Study Guide

Fitness Assessment

PEMES 3156

Key: No * - good to know but will not have a significant effect on grade

*- good to know and will have minor effect on grade

** - important to know and will have significant effect on grade

*** - very important to know and will have major effect on grade

Test 1

Chapter 1. Introduction

1.Be able to identify and define the 5 components of health-related fitness.*

2. Be able to identify 5 reasons to measure each component of health-related fitness.

3.Be able to identify the benefits of regular physical activity as listed in Box 1.1.**

4.Be able to differentiate between exercise and physical activity.

5.Be able to discuss/identify criteria used to select tests to measure the components of health-related fitness. Specifically know and understand the standard error of estimate (SEE) and the correlation coefficient (r) and how each is interpreted.***

6. Be able to define and give examples of criterion-referenced standards and normative data (norms).

Reading: “Surgeon General’s Report”

1.Know the major conclusions of the U.S. Surgeon General’s report on Physical Activity and Health.*

Chapter 2. Pre-assessment Screening

1.Understand why preliminary health screening is necessary prior to administering a fitness assessment or beginning an exercise program.

2.Know the components of and the purpose of the Medical History/Health Habits Questionnaire, Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), and the Medical/Health Examination.

3. Be able to categorize individuals according to ACSM Risk Stratification Guidelines.**

4.Know the positive and negative risk factors for coronary heart disease (Table 2.1) and the specific threshold values associated with each risk factor.***

5. Know the major signs and symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular and pulmonary disease (Table 2.2) and specifically understand the nature of angina pectoris.**

  1. Be able to use the ACSM protocol (Table 2.3 & Fig. 2.4) to determine the need for a GXT prior to a fitness assessment or beginning exercise and whether or not a physician should be present.*

Chapter 3. Risk Factor Assessments

1. Understand the physiologic concept of blood pressure. Be able to specifically define systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean pressure, pulse pressure, and heart rate.***

2. Be able to identify and/or describe the equipment necessary to measure blood pressure using the ascultatory method.*

3. Be able to measure systolic and diastolic blood pressure using auscultation at rest and during exercise. Be able to measure both phase 4 and phase 5 diastolic pressure and know why and when to measure phase 5.***

4. Know the classification of blood pressure for resting adults. Know the expected increase in blood pressure during exercise.**

5. Be able to palpate resting and exercise heart rates. Know the expected range of heart rates for rest and exercise. Know how to estimate maximal heart rates with the Karvonen equation and the Tanaka equation. Know the SEE for estimating maximal heart rate.***

6. Be able to describe and diagram the normal relationship of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate to exercise of progressively increasing intensity**Know the lipoprotein sub-fractions (LDL, HDL, VLDL, triglycerides) and the mathematical relationship between them (Table 3.2).**

7. Be able to determine power output on a bicycle ergometer and be able to express power in both kgmP.PminP-1P and watts.***

8. Be able to define and measure waist circumference. Understand the interpretation of waist circumference relative to disease risk.

URL for Taking Blood Pressure

(This is a video)

URL for Blood Pressure Sounds

Listen to Korotkoff Sounds 1 and Korotkoff Sounds 2.

Chapter 7. Cardiorespiratory Fitness Measurement: Estimation from Field and Submaximal Exercise Tests; Testing; plus material from previous courses

1.Be able to define the following: VOB2B , VOB2Bmax***

  1. Be able to express VOB2B values in both absolute (mlP.PminP-1P) and relative (mlP.PkgP-1.PminP-1P ) units.***
  2. Know reasonable and expected values for VO2 and VO2max and how values differ relative to gender, age, and fitness level.
  3. Understand the relationship between the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems and how they collectively determine a person’s functional capacity.**
  4. Understand the basic anatomy and physiology of the heart. Be able to identify on a diagram all chambers, valves, and major vessels. Be able to identify how blood flows through the heart. **
  5. Be able to define heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and a-v OB2B difference.**
  6. Know the 3 reasons for measuring cardiorespiratory fitness.*
  7. Know the pre-test standardizations.*
  8. Be able to set power outputs on a bicycle ergometer in both kgmP.PminP-1P and in watts. Be able to convert from kgmP.PminP-1P to watts and vice versa. ***
  9. Understand and be able to explain the theoretical basis for prediction VOB2Bmax from submaximal (both a single workload test and a two-workload test) and maximal workload tests.**
  10. Be able to administer, score, evaluate, and interpret performance on all the test in the Cardiovascular Fitness lab***
  11. Understand the effects of medications, food consumption, environmental conditions, emotional states, etc. on the accuracy of predicting VOB2Bmax. **
  12. Be able to compute VOB2B for walking, jogging, arm and leg ergometry, and bench stepping using the ACSM equations. Be able to compute caloric expenditure from VOB2B. ***
  13. Know the general indications for stopping an exercise test in low-risk adults (Box 7.3).*
  14. Know the recommendations for improving cardiorespiratory fitness or functional capacity in apparently healthy adults.**
  15. Know the primary characteristics of aerobic activities (ie. What makes an activity a good aerobic activity?).***
  16. Be able to compute exercise intensity using METs, heart rate reserve method (Karvonen), the percentage of maximal heart rate method, the VO2R, and RPE. Know the percentages of each method that are equivalent to the recommended range of VOB2B. ***
  17. Understand how intensity, duration, and frequency interact relative to an exercise prescription. Know how to determine an exercise prescription based on caloric expenditure.**
  18. Understand the appropriate progression of exercise.**
  19. Be able to identify the physiologic changes produced by cardiorespiratory endurance training on the following variables under resting, submaximal exercise and maximal exercise conditions: heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, VOB2B.**

Reading: “Physical Activity and Public Health: Updated Recommendations for Adults from the ACSM and AHA”

  1. Know the recommendation for aerobic activity for healthy adults aged 18-65. Be able to define moderate and vigorous activity.**
  2. Know the recommendation for muscle-strengthening activity for healthy adults aged 18-65. **
  3. Understand the recommendations for participation in aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities above the minimum recommendations.*
  4. Understand the concept of MET-Minutes and how to compute MET-minutes. Know the number of MET-Minutes that would meet the recommendations in #1.***

Reading: “Dose-Response Issues Concerning the Relationship Between Regular Physical Activity and Health”

  1. Be able to describe the three types of relationships between physical activity and health outcomes (Figure 2).**
  2. Be able to identify the basic relationship between physical activity and the following: all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes, cancer, blood pressure, body composition, bone density, blood lipids, low back pain and osteoarthritis, quality of life, depression and anxiety.*
  3. Understand why it is difficult to precisely determine the amount of physical activity that will provide the optimal health benefit.*

Reading: “Making Sense of Multiple Physical Activity Recommendations”

  1. Know the factors that should be considered when making decisions about which activity guidelines to use in a given situation.*
  2. Understand the general origin of the multiple activity guidelines.*

Test 2

Chapter 4. Body Composition;

(watch module on impedance and underwater weighing);

You Tube: Bod Pod Body Composition System Test Process

  1. Be able to define the following: %fat, fat weight, fat-free weight, ideal %fat, ideal body weight, minimal body weight, density, body mass index, essential fat, non-essential fat**
  2. Be able to compute the following: %fat and density from appropriate equations, density from %fat using Siri Equation %fat from density using Siri Equation, fat weight, fat-free weight, ideal body weight, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio***
  3. Understand the theory of, be able to measure body composition using the method, and be able to compute density or %fat using each of the following methods of assessing body composition: hydrostatic weighing(understand how the Archimedes’ Principle is employed in hydrostatic weighing, skinfolds (anthropometry), plethysmography (Bod Pod; understand how body volume is determined) bio-electrical impedance, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio. Know the cause of and the amount of error in each method (usually the SEE).***
  4. Be able to identify the anatomical location and be able to locate and properly take the skinfolds used in the Jackson and Pollock Generalized equations.***
  5. Be able to convert from density into percent fat suing the Siri Equation.**
  6. Given the necessary information, be able to compute fat weight, fat-free weight and ideal body weight.***
  7. Understand the difference between population specific and generalized prediction equations.*
  8. Be able to define the following: obesity, overweight, android and gynoid obesity, positive energy balance, negative energy balance**
  9. Understand the relationship between energy balance and gain or loss of weight.***
  10. Be able to determine approximate caloric expenditure from cardiovascular exercise and from resistance exercise.
  11. Know the caloric equivalent of 1 pound of fat energy.***
  12. Know the caloric equivalent of 1 gram of fat, carbohydrate, protein, and alcohol.***
  13. Know the fate of consuming excess carbohydrates, fat, and protein.**
  14. Understand the concept of the glycemic index (GI) and the effect of the GI on CHO metabolism.**
  15. Know the effect of exercise on the recommended intake of protein.**
  16. Know the three primary factors accounting for the total daily energy expenditure.**
  17. Know the recommended daily caloric deficit for a weight loss program.**
  18. Know the amount of positive energy balance recommended in order to gain 1 pound of fat-free weight per week.**

Reading: “Body Composition Methods: A Review”

  1. Be able to define the two-compartment model of body composition. Know the three assumptions on which this model of body composition is based.***
  2. Know the assumed densities of fat and fat-free mass that are used in the Siri equation to convert body density into % fat. Know the assumptions necessary to convert density into %fat using the Siri equation.**
  3. Understand the “theory” of bioelectric impedance (BIA) to measure body composition (ie. what is measured by the analyzer and how is this measurement translated into a % fat?)**
  4. Know the recommended pre-test guidelines for BIA in order to obtain an accurate measurement.**
  5. Understand the difference between whole-body BIA and segmental BIA.*
  6. Know why the skinfold method is not recommended immediately following exercise or in obese individuals.*

Reading: “Appropriate Intervention Strategies for Weight Loss and Prevention of Weight Regain”

  1. Know the % of adults in the US classified as overweight and obese and the associated BMI.**
  2. Know the recommended weight loss per week.**
  3. Understand the relationship between the composition and the quantity of the diet and weight loss. Know the dietary factor that has the greatest impact on weight loss.**
  4. Know the eight ACSM recommendations for weight loss**

Reading: “Abdominal Fat and Risk”

  1. Understand the relationship between abdominal (belly) fat and health risk.**
  2. Know the types of health risk increased by increased abdominal fat in both males and females.*
  3. Understand how exercise and diet affects abdominal fat.*Chapter 5. Muscular Fitness

1.Be able to define the following: strength, muscular endurance, isometric contraction, dynamic contraction, concentric contraction, eccentric contraction, isokinetic contraction**

  1. Know the muscles used to perform common resistance exercises and the type of movements the body segments make to accomplish these exercises. Be able to identify whether muscles are contracting concentrically or eccentrically during each exercise.***
  2. Be able to apply the basic principles of training to resistance training.**
  3. Be able to recommend programs to develop both strength and endurance. Know recommendations for children and older adults.**
  4. Understand the interaction of resistance and repetitions. Be able to compute training volume.**
  5. Know and understand the advantages and disadvantages of static, dynamic, and isokinetic resistance training.*
  6. Know and be able to demonstrate lifting, lying, and sitting postures appropriate for good back health.**

Reading: “Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults”

  1. Know the health benefits of resistance training.**
  2. Be able to define the following variables: progressive overload, specificity, variation, periodization.**
  3. Understand the relationship between initial training status and improvement.**
  4. Be able to define and know the recommendations for use of each of the following in a beginning (novice) and intermediate program: muscle action (concentric, eccentric), loading, training volume, exercise selection, type of exercise mode (free weights, machines), exercise order, rest periods, velocity of muscle action, and frequency of training.***

Reading: “Core Training: Stabilizing the Confusion”

  1. Know the general definition of “core musculature” and know the primary function of the core musculature with respect to movement.**
  2. Be able to differentiate between “core strength” and “core stability.”**
  3. Be able to categorize the core muscles into local muscles and global muscles and understand the functional difference between them.***
  4. Understand the concept of compressive loading of the spine.*
  5. Be able to demonstrate and administer the Sahrmann Core Stability Test.***
  6. Be able to demonstrate the exercises for the local core muscles depicted in Figures 1-7 and for the global muscles depicted in Figures 8-14.***
  7. Be able to demonstrate appropriate progression for functional training exercises (Table 4).**

Reading:”Enhancing Low Back Health through Stabilization Exercise”

1. Read the entire article and pay close attention the highlighted areas. The highlighted areas express some important basic concepts regarding spine stability and exercises. This was written by the foremost expert on spine stability in North America.