To become certified as a fitness instructor in Nova Scotia with NFSA, you must pass your Exercise Theory exam. Anyone who wants to become a fitness instructor must pass this 60 multiple-choice question exam. Find out more about the NFSA Exercise Theory questions and exam tips!
NFSA Exercise Theory Questions
The Exercise Theory exam is going to be the first exam that you will take with NFSA. There are ten topics in the exam, including the following:
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Movement mechanics
Different topics have different weightings, and you can find out more in the post here. This means that each section will have a different number of questions. For example, the anatomy section may have 15 questions, while adult leadership may have 1-2 questions. If you want to get started and study right away, check out our NS Exercise Theory course online. Once you are ready, contact NFSA and challenge the exam.
Types of Questions
You will encounter either memory or application questions. Memory-related questions involve your ability to recall the info you studied. On the flip side, application questions rely your ability to recognize and apply. The second type is more challenging, but you will have no problem on the exam with enough practice. With our ~700 practice questions, you will get to test your memory and the ability to apply your knowledge.
Strategies for the NFSA Exercise Theory Questions
Search for the Keywords
Sometimes when you come across a difficult question, even a simple one, focus on the essential words. Usually, you will want to look for words relating to a muscle, movement terms, age, or terms covered in the course. Other things you may want to focus on are phrases like, “which of the following…” or “NOT.” If you can focus on the critical information, you will have a higher chance of getting them right.
Ignore the Least Likely Answer
Usually, you will have answers that are not even close to the correct answer. Ignore those immediately and move on to other solutions. If you studied enough, whichever one looks wrong is probably not the correct answer.
Study tips – Sectioning or Chunking
Forget about bulk memorization. That might have worked for biology or history, but not for this exam. A large part of the exam involves applying what you know about anatomy into an exercise context. Even though memorization will be necessary to some degree, you should focus on understanding the content. If you purely rely on bulk memorization, the chances are that you will forget about it after.
One strategy that you can try is sectioning your information. For example, if you find that the notes you are reading are too overwhelming, study a portion of that. Sectioning makes studying and memorization much more manageable. When you are looking at a smaller piece of info, you can understand it much better. In addition, you can try to relate the small amount of information to other relatable info. This can be in a concept map or a brainstorm that ties one topic to the other.
Another strategy is called chunking. Chunking helps you memorize a lot of information by placing info that is related to each other. For example, try to remember the function of biceps brachii, triceps brachii, and latissimus dorsi. This will be challenging if you are not familiar with these muscles. However, most of the anterior muscles are involved in flexion, while the posterior muscles are engaged in extension. This info allows you to have a better idea of their function. So, when you study muscles, it is advantageous to learn them in particular parts of the body. With chunking, we can categorize information in a way that makes the most sense to us.
It is Time to Study!
Exercise Theory exam can be challenging with proper studying and practice. If you study with us, you will have everything you need to pass your exam. Get access to hundreds of practice questions, lectures, and notes from anywhere. Visit us here to enroll and begin studying!