AAAI/ISMA Primary Aerobic/Group Fitness Instructor
Certification question with answers
Group Exercise Classes - -• Traditional high/low aerobic dance
• Step aerobics
• Sports conditioning
• Indoor cycling
• Aquatics
• Yoga
• Kickboxing
• Pilates
• Strength training
• Etc.
-5 Components of fitness - -• Cardiovascular endurance
• Muscle strength
• Muscle endurance
• Flexibility
• Body composition
-Cardiovascular Endurance - -ability of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to deliver oxygen and
nutrients to muscles during sustained activity and the ability to remove metabolic waste products that
would result in muscle fatigue. An efficient cardiovascular system is important for activities such as:
• Running
• Walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
The best way to develop cardiovascular is to participate in regular intense aerobic exercise.
-Muscle Strength - -maximum amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert during a contraction.
Muscular strength is important for activities of everyday living that require lifting and carrying objects
-Muscle Endurance - -ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force against resistance over a period
of time. Many activities of everyday living require muscular endurance. For example, walking up stairs
and shoveling snow.
-Flexibility - -ability to move joints through their normal range of motion (ROM). Essential for
maintaining body alignment and preventing musculoskeletal injury.
-Body Composition - -makeup of the body considering two components: lean body mass and body fat.
-Lean Body Mass - -consists of: muscles, bones, nervous tissue, skin, blood, organs. These tissues
contribute to the metabolic process during exercise.
-Body Fat - -functions to store energy and does not directly contribute to metabolism or exercise
performance.
, -Class Format - -should reflect applied exercise science principles and appropriate exercise technique.
• Create an inviting atmosphere welcome your students by name and encourage them to do their best.
Establish an environment of non-competition.
• Progress from simple to complex gradually. Your participants will have a wide spectrum of ability and a
wide range of fitness levels. Keep your format simple until you are sure everyone is ready to progress.
• Offer modifications. Give participants options to decrease the difficulty of an exercise if they need to
• Give encouragement and feedback. Notice their achievements and give verbal encouragement. Give
corrections individually when appropriate.
-5 Components to a Group Exercise Class - -• Introduction
• Warm Up
• Cardio Vascular Exercise / Conditioning / Strength Training
• Post Aerobic Cool Down
• Stretching
-Introduction - -your intro is the first 30-60 seconds of your class and should include: a greeting, your
name, a preview of what you will be doing in class, any safety tips that are appropriate for your class
format, and any other information your participants need to know before you begin. Screen for new
participants in order to know if anyone is taking the class format for the first time. Your class intro is
your first opportunity to welcome people into the room and make them feel comfortable. Be available
before and after class for questions
-Warm Up - -your warm up should include low impact movement and dynamic stretching or mobility
exercise that gradually increase heart rate and body temperature, lubricate the joints, and focus your
students' attention. Your warm up may include dynamic stretches but static stretches should be saved
for the end of the workout when the body is warm and limber.. Because the purpose of the warm up is
to increase body temperature and heart rate, limit static stretches and focus on dynamic stretching. The
duration of your warm up should be at least 5-10 minutes and should reflect the type of movement that
will be included in the class format.
-Dynamic Stretches - -rhythmic or moving
-Static Stretches - -stretches that are held
-Cardiovascular exercise / Conditioning / Strength Training - -If the group fitness class you are teaching
is a cardiovascular conditioning class, the cardiovascular segment of your class should be a minimum of
20 minutes long in order to activate Krebs's Cycle. Movement should be continuous and utilize large
muscle groups. Participants should elevate their heart rates during cardiovascular segment into their
target heart rate training zone. If the group fitness class you are teaching is a strength training class,
format a variety of strength training options that utilize the entire body: upper body, lower body, and
core.
-Post Aerobic Cool Down - -Transition period between the intense cardiovascular exercise segment and
the muscle conditioning segment. The purpose of the post aerobic cool down is to gradually decrease
heart rate and body temperature. Include low impact movement and/or dynamic stretching. The
duration of the post aerobic cool down segment is 3-5 minutes.
Certification question with answers
Group Exercise Classes - -• Traditional high/low aerobic dance
• Step aerobics
• Sports conditioning
• Indoor cycling
• Aquatics
• Yoga
• Kickboxing
• Pilates
• Strength training
• Etc.
-5 Components of fitness - -• Cardiovascular endurance
• Muscle strength
• Muscle endurance
• Flexibility
• Body composition
-Cardiovascular Endurance - -ability of the heart, blood vessels, and lungs to deliver oxygen and
nutrients to muscles during sustained activity and the ability to remove metabolic waste products that
would result in muscle fatigue. An efficient cardiovascular system is important for activities such as:
• Running
• Walking
• Swimming
• Cycling
The best way to develop cardiovascular is to participate in regular intense aerobic exercise.
-Muscle Strength - -maximum amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert during a contraction.
Muscular strength is important for activities of everyday living that require lifting and carrying objects
-Muscle Endurance - -ability of a muscle or muscle group to exert force against resistance over a period
of time. Many activities of everyday living require muscular endurance. For example, walking up stairs
and shoveling snow.
-Flexibility - -ability to move joints through their normal range of motion (ROM). Essential for
maintaining body alignment and preventing musculoskeletal injury.
-Body Composition - -makeup of the body considering two components: lean body mass and body fat.
-Lean Body Mass - -consists of: muscles, bones, nervous tissue, skin, blood, organs. These tissues
contribute to the metabolic process during exercise.
-Body Fat - -functions to store energy and does not directly contribute to metabolism or exercise
performance.
, -Class Format - -should reflect applied exercise science principles and appropriate exercise technique.
• Create an inviting atmosphere welcome your students by name and encourage them to do their best.
Establish an environment of non-competition.
• Progress from simple to complex gradually. Your participants will have a wide spectrum of ability and a
wide range of fitness levels. Keep your format simple until you are sure everyone is ready to progress.
• Offer modifications. Give participants options to decrease the difficulty of an exercise if they need to
• Give encouragement and feedback. Notice their achievements and give verbal encouragement. Give
corrections individually when appropriate.
-5 Components to a Group Exercise Class - -• Introduction
• Warm Up
• Cardio Vascular Exercise / Conditioning / Strength Training
• Post Aerobic Cool Down
• Stretching
-Introduction - -your intro is the first 30-60 seconds of your class and should include: a greeting, your
name, a preview of what you will be doing in class, any safety tips that are appropriate for your class
format, and any other information your participants need to know before you begin. Screen for new
participants in order to know if anyone is taking the class format for the first time. Your class intro is
your first opportunity to welcome people into the room and make them feel comfortable. Be available
before and after class for questions
-Warm Up - -your warm up should include low impact movement and dynamic stretching or mobility
exercise that gradually increase heart rate and body temperature, lubricate the joints, and focus your
students' attention. Your warm up may include dynamic stretches but static stretches should be saved
for the end of the workout when the body is warm and limber.. Because the purpose of the warm up is
to increase body temperature and heart rate, limit static stretches and focus on dynamic stretching. The
duration of your warm up should be at least 5-10 minutes and should reflect the type of movement that
will be included in the class format.
-Dynamic Stretches - -rhythmic or moving
-Static Stretches - -stretches that are held
-Cardiovascular exercise / Conditioning / Strength Training - -If the group fitness class you are teaching
is a cardiovascular conditioning class, the cardiovascular segment of your class should be a minimum of
20 minutes long in order to activate Krebs's Cycle. Movement should be continuous and utilize large
muscle groups. Participants should elevate their heart rates during cardiovascular segment into their
target heart rate training zone. If the group fitness class you are teaching is a strength training class,
format a variety of strength training options that utilize the entire body: upper body, lower body, and
core.
-Post Aerobic Cool Down - -Transition period between the intense cardiovascular exercise segment and
the muscle conditioning segment. The purpose of the post aerobic cool down is to gradually decrease
heart rate and body temperature. Include low impact movement and/or dynamic stretching. The
duration of the post aerobic cool down segment is 3-5 minutes.
