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Fitness Q & A

The ACE Fitness Q&A section provides responses to some of the most frequently asked questions related to health, fitness, nutrition, and weight loss/control. Whether you are a professional in the fitness industry or a health conscious consumer looking for additional information regarding physical and cardiovascular activities, we've got the answers you're looking for. Questions about health and fitness included in this section may be helpful for those preparing for certification exams.

For more information within these categories, visit our Health & Fitness Tips section.
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Cardiovascular Exercise     Top
Q: What is cross training and does it offer any significant benefits?
Q: I sweat profusely (literally dripping wet) during my aerobic workout. Is this an indication that I'm out of shape?
Q: Does an aerobic workout cause an individual's resting metabolic rate to stay elevated for a long time after a workout (the so-called ''after burn'' effect)?
Q: Does regular participation in aerobic exercise lower an individual's risk of developing cancer?
Q. Does aerobic exercise suppress a person's appetite? Some experts say it does, others say it doesn't. Who's right?
Q: What is a ''second wind''?
Q: I just began a step aerobics class. Can you provide some basic guidelines to follow so that I don't hurt myself?
Q: Is step aerobics hard on your lower extremities?
Q: Why is an elevated heart rate alone not always a valid indicator of an effective aerobic-training stimulus?
Q: What causes the pain in my side that occurs suddenly while I am running and how can I prevent it?
Q: Will I lose body fat more efficiently by performing my aerobic workouts at a low, rather than a high, intensity?
Q: Can a person be too flexible?
Q: Is it true that a low level of aerobic fitness is associated with a shorter life span?
Can you offer some basic guidelines for avoiding overuse injuries associated with running?
Q: How much improvement in aerobic capacity can a person typically expect to experience, and how long does it take?
Exercising with Health Challenges     Top
Q: What constitutes an appropriate aerobic exercise prescription for a pregnant woman?
Q: How can one distinguish cardiac chest pain from non-cardiac chest pain?
Q: Is 'retro-cycling' a good activity for individuals with knee problems?
Q: Could you please provide general exercise recommendations and guidelines for asthmatics?
Q: I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. On a recent blood test, something called hba1c was elevated. What is the hba1c and what does it measure?
Q: Please explain what happens during an asthma attack and what steps one can take to avoid experiencing an attack during exercise.
General Exercise     Top
Q.I heard ACSM has recently issued a new edition of its exercise guidelines. Were any changes made regarding risk-factor assessment?
Q: What is the Pilates Method of exercising?
Q: What are the benefits of varying your workout routine?
Q: Is it possible to selectively train your lower abdominal muscles?
Q: When is the best time to exercise? I have heard that if you are overweight you should exercise after you eat, and if you are at the weight you want, you should exercise before you eat. Does it matter? And, if it does, why and how?
Q: What is VO2 max and why is it important?
Q: How important are the warm-up and cool-down portions of a workout?
Q: Does any proof exist that exercise can help a person live longer?
Q. Explain why warming up is so important.
Q: What is overtraining? Are there any easy-to-recognize signs or symptoms of overtraining?
Q: What steps can an individual take to avoid heat injury when exercising in a hot environment?
Q. What effect, if any, does exercising in air pollution have on my workout performance?
Q: Should stretching be included in the warm-up portion of a group exercise class or should it be used exclusively during the cool-down to enhance flexibility?
Q: I’ve heard that exercise can help control hypertension. How much and what type of exercise is recommended for individuals with hypertension?
Q: What are the benefits of cross training and how can I incorporate it into my training routine?
Q: Given the fact that it doesn’t distinguish between lean body weight and fat weight, why is body mass index so widely used to determine ideal body weight?
Q: Why hasn’t the government taken steps to stop the deceptive advertising practices commonly used by companies selling various weight-loss products and programs?
Q: Should I train my abdominal muscles every day? Also, how many repetitions of crunches should I optimally perform?
Q: Should I exercise when I have aches and pains?
Math Formulas & Calculations     Top
Q: What are the common caloric conversions?
Q. How do I measure resting and exercise heart rates? What is the Karvonen Formula?
Q. How do you calculate body mass index?
Q: How do I determine body fat calculations for body fat percentage?
Q: What are Absolute VO2 max and Relative VO2 max?
Q: Can you provide some examples of food labels and nutrition calculations?
Miscellaneous     Top
Q: What exactly is a concussion and how long should a child be held out of athletic competition after sustaining a minor concussion?
Q: What is an HRA and do you think I need one?
Q: What is the best way to become heat-acclimated?
Q: Are there any risks associated with excess protein consumption?
Q: How much protein do athletes really require?
Q: What causes muscle soreness and how is it best relieved?
Q: What assumptions are typically made with submaximal aerobic fitness tests and what impact do such assumptions have on the accuracy of the test results?
Q: Any advice for handling a strange dog that approaches while I am jogging?
Q: What is the significance of the waist-to-hip ratio measurement from a health risk perspective?
Q. I'm trying to help my friend stick to her resolution to exercise regularly. Can you pass along some tips that will help her stick to it?
Nutrition     Top
Q: Please settle an argument. Is beer a good post-workout drink?
Q: One of the more common perceptions in some fitness circles is that strength training individuals lose weight because one pound of muscle can burn approximately 30-50 calories per day. Is this claim valid?
Sports/Outdoor Activities     Top
Q: A friend and I are thinking about hiking the John Muir Trail through California this summer. Can you offer some tips on how to make hiking a safe fitness activity?
Q: I’m going to start cycling to and from work for extra exercise. What precautions should I take to avoid being involved in a biking accident?
Q: Can you please provide some basic guidelines or tips that will help me successfully complete my first 10K road race?
Strength/Resistance Training     Top
Q: I am constantly being asked just how resistance training actually creates and maintains bone strength, and I don't have a good answer! Any light you could shed on this topic would be greatly appreciated.
Q. What's the secret to looking cut?
Q: What is functional strength training?
Supplements     Top
Q: Do aerobically active individuals need to take mineral supplements?
Q: What can you tell me about the recently approved over-the-counter diet pill?
Q: How effective are the various supplements advertised to relieve osteoarthritis symptoms?
Q: Several people at the gym that I go to say that creatine supplements will increase the size and strength of my muscles, is this true?
Weight     Top
Q: What is the best method for determining an individual's ideal body weight?
Q: Why is the concept of spot reduction considered a myth?
Youth     Top
Q: I've always heard that resistance training will ''stunt a child's growth.'' Now, I hear it may be advisable for children to strength train. Is strength training safe for children?