Free Personal Trainer Practice Test
Original questions for the NASM-CPT and ACE CPT exams, written to each exam’s published outline, every answer explained.
What are the four Ps of marketing?
345 original questions with explanations · 2 exams: NASM-CPT and ACE CPT · 10 domains, each with a free drill
Choose your exam
The NASM-CPT and the ACE Personal Trainer Certification are both NCCA-accredited personal trainer exams. They test the same job with different outlines, lengths and scoring, so each exam has its own page, drills and timed mock.
NASM Practice Test
120 questions (100 scored) · 2 hours · 84% passed in 2025
- Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts (15%)Free drill
- Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching (15%)Free drill
- Assessment (16%)Free drill
- Program Design (20%)Free drill
- Exercise Technique and Training Instruction (24%)Free drill
- Professional Development and Responsibility (10%)Free drill
ACE Personal Trainer Practice Test
150 questions (125 scored) · 3 hours · 73% passed in 2025
- Client Onboarding and Assessments (23%)Free drill
- Program Design and Implementation (31%)Free drill
- Program Modification and Progression (27%)Free drill
- Risk Management, Professional Conduct, and Ethical Business Practices (19%)Free drill
Includes about 10% video-based questions.
Taking the NSCA’s personal trainer exam instead? NSCA-CPT practice test: 155 questions in 3 hours.
Take a mock under the real clock
120 questions in 2 hours, scored on the 100 that count, with a score by domain and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillNASM vs ACE: the two exams compared
Both exams are closed book and proctored, both use four answer choices, and both report a scaled score, so neither publishes the number of correct answers you need.
- NASM-CPT
- 120 questions (100 scored) in 2 hours, four answer choices, scaled pass score 70, PSI test center or live remote proctor
- ACE CPT
- 150 questions (125 scored) in 3 hours, four answer choices, about 10% video based, scaled pass score 500 of 800, test site or live remote proctoring
- Fees
- NASM exam alone US$599; ACE exam US$499, or US$99 with an ACE study program
- 2025 pass rates
- NASM 84% of 22,767 candidates; ACE 73% of 7,105
- Eligibility
- Both need current CPR/AED. NASM needs a high school diploma or equivalent; ACE needs you to be 18 or older
- Outlines
- NASM’s exam blueprint from its 2019 job analysis; ACE’s exam content outline from its 2022 role delineation study
What each exam tests
NASM’s six domains come from its 2019 job analysis; ACE’s four come from its 2022 role delineation study. Every domain has its own free ten-question drill on its exam page.
NASM-CPT
- Basic and Applied Sciences and Nutritional Concepts (15%). Anatomy and exercise physiology, the nervous, muscular, skeletal, cardiorespiratory and endocrine systems, human movement science, energy systems and EPOC, macronutrients, micronutrients, hydration, energy balance and supplements.
- Client Relations and Behavioral Coaching (15%). Rapport and communication, SMART, process and outcome goals, the stages of change, motivational interviewing, self-efficacy, behavior change strategies, barriers and social support.
- Assessment (16%). The PAR-Q+ and health history, blood pressure and heart rate, body composition, static posture, the overhead squat and other movement assessments, cardiorespiratory and performance tests, and when to refer.
- Program Design (20%). The OPT model and its five phases, acute variables, periodization, flexibility, cardiorespiratory, core, balance, plyometric and SAQ training, resistance training systems and special populations.
- Exercise Technique and Training Instruction (24%). Setup and technique for flexibility, core, balance, plyometric and resistance exercises, cueing, the kinetic chain checkpoints, spotting, breathing, progressions and regressions, and signs to stop exercise.
- Professional Development and Responsibility (10%). Scope of practice and referral, ethics and records, recertification, marketing, sales and client retention, equipment safety and emergency procedures.
ACE CPT
- Client Onboarding and Assessments (23%). Health and lifestyle screening with the PAR-Q+, medical clearance and referral, readiness to change and goal setting, posture and movement screens, and baseline fitness assessments.
- Program Design and Implementation (31%). Turning assessment data into goals, program principles and FITT-VP guidelines, ventilatory-threshold cardio zones, exercise selection, movement patterns, cueing and teaching technique in person and online.
- Program Modification and Progression (27%). Adherence and self-efficacy, behavior-change models, lapses and barriers, nutrition and supplement education within scope, progressions and regressions, overtraining and when to stop exercise.
- Risk Management, Professional Conduct, and Ethical Business Practices (19%). Emergency procedures, negligence and risk-management approaches, environmental conditions, confidentiality and records, scope of practice and the ACE Code of Ethics, inclusion, and business and marketing plans.
Common questions
Which personal trainer exam is harder, NASM or ACE?
By the owners’ published numbers, 84% of NASM-CPT candidates passed in 2025 and 73% of ACE Personal Trainer candidates. The ACE exam is longer (150 questions in 3 hours against 120 in 2 hours) and includes video questions; NASM’s questions lean heavily on its OPT model and its own assessment tables.
How many questions are on the personal trainer exam?
It depends on the certification. The NASM-CPT has 120 questions (100 scored) in 2 hours. The ACE Personal Trainer exam has 150 questions (125 scored) in 3 hours. The NSCA-CPT, a third NCCA-accredited option, has 155 questions in 3 hours.
Are the NASM and ACE exams multiple choice?
Yes. NASM’s handbook describes a four-answer multiple-choice format, and ACE’s handbook examples show four response options. Every practice question here has four choices and one correct answer.
Can I take the NASM or ACE exam from home?
Yes. NASM offers live remote proctoring through PSI, and ACE offers live remote proctoring through Meazure Learning. Both exams are closed book, and both also run at test centers.
Are these official NASM or ACE questions?
No. Both organizations keep their exam questions confidential. These are original practice questions written to NASM’s exam blueprint and ACE’s exam content outline, with an explanation for every answer.
Does one pass cover NASM and ACE practice?
Yes. The NASM and ACE personal trainer pass unlocks both timed mock exams and unlimited drills for every domain of both exams.
Ready for exam day?
120 questions in 2 hours, scored on the 100 that count, with a score by domain and an explanation for every answer.
Or start with a free 10-question drillExam format, fees, scoring and pass rates checked November 2026: NASM: Certified Personal Trainer exam information · NASM Candidate Handbook (updated October 2026) · NASM CPT exam blueprint (2019 job analysis) · NASM-CPT exam data statistics 2020–2025 · NASM: NCCA-accredited CPT exam-only registration · ACE: Personal Trainer exam options · ACE: Schedule your exam (fees and retakes) · ACE Certification and Recertification Handbook (revised September 2026) · ACE Personal Trainer exam content outline (2022 role delineation study).
Original independent practice questions; they are not NASM or ACE exam questions. NASM is a trademark of the National Academy of Sports Medicine and ACE is a registered trademark of the American Council on Exercise. Not affiliated with or endorsed by NASM or ACE.