Free CSCS Practical/Applied Practice Test
Program design, technique, testing and administration questions, every answer explained.
In which phase of tissue healing should the strength coach avoid loading the injured area and focus on training uninjured body parts?
168 original CSCS Practical/Applied questions with explanations · 13 free drills: every domain and topic plus a mixed set · 55% passed this section in 2025
CSCS Practical/Applied exam format
Practical/Applied is the second CSCS section and the one fewer candidates pass: 125 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours, 110 of them scored. Practice every domain and topic with free ten-question drills, then take a timed mock with the real question count, clock and domain weights.
- Questions
- 125 multiple-choice questions: 110 scored and 15 non-scored pretest questions mixed in; 30 to 40 are video or image based
- Time limit
- 2.5 hours at a Pearson VUE test center, after Scientific Foundations and a scheduled 15-minute break
- Answer options
- Multiple choice; NSCA’s published sample questions have three answer choices (A, B and C) and one correct answer
- Domains
- Program Design 40% (44 questions), Exercise Technique 25% (28), Program Implementation 20% (22), Organization and Administration 15% (16)
- Passing score
- A scaled score of 70 or higher. NSCA does not publish the raw number of correct answers that equals a scaled 70; it varies by exam form
- Fee
- Both sections US$340 for NSCA members, US$475 for non-members; a one-section retake US$250 / US$385
- Retakes
- Retake only a failed section, within one year of the first exam date. Wait at least 30 days after an attempt and pay the full fee again; after three consecutive attempts, wait one year
- 2025 pass rate
- 55% passed Practical/Applied (9,650 CSCS candidates)
What’s on the CSCS Practical/Applied exam
The domains and question counts from NSCA’s detailed content outline. Our mock draws its 110 scored questions in these counts and adds 15 non-scored pretest questions, as on the real exam. Every domain and topic has a free ten-question drill with an explanation after every answer; each drill’s first attempt is free.
| Domain or topic | What it covers | Share of the exam | Drill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Program Design | All topics below | 40% · 44 scored questions | 10-question drill |
| Needs Analysis and Exercise Selection | Evaluating the sport and the athlete, choosing training methods, core and assistance exercises, and ordering exercises in a session | Part of Program Design (tasks 1A–1D) | 10-question drill |
| Intensity, Volume and Rest | %1RM and RM loading, the 2-for-2 rule, repetition, set and rest assignments by goal, heart rate methods for aerobic work, and training frequency | Part of Program Design (tasks 1E–1G) | 10-question drill |
| Periodization and Progression | Macrocycles, mesocycles and microcycles, preparatory, competition and transition periods, linear and undulating models, tapering and return-to-play programming | Part of Program Design (tasks 1H–1K) | 10-question drill |
| 2. Exercise Technique | All topics below | 25% · 28 scored questions | 10-question drill |
| Resistance Training Technique | Grips and stances, the five-point body contact position, breathing, spotting, machine setup, alternative implements and Olympic lift derivatives | Part of Exercise Technique (tasks 2B) | 10-question drill |
| Speed, Agility and Plyometrics | Acceleration and maximal-velocity mechanics, change-of-direction technique, landing mechanics, plyometric intensity, volume, progression and safety | Part of Exercise Technique (tasks 2C) | 10-question drill |
| Warm-Up, Conditioning and Recovery | General and specific warm-ups, static, dynamic and PNF stretching, aerobic and anaerobic conditioning sessions, and restoration techniques | Part of Exercise Technique (tasks 2A, 2D, 2E) | 10-question drill |
| 3. Program Implementation | All topics below | 20% · 22 scored questions | 10-question drill |
| Coaching Sessions | Planning a session, internal and external cues, feedback, progressions and regressions, demonstrations and the stages of motor learning | Part of Program Implementation (tasks 3A) | 10-question drill |
| Testing and Evaluation | Test selection, validity and reliability, test order and warm-up, field tests, readiness monitoring, percentile ranks, z-scores and communicating results | Part of Program Implementation (tasks 3B, 3C) | 10-question drill |
| 4. Organization and Administration | Scope of practice and referral, facility layout, cleaning, maintenance and supervision, emergency procedures, liability and risk management, overtraining and heat illness | 15% · 16 scored questions | 10-question drill |
What Practical/Applied tests
- Program Design carries 44 of the 110 scored questions, and 21 of those are analysis questions: needs analysis, exercise selection and order, load assignment from %1RM or RM, sets, repetitions and rest by goal, the 2-for-2 rule, periodization and in-season planning, and return-to-play programs built with the sports medicine team.
- Exercise Technique carries 28: grips, stances, breathing and spotting, machine setup, power clean and snatch derivatives, sprint and change-of-direction mechanics, plyometric landing, warm-ups and stretching, conditioning sessions and recovery.
- Program Implementation carries 22: coaching cues and feedback, motor learning, test selection and order, validity and reliability, readiness monitoring, and turning test results into program changes. It replaced the old Testing domain in July 2025.
- Organization and Administration carries 16: scope of practice, facility layout and supervision, cleaning and maintenance, emergency plans, liability and recognizing overtraining and heat illness.
- NSCA shows 30 to 40 questions as video or image clips. Our questions describe the movement, position or setup in words instead; the decision you make is the same.
How to take the CSCS Practical/Applied exam
- Hold a bachelor’s degree (or a degree in physical therapy or chiropractic medicine) and a current CPR/AED certification with a hands-on skills assessment. You can send your final transcript up to one year after the exam date.
- Register on NSCA.com and pay US$340 (member) or US$475 (non-member) for both sections. You have 120 days from registration to test.
- Schedule at a Pearson VUE test center. First-time candidates sit both sections; a candidate who failed only Practical/Applied registers for that section alone.
- Sit Practical/Applied (2.5 hours) after Scientific Foundations and the 15-minute break. Your score report is available at the test center when you finish.
Common questions
How many questions are on CSCS Practical/Applied?
125 multiple-choice questions in 2.5 hours. 110 are scored: 44 Program Design, 28 Exercise Technique, 22 Program Implementation and 16 Organization and Administration. The other 15 are non-scored pretest questions. Between 30 and 40 questions use video or images.
Why is Practical/Applied harder to pass?
In 2025, 55% passed Practical/Applied against 71% for Scientific Foundations. It has the larger share of analysis questions (36 of 110), most of them in Program Design, where you must pick loads, volumes, rest periods and exercise order for a specific athlete and season.
What score do you need to pass the CSCS exam?
A scaled score of 70 or higher on each section. NSCA converts the number you answer correctly to a scaled score so every exam form demands the same ability, and it does not publish the raw score that equals 70. Only the 80 scored questions in Scientific Foundations and the 110 in Practical/Applied count; the 15 non-scored questions in each section do not.
Can I retake just one section of the CSCS exam?
Yes. If you pass one section and fail the other, you retake only the failed section, within one year of your first exam date. A one-section retake costs US$250 for NSCA members and US$385 for non-members. You wait at least 30 days between attempts, and after three consecutive attempts you wait one year.
Did the CSCS exam change?
Yes. A new detailed content outline has been in use since July 1, 2025. Practical/Applied now has a Program Implementation domain (coaching sessions, testing and monitoring) in place of Testing, Ongoing Monitoring and Data Evaluation, and the domain weights changed. Our questions follow the current outline as printed in the July 2026 handbook.
Are these official NSCA questions?
No. NSCA does not release its exam questions. These are original practice questions written to the published detailed content outline, with three answer choices like NSCA’s sample questions and an explanation for every answer.
Ready for exam day?
125 questions in 2.5 hours, scored on the 110 that count, with a score by domain and topic and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillMore CSCS and NSCA-CPT practice
One CSCS and NSCA-CPT pass covers every mock exam below.
Exam format, fees, scoring and pass rates checked November 2026: NSCA Certification Handbook (effective July 1, 2026) · NSCA: CSCS exam description · NSCA: CSCS Job Task Analysis Summary (outline effective July 1, 2025) · NSCA certification exams: 2025 in review.
Original independent practice questions written to NSCA’s published detailed content outline. CSCS and NSCA-CPT are registered marks of the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the NSCA.