The CPT Academy Podcast

Why does the low back arch during a squat?An excessive low back arch is one of the most common movement compensations evaluated during the NASM Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA).

In this lesson, you'll learn why this compensation occurs, how it relates to anterior pelvic tilt, and what it tells you about the body's movement patterns.

Instead of memorizing muscles, you'll begin understanding the biomechanics behind the movement so you...

Why do the knees cave in during a squat?"Knees Cave In"—also known as knee valgus—is one of the most common movement compensations evaluated during the NASM Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA). In this video, you'll learn why this movement occurs, what it tells you about the body's movement patterns, and why understanding the compensation is far more valuable than simply memorizing muscle charts.This lesson focuses on reco...

Why do the feet turn out during the Overhead Squat Assessment?This is one of the most common movement compensations you'll encounter on the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam. In this video, you'll learn why the feet turn out, what this movement pattern tells you about the body, and how it fits into the Overhead Squat Assessment.Rather than memorizing a list of muscles, you'll begin building the logic behind movement compen...

The Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA) is one of the most important movement assessments on the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam. In Part 2 of this series, you'll learn how to identify each major movement compensation by watching real examples and understanding why they occur.Rather than memorizing pictures from the textbook, you'll learn how to recognize movement patterns, understand proper squat mechanics, and identify th...

The Overhead Squat Assessment (OHSA) is one of the most important movement assessments on the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam. Understanding what to look for—and why these movement compensations occur—will make it much easier to identify overactive and underactive muscles and answer NASM exam questions with confidence.In this lesson, you'll learn the foundation of the Overhead Squat Assessment, including the ...

Osteoporosis is one of the most important special populations topics for personal trainers, fitness professionals, and anyone interested in long-term bone health.In this lesson, we explore the science behind osteoporosis, how it develops, why osteopenia is considered a precursor condition, and what trainers need to know when designing safe and effective exercise programs.We'll discuss:• Osteopenia vs osteoporosis• Bone density and ...

Ready to test your knowledge of NASM Section 5?In this video, we work through NASM CPT practice questions covering Resistance training, Plyometrics, Cardio training, Speed, Agility and Quickness (SAQ), exercise classification, sprint mechanics, warm-ups, and more.Rather than simply memorizing answers, you'll learn how to identify keywords, eliminate distractors, and think through questions the same way you'll need to on exam day.To...

NASM CPT tempo questions can be some of the most confusing questions on the exam, but they don't have to be.In this lesson, I break down the NASM 4-beat tempo system step-by-step, explain how to read tempo correctly, and show you the easiest way to solve tempo questions using simple examples like the biceps curl.We'll cover:• How to read NASM's 4-beat tempo• Concentric, eccentric, and isometric contractions• Stabilization tempo• St...

This is Part 4 (final) of the series on autogenic vs reciprocal inhibition.Now that you understand:Muscle imbalancesAdhesionsLength vs tensionWe apply it all to autogenic inhibition—one of the most important concepts for both corrective exercise and the NASM CPT exam.We cover:What autogenic inhibition isHow SMR and static stretching activate itWhat to do (and what to avoid)How this shows up in NASM test questions👉 This is wh...

This is Part 3 of our series on muscle imbalance and inhibition.So far:Part 1 → terminologyPart 2 → adhesions + Davis’s LawThis is Part 3 of a 4-part series on autogenic vs reciprocal inhibition.In this video, we break down the science of length vs tension—the key to understanding why stretching and corrective exercise actually work.We cover:Muscle spindles (length)Golgi tendon organs / GTOs (tension)What activates each...

This is Part 2 of a 4-part series on autogenic vs reciprocal inhibition.In this video, we break down what people call muscle "knots”—and what they actually are in NASM terms: adhesions.We cover:What muscle knots (adhesions) actually areThe science behind themDavis’s Law and how tissue adaptsHow adhesions contribute to overactive (tight) musclesHow to correct imbalances (inhibit, lengthen, activate, integrate)👉 If...

This is Part 1 of a 4-part series on autogenic and reciprocal inhibition—one of the most confusing (and most tested) concepts in the NASM CPT.In this video, we start with the foundational terminology you need to understand before anything else will make sense.We break down:- Muscle imbalances- Altered reciprocal inhibition- Synergistic dominance- Arthrokinetic dysfunction👉 You’ll learn what each term means, see example...

If you’re confused by NASM’s science-based program design, especially periodization, you’re not alone!This is one of the commonly tested—and most misunderstood—topics on the NASM CPT exam.In this video, we break down:- Linear vs undulating periodization- How each applies to body fat reduction, muscle gain, and performance- How NASM actually expects you to think about program design (if you're testing)�...

If you’re struggling to remember overactive and underactive muscles for the NASM CPT, you’re not alone.This is one of the most confusing (and most tested) topics on the exam — especially when you’re trying to apply it to movement compensations.In this video, we break it down using practice test questions, so you can:- Identify overactive vs underactive muscles- Recognize patterns in movement compensations- A...

Preparing for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam? In this video, we review the NASM exercise library and assessment concepts most commonly tested on the certification exam.This walkthrough highlights the most important exercises, assessments, and movement compensations you need to understand before taking the NASM CPT exam. Instead of reviewing every detail from the textbook, this video focuses on the exercise-related t...

Future personal trainers - this video is a must in setting up a successful NASM prep plan! We walk you through the basic science of the heart, covering anatomy and circulation pathways, while demystifying terminology and sharing tips and tricks to master the content and pass the NASM CPT 7th edition with flying colors!Be sure to check out our other test prep videos in the NASM Study Guide playlist and of course our NASM Test Prep T...

Future personal trainers - this video is a must in setting up a successful NASM prep plan! We walk you through the basic science of overactive/underactive muscles (shortened/lengthened), demystifying terminology and sharing tips and tricks to master the content and pass the NASM CPT 7th edition with flying colors!Be sure to check out our other test prep videos in the NASM Study Guide playlist and of course our NASM Test Prep Tip of...

Future personal trainers - this video is a must in setting up a successful NASM prep plan! We walk you through the structure of the Resistance Chapter Exercise Library, sharing tips and tricks to master the content and pass the NASM CPT 7th edition with flying colors!Be sure to check out our other test prep videos in the NASM Study Guide playlist and of course our NASM Test Prep Tip of the Day playlist!Interested in learning more a...

Preparing for the NASM Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) exam? In this video we walk through a series of NASM practice questions covering biomechanics, muscle function, and movement patterns.These practice questions focus on concepts that frequently appear on the NASM CPT exam, including muscle actions, concentric vs eccentric contractions, integrated vs isolated function, and the five primary movement patterns used in program desig...