National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Group Fitness Instructor Practice Exam

What type of cue is primarily used to ensure participant safety during exercise?

1. Alignment

2. Verbal

3. Visual

4. Emotional

The correct answer is: Alignment

The type of cue primarily used to ensure participant safety during exercise is alignment. This type of cue focuses on instructing participants about proper body positioning and movement mechanics to prevent injuries. By emphasizing correct alignment, the instructor helps participants maintain safe postures and movements throughout their exercises, which is critical for their overall safety. While verbal cues can relay important information and instructions, their primary focus may not always be on safety. Similarly, visual cues serve to demonstrate movements or techniques but may not address alignment explicitly. Emotional cues, on the other hand, aim to motivate and engage participants on a more personal level but do not contribute directly to the physical safety aspect of exercise. Therefore, alignment cues stand out as the key mechanism for ensuring participants perform exercises in a safe manner.