
, ✔✔First Ventilatory Threshold (VT1) - ✔✔intensity of aerobic exercise at which
ventilation starts to increase in a non-linear fashion in response to an accumulation of
metabolic by-products in the blood.
✔✔Second Ventilatory Threshold (VT2) - ✔✔a metabolic marker that represents the
point at which high-intensity exercise can no longer be sustained due to an
accumulation of lactate
✔✔Regions of Vertebral Column - ✔✔cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
✔✔Lordosis - ✔✔-excessive anterior curvature of the spine that typically occurs at the
low back
-individuals need to strengthen abdominal muscles, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings
✔✔Kyphosis - ✔✔-excessive posterior curvature of the thoracic spine
-individuals needs to strengthen trapezius and rhomboids and the erector spinae group
✔✔Scoliosis - ✔✔excessive lateral curvature of the spine
✔✔Bilateral Standing - ✔✔ankles under soft knees, under neutral shoulders, navel in,
shoulders back and down with eyes forward and chin down
ex. squats
✔✔Unilateral Standing - ✔✔ankles under soft knees, under neutral shoulders, navel in,
shoulders back and down with eyes forward and chin down
ex. lunges
✔✔Kneeling - ✔✔knees under hips, navel in, shoulders back and down, neutral spine,
head, and hips
✔✔Quadruped (hands-and-knees position) - ✔✔palms under gently flexed elbows
below shoulders, knees under hips, neutral spine, head and hips, feet pointing in the
same direction, fingers pointed forwards
✔✔Plank - ✔✔palms under gently flexed elbows under shoulders with fingers pointed
forward, neutral spine, head, and hips, feet pointing in the same direction
✔✔Prone (lying on stomach) - ✔✔neutral spine and head usually looking in one
direction with feet pointing in the same direction
✔✔Side-plank/Side-lying - ✔✔neutral spine and head supported on elbow or cradled
head in arm
WITH ANSWERS GRADED A+
✔✔Three Planes of Motion - ✔✔conceptual planes in which the body moves (sagittal,
frontal, transverse)
✔✔Sagittal Plane - ✔✔-separates the body into right and left halves
-forward and backwards movements occur in this plane
-possible joint actions include flexion/extension (elbows, shoulders, knees, hips, spine),
and plantar flexion (pushing down foot)/dorsiflexion (foot pushing up)
-exercises include cycling, pilates, resistance training, squats, lunges, and crunches
-imaginary wall on right/left side of body
✔✔Frontal Plane - ✔✔-separates the body into anterior (front of body) and posterior
(back of body) halves
-lateral movements occur in this place
-possible joint actions include abduction /adduction (shoulders and hips), lateral spine
flexion, and ankle inversion (inside of foot going up)/eversion (outside of foot going up)
-exercises include jumping jacks, lateral lunges, and lateral raises
-imaginary wall in front of you
✔✔Transverse Plane - ✔✔-divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower)
parts
-rotational or twisting movements occur in this plane
-possible joint actions are rotation and horizontal shoulder abduction/adduction
-exercises include russian twists, bicycle crunches, and yoga twists
-imaginary wall cutting through mid section
✔✔Adduction - ✔✔movement toward the midline of the body
✔✔Abduction - ✔✔movement away from the midline of the body
ex. shoulder side raise
✔✔Inversion - ✔✔rotation of foot to direct the plantar surface inward
✔✔Eversion - ✔✔rotation of foot to direct the plantar surface outward
✔✔Five Primary Movement Patterns - ✔✔-bend and lift/raising and lowering (ex.
standing up from a chair or squat)
-single leg movements (ex. climbing stairs, walking, lunging)
-upper body pushing movements (ex. pushing open a door or push ups)
-upper body pulling movements (ex. opening a car door or rowing)
-rotational movements (ex. buckling seatbelt or russian twists)
✔✔Agonist - ✔✔muscle directly responsible for observed movement (prime mover)
,✔✔Antagonist - ✔✔muscle that acts in opposition to the contraction produced by
agonist
✔✔Three Principles of Balance in Group Exericse - ✔✔-neuromuscular (ex. standing on
one leg, raising one foot in plank)
-training (bilateral training -both sides of the body worked equally, four key components
of training incorporated)
-programming (opposing muscles used, motions in multiple planes)
✔✔Carbohydrates - ✔✔-quick source of energy
-easy for the body to break down
-glucose-->a simple sugar that is the form in which all carbohydrates are used as the
body's principal energy source
✔✔Proteins - ✔✔-building blocks of human structure
-not a primary source of energy
-triglycerides--> how fat is stored in the body
✔✔Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) - ✔✔-provides energy for cellular function
-produced both aerobically and anaerobically
✔✔Creatine Phosphate (CP) - ✔✔a storage form of high-energy phosphate in muscle
cells that can be used to immediately resynthesize adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
✔✔Creatine Phosphate System - ✔✔the energy pathway that consists of adenosine
triphosphate (ATP) and phosphocreatine (PC) and provides immediate energy (between
10 and 15 seconds) through the breakdown of these stored high-energy phosphates
ex. sprints at max speed
✔✔Glycolytic Anaerobic System - ✔✔the energy pathway that uses glycogen to
produce power, but not quite as much or as quickly as the creatine phosphate system
ex. HIIT
✔✔Aerobic System - ✔✔the energy pathway that uses oxygen, fats, carbohydrate, and
sometimes proteins for re-synthesizing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for prolonged
energy use
ex. swimming
✔✔Three- Zone Intensity Model - ✔✔-Zone 1: low-to-moderate intensity exercise,
during which, the exerciser can talk comfortably
-Zone 2: moderate-to-vigorous intensity aerobic exercise, during which talking is a little
challenging
- Zone 3: vigorous-to-very vigorous exercise (anaerobic), during which the exerciser
definitely cannot talk comfortably
, ✔✔First Ventilatory Threshold (VT1) - ✔✔intensity of aerobic exercise at which
ventilation starts to increase in a non-linear fashion in response to an accumulation of
metabolic by-products in the blood.
✔✔Second Ventilatory Threshold (VT2) - ✔✔a metabolic marker that represents the
point at which high-intensity exercise can no longer be sustained due to an
accumulation of lactate
✔✔Regions of Vertebral Column - ✔✔cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacrum, coccyx
✔✔Lordosis - ✔✔-excessive anterior curvature of the spine that typically occurs at the
low back
-individuals need to strengthen abdominal muscles, gluteus maximus, and hamstrings
✔✔Kyphosis - ✔✔-excessive posterior curvature of the thoracic spine
-individuals needs to strengthen trapezius and rhomboids and the erector spinae group
✔✔Scoliosis - ✔✔excessive lateral curvature of the spine
✔✔Bilateral Standing - ✔✔ankles under soft knees, under neutral shoulders, navel in,
shoulders back and down with eyes forward and chin down
ex. squats
✔✔Unilateral Standing - ✔✔ankles under soft knees, under neutral shoulders, navel in,
shoulders back and down with eyes forward and chin down
ex. lunges
✔✔Kneeling - ✔✔knees under hips, navel in, shoulders back and down, neutral spine,
head, and hips
✔✔Quadruped (hands-and-knees position) - ✔✔palms under gently flexed elbows
below shoulders, knees under hips, neutral spine, head and hips, feet pointing in the
same direction, fingers pointed forwards
✔✔Plank - ✔✔palms under gently flexed elbows under shoulders with fingers pointed
forward, neutral spine, head, and hips, feet pointing in the same direction
✔✔Prone (lying on stomach) - ✔✔neutral spine and head usually looking in one
direction with feet pointing in the same direction
✔✔Side-plank/Side-lying - ✔✔neutral spine and head supported on elbow or cradled
head in arm
