ACSM Personal Trainer Certification Practice Exam

What does progressive resistance training primarily focus on?

1. Reducing workout time

2. Maintaining consistent resistance

3. Increasing stress on muscles

4. Decreasing muscle injuries

The correct answer is: Increasing stress on muscles

Progressive resistance training primarily focuses on increasing stress on muscles. This approach is fundamental for stimulating muscle hypertrophy, strength gains, and overall fitness improvements. By systematically increasing the load or resistance over time, individuals challenge their muscles beyond their usual limits, prompting adaptation. This adaptation leads to increased muscle strength, endurance, and size as the body responds to the heightened demands placed upon it. The essence of progressive resistance training is the principle of overload, where continually increasing the demands placed on the musculoskeletal system is crucial for continued progress. This can be achieved through various methods, such as incrementally adding weight, increasing the number of repetitions, altering rest intervals, or modifying exercise variations. While reducing workout time, maintaining consistent resistance, and decreasing muscle injuries may be relevant to general fitness practices or specific training programs, they do not encapsulate the core objective of progressive resistance training, which is to progressively enhance the load on the muscles to foster continuous improvement.