Program Design practice questions

Answer: A) Heavy loads for few repetitions favor strength; light loads for many repetitions favor muscular endurance

The RM continuum links heavy, low-rep loading to strength, moderate loads and reps to hypertrophy, and light, high-rep loading to muscular endurance. The adaptations overlap along the continuum.

• ACorrect. Heavy loads for about 1–5 reps (≥80% 1RM) favor maximal strength. Moderate loads for about 8–12 reps favor hypertrophy. Light loads for 15 or more reps favor local muscular endurance. The adaptations overlap along the continuum rather than being completely separate.
• BIncorrect. This reverses the continuum. Maximal strength is best developed with heavy loads and low reps, and endurance with light loads and high reps.
• CIncorrect. The moderate 8–12 rep range is linked to hypertrophy. Very heavy loads for 1–3 reps are linked to maximal strength.
• DIncorrect. Volume matters, but the RM continuum is built on the idea that load and the reps it allows shift the main adaptation toward strength, hypertrophy or endurance.

Answer: A) Higher risk of muscle strain and knee injury

Programs train agonists and antagonists (for example quadriceps and hamstrings) in proportion because large strength imbalances between them are associated with higher injury risk.

• ACorrect. Agonist–antagonist strength imbalances, such as a low hamstring-to-quadriceps ratio, are linked to higher injury risk, including hamstring strains and knee ligament injuries.
• BIncorrect. A strength imbalance does not improve stretch-shortening cycle function. Weak hamstrings actually reduce the ability to brake and control knee extension.
• CIncorrect. The hamstrings help stabilize the knee against forward tibial translation, so relatively weak hamstrings reduce dynamic knee stability.
• DIncorrect. Muscle balance is about injury prevention, not recovery time. An imbalance does not make it easier to recover between sessions.

Answer: A) Closed, preplanned drills at low entry speed, then preplanned drills at maximal speed, then open drills reacting to a cue or opponent

Agility training for novices moves from closed, preplanned, low-intensity drills to maximal preplanned drills and then to open, reactive drills that add decision-making.

• ACorrect. Beginners first master technique in closed, preplanned drills at low approach speed and gentle cut angles. Next they perform preplanned drills at maximal speed. Last come open drills that add perception and decision-making in response to external stimuli.
• BIncorrect. This reverses the progression. It puts the highest cognitive and mechanical demands on an athlete who has not yet built sound change-of-direction technique.
• CIncorrect. High approach speeds and sharp cut angles are the most mechanically demanding closed drills. Novices should begin with low entry speed and less demanding cuts, then build up intensity.
• DIncorrect. Preplanned drills build the strength, speed, and technique that change of direction depends on. Novices should not skip them, even though reactive drills are more sport specific.

Answer: A) Volume falls as intensity rises across phases

• ACorrect. It's a traditional model.
• BIncorrect. They change across phases.
• CIncorrect. Intensity rises.
• DIncorrect. That isn't linear.

Answer: D) Accumulation, transmutation and realization

• AIncorrect. That's a session.
• BIncorrect. That's GAS.
• CIncorrect. That isn't block periodization.
• DCorrect. Each block has a focused goal.

Answer: B) Hold each stretch 15–30 s for 2–4 repetitions, at least 2–3 days per week

Lasting flexibility gains come from regular static stretching: holds of about 15–30 s, 2–4 repetitions, at least 2–3 days per week. Too-short holds, too few sessions, or stretching just before competition fall short.

• AIncorrect. Bouncing is ballistic stretching, not static stretching. A 3–5 s hold and a once-weekly frequency are both below the recommended dose for lasting flexibility gains.
• BCorrect. Hold times of about 15–30 s, repeated 2–4 times and done at least 2–3 days per week, are the commonly cited guideline for improving flexibility over time.
• CIncorrect. Stretching just before competition gives too few sessions for lasting gains. Long static stretching right before explosive activity can also temporarily reduce force and power.
• DIncorrect. Even with long holds, stretching about every other week is too infrequent. Regular sessions over time are what produce lasting gains in range of motion.

Answer: A) About 2% to 10%

Once the athlete exceeds the target repetitions by one to two in consecutive sessions, the guidelines call for a 2–10% increase in load. Small, steady increases keep technique sound and progression going.

• ACorrect. Progression guidelines recommend a 2–10% increase in load once the athlete can do the current load for one to two repetitions over the target. Within this range, smaller increases fit upper-body lifts such as the bench press.
• BIncorrect. This is above the recommended 2–10% range. It would probably drop the athlete well below the target repetitions.
• CIncorrect. An increase this large goes far beyond conservative progression and risks a breakdown in technique and failure to reach the target repetitions.
• DIncorrect. An increase this large would turn a repetition-based set into a near-maximal effort. That does not match the 2-for-2 approach of gradual increases.

Answer: A) Upper back, trapezius and biceps

A push/pull/legs split groups upper-body pushing muscles (chest, shoulders, triceps), upper-body pulling muscles (upper back, trapezius, biceps) and lower-body muscles into separate workouts.

• ACorrect. Pulling movements such as rows, pull-ups and curls work the upper back, trapezius and elbow flexors, so these muscles are grouped in the pull session.
• BIncorrect. These are the pushing muscles worked by presses and triceps extensions. They make up the push workout.
• CIncorrect. These lower-body muscles are trained in the legs workout, not in an upper-body pull session.
• DIncorrect. This mixes pushing muscles (chest, triceps) with a pulling muscle (upper back). That kind of grouping is closer to an upper-body day than to a pull day.

Answer: D) 2 to 6 sets

• AIncorrect. There are guidelines.
• BIncorrect. More sets are used.
• CIncorrect. That's excessive.
• DCorrect. Power training often uses 3 to 5.

Answer: A) 1:12 to 1:20

Phosphagen-system training pairs very short maximal efforts with long rest (about 1:12 to 1:20) so phosphocreatine can recover. Fast glycolysis uses about 1:3 to 1:5, and oxidative work uses about 1:1 to 1:3.

• ACorrect. Maximal efforts of a few seconds rely mostly on ATP-PC. Long rest relative to work lets phosphocreatine resynthesize almost fully, so each repetition stays near maximal.
• BIncorrect. This range is typical for fast glycolysis (efforts of roughly 15 to 30 seconds up to about 1 to 3 minutes). Recovery is incomplete, so the glycolytic system is stressed rather than repeated maximal phosphagen output.
• CIncorrect. This range is typical for longer intervals that mainly target the oxidative (aerobic) system. Rest this short would not restore phosphocreatine between maximal sprints.
• DIncorrect. Work as long as or longer than rest suits aerobic or tempo conditioning. It gives far too little recovery for repeated maximal phosphagen efforts.