NAFC Group Fitness Certification Exam

The correct answer is the first class lever system, which is characterized by the arrangement of load, effort, and fulcrum. In this type of lever, the fulcrum is positioned between the load and the effort. You can think of a seesaw as a classic example of a first class lever, where the fulcrum is located in the center, allowing one side to rise while the other side lowers when force (effort) is applied.

In contrast, a second class lever has the load positioned between the fulcrum and the effort. This setup enables the effort to be applied farther from the fulcrum than the load, allowing for a mechanical advantage. An everyday example is a wheelbarrow.

A third class lever system has the effort placed between the load and the fulcrum, which requires a greater effort to lift a smaller load. This configuration can be observed in actions such as bicep curls.

The fourth class lever system is not a standard classification in biomechanics; traditionally, only the first, second, and third classes are recognized in lever systems.

Understanding these lever systems and their configurations can help in the analysis of various movements involved in fitness and exercise training.