National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) Practice Exam

What is the function of motor output?

1. It evaluates muscle strength

2. It activates movement based on stimuli

3. It regulates blood flow

4. It measures range of motion

The correct answer is: It activates movement based on stimuli

The function of motor output is primarily to activate movement based on stimuli. This involves the brain processing sensory information and then sending signals through the nervous system to muscles, enabling coordinated movement in response to environmental stimuli. For instance, when you touch something hot, sensory receptors send a signal to your brain, which then generates a motor output to quickly withdraw your hand from the source of heat. This mechanism is crucial for survival and forms the basis for all purposeful movement. In contrast, evaluating muscle strength, regulating blood flow, and measuring range of motion are not directly related to the function of motor output. Instead, those activities pertain to other physiological processes and assessments, such as strength testing for physical performance, the cardiovascular system's function in distributing blood, and flexibility assessments relevant to movement range.