Jul 21, 2026 · 8 min · 9 segments
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…
The only upside is I think that there are a lot less questions about tempo now because they understand that it's a lot harder to get.
Most people, when we think of doing any activity, the first thing in your mind is going to be that concentric contraction, right? When you are working against gravity, when you're actually doing work.
So that is where I think you should start reading tempo, no matter how the tempo is written, start in your mind in the concentric contraction.
If you try to do it the other way, it doesn't make sense.
So like, say that we were doing a bicep curl.
Remember, stick with that bicep curl anytime you can, because it's easy.
You can do it during the test.
It's not going to, you know, You don't have to stand up.
They're not going to tell you to sit down, that kind of stuff.
So you would never think of lowering the weight first, right? Like you always think of raising the weight first.
So that's why we need to choose ourselves where we're going to start reading the sequence of numbers.
So the sequence that they give us is three, zero, one, two.
The only upside is I think that there are a lot less questions about tempo now because they understand that it's a lot harder to get.
Most people, when we think of doing any activity, the first thing in your mind is going to be that concentric contraction, right? When you are working against gravity, when you're actually doing work.
So that is where I think you should start reading tempo, no matter how the tempo is written, start in your mind in the concentric contraction.
If you try to do it the other way, it doesn't make sense.
So like, say that we were doing a bicep curl.
Remember, stick with that bicep curl anytime you can, because it's easy.
You can do it during the test.
It's not going to, you know, You don't have to stand up.
They're not going to tell you to sit down, that kind of stuff.
So you would never think of lowering the weight first, right? Like you always think of raising the weight first.
So that's why we need to choose ourselves where we're going to start reading the sequence of numbers.
So the sequence that they give us is three, zero, one, two.
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