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100+ Free StrongFirst SFB Practice Questions

Pass your StrongFirst SFB Bodyweight Instructor Certification exam on the first try — instant access, no signup required.

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During the SFB one-arm push-up, the rule about the feet is:

A
B
C
D
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2026 Statistics

Key Facts: StrongFirst SFB Exam

2 years

SFB Credential Validity

StrongFirst SFB Bodyweight Certification FAQ

5 reps

Non-Masters Men Tactical Pull-Up Test

StrongFirst SFB Requirements page

1 rep

Non-Masters Women One-Arm Push-Up Test

StrongFirst SFB Requirements page

50-70%

Typical Grease the Groove Load (% of Max)

Pavel Tsatsouline, The Naked Warrior (StrongFirst canon)

6 months

Strength-Test Video Make-Up Window

StrongFirst SFB Requirements page

3-4 weeks

Step-Loading Deload Cadence

StrongFirst step-loading programming (Pavel canon)

SFB is StrongFirst's bodyweight instructor credential — a multi-day in-person course that tests teaching, a strength test (OAP for women, OAP/OAL push-up for men), the pistol squat, and the tactical pull-up. Skills also include hollow body, arch, handstand and HSPU progressions, L-sit, front lever progressions, and bridging. The methodology centers on Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior (OAP + pistol as 'two pillars'), high-tension techniques (irradiation, ribs-down, lat pack), Grease the Groove sub-maximal frequent practice (50-70% of max, never to failure), step-loading with deload weeks every 3-4 weeks, and anti-glycolytic short-burst conditioning. The credential is valid for 2 years.

Sample StrongFirst SFB Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to test your StrongFirst SFB exam readiness. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior identifies which TWO exercises as the 'pillars' of bodyweight strength taught at the SFB Certification?
A.Bench press and back squat.
B.One-arm push-up and pistol squat.
C.Pull-up and L-sit.
D.Handstand push-up and front lever.
Explanation: In The Naked Warrior, Pavel identifies the one-arm push-up and the pistol (one-leg squat) as the two pillars of bodyweight strength — he calls them the 'powerlifts of bodyweight' because they demand maximal whole-body tension. SFB curriculum is built around these two lifts plus the tactical pull-up.
2What is the SFB strength-test requirement for a non-masters male candidate?
A.Five strict dead-hang pull-ups.
B.One one-arm/one-leg push-up.
C.A 90-second L-sit.
D.Three consecutive pistol squats per side.
Explanation: Per the SFB requirements page, the strength-test standard for non-masters men is one one-arm/one-leg push-up performed to standard (motionless one second before and after, hips and shoulders parallel, distinct pause, barefoot). The pull-up and pistol are separate skill tests.
3What is the SFB strength-test requirement for a non-masters female candidate?
A.One one-arm/one-leg push-up.
B.Five tactical pull-ups.
C.One one-arm push-up (feet no wider than two shoulder widths).
D.A 30-second flexed-arm hang.
Explanation: The female strength-test standard is one one-arm push-up with feet no wider than two shoulder widths apart, body motionless one second before and after the rep, shoulders and hips parallel, and a distinct pause at the bottom.
4How long is the SFB credential valid before recertification is required?
A.1 year.
B.2 years.
C.3 years.
D.5 years.
Explanation: The SFB credential is valid for two years. StrongFirst offers a dedicated recertification track to renew the credential before it expires.
5Pavel's 'irradiation' principle states that:
A.Contraction in one muscle group spreads neural drive to nearby muscles, increasing force output.
B.High-rep training irradiates fast-twitch fibers, causing them to convert to slow-twitch.
C.Muscle tension dissipates outward like radiation, weakening the prime mover.
D.Heat generated during lifting irradiates connective tissue and reduces stiffness.
Explanation: Irradiation is the neurological law that contracting one muscle hard spreads (irradiates) neural drive to surrounding muscles. In practice, clenching the fist amplifies grip and biceps tension; bracing the abs amplifies shoulder strength. SFB teaches this as a strength multiplier in every lift.
6Grease the Groove (GTG) protocol calls for which loading characteristic?
A.Multiple sub-maximal sets spread across the day, never to failure.
B.Three sets of failure per session, three days per week.
C.One all-out 1-rep-max attempt every training day.
D.High-rep circuits to muscular exhaustion.
Explanation: GTG treats strength as a skill: practice frequently, sub-maximally (roughly 50-70% of max), spread across the day, fresh and focused, never to failure. Volume is high but per-set effort is low, so the nervous system rehearses the lift without accumulating fatigue.
7In a pistol squat to SFB standard, the candidate must lower until:
A.The thigh of the working leg breaks parallel to the floor.
B.The hip crease drops below the top of the working knee.
C.The non-working heel touches the ground.
D.The hamstring contacts the calf with full compression.
Explanation: SFB pistol depth is defined the same way as a powerlifting squat: the hip crease must descend below the top of the working knee. The non-working leg stays in front and never touches the ground.
8Which grip is REQUIRED for the SFB tactical pull-up test for non-masters men?
A.Supinated (chin-up) grip.
B.Mixed grip — one over, one under.
C.Overhand thumbless grip.
D.False (thumb-around) grip on rings.
Explanation: The SFB tactical pull-up uses an overhand thumbless grip — the thumb is on the same side of the bar as the fingers. This forces the lats to do the work and removes biceps assistance from a supinated grip.
9How many strict dead-hang tactical pull-ups must a non-masters male candidate complete to pass the SFB pull-up test?
A.1.
B.3.
C.5.
D.10.
Explanation: The non-masters men's pull-up standard is five dead-hang tactical pull-ups: overhand thumbless grip, locked elbows before each rep, jaw clears the bar or upper chest touches, no kipping or swinging.
10The hollow body position is foundational at SFB because it:
A.Stretches the spine into hyperextension to lengthen the abs.
B.Posteriorly tilts the pelvis, pulls the ribs down, and creates a rigid trunk.
C.Relaxes the lats to allow free shoulder rotation.
D.Maximizes lumbar lordosis for greater core leverage.
Explanation: Hollow body = posterior pelvic tilt + ribs pulled down + abs braced — a slight 'C' shape that creates one solid, rigid trunk. SFB uses this as the default trunk position for push-ups, levers, handstands, and L-sits because it eliminates energy leaks at the hips and spine.

About the StrongFirst SFB Exam

The StrongFirst SFB Bodyweight Instructor Certification is a multi-day in-person instructor course covering high-tension bodyweight strength. Candidates are tested on teaching safety and effectiveness, a strength test (one-arm push-up for women; one-arm/one-leg push-up for men, with masters and exemption variants), a pistol squat technique test, and a tactical pull-up technique test. The methodology comes from Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior — the one-arm push-up and pistol are the two pillars — and applies Grease the Groove (GTG), step-loading, and high-tension techniques (irradiation, hollow body, ribs-down, lat pack) to bodyweight lifts.

Questions

100 scored questions

Time Limit

Multi-day in-person event

Passing Score

Pass/fail on four components

Exam Fee

Course tuition set by StrongFirst per event (StrongFirst Inc.)

StrongFirst SFB Exam Content Outline

Strength-test pillar

One-Arm Push-Up Standards & Progressions

OAP / OAL push-up criteria (feet within two shoulder widths, motionless pause, hips and shoulders parallel, barefoot), Naked Warrior progression (uneven → archer → tuck → OAP), irradiation cues.

Technique-test pillar

Pistol Squat Standards & Progressions

Hip crease below knee top, foot planted, free leg in front (no ground contact), counterbalance permitted, pelvis cannot rise faster than shoulders; counterbalance / box / eccentric / full progression.

Technique-test pillar

Tactical Pull-Up Standards & Weighted Programming

Overhand thumbless grip (chin-up permitted for women), dead-hang locked elbows, neck clears or chest touches the bar, no kip/swing, weighted pull-up step-loading.

Foundational position

Hollow Body, Arch & Tension Skills

Posterior pelvic tilt, ribs down, lat packing, glute squeeze, crush grip — the high-tension language that ties OAP, pistol, pull-up, lever, and handstand together.

Core skill

Handstand & HSPU Progressions

Wall walk, kick-up, chest-to-wall hold, wall-supported HSPU with abmat depth, banana-back fixes, t-spine extension cueing, freestanding handstand.

Core skill

Lever Progressions (L-Sit, Front Lever, HLR)

L-sit (foot-supported → tuck → one-leg → full), front lever (tuck → advanced tuck → straddle → full), hanging leg raises with controlled eccentric.

Core skill

Bridging

Wall walk to bridge with progressive hand-walk-down for t-spine extension; gymnastics bridge from supine; complementing posterior-chain rigidity from arch holds.

Programming pillar

GTG, Step-Loading & Anti-Glycolytic

Grease the Groove (sub-maximal frequent fresh sets at 50-70% of max, never to failure), step-loading with deload weeks every 3-4 weeks, ladders, heavy/light/medium micro-cycles, A+A short-burst conditioning.

How to Pass the StrongFirst SFB Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: Pass/fail on four components
  • Exam length: 100 questions
  • Time limit: Multi-day in-person event
  • Exam fee: Course tuition set by StrongFirst per event

Keys to Passing

  • Complete 500+ practice questions
  • Score 80%+ consistently before scheduling
  • Focus on highest-weighted sections
  • Use our AI tutor for tough concepts

StrongFirst SFB Study Tips from Top Performers

1Read Pavel Tsatsouline's The Naked Warrior cover to cover; the two pillars (OAP and pistol), the five principles (tension is strength, breath, mind, joint mobility, GTG), and the high-tension language map directly onto SFB.
2Memorize the SFB test fault rules: heel lift (pistol), free-leg ground touch (pistol), pelvis rising faster than shoulders (OAP and pistol), kipping or swinging (pull-up), and the one-second motionless pause before and after each rep.
3Run Grease the Groove for the OAP — multiple short sub-maximal sets per side, every day, never to failure, at roughly 50-70% of current max. Plan deload weeks every 3-4 weeks.
4Drill irradiation cues on every rep: crush the grip, brace the abs, squeeze the glutes, pull the ribs down, lock the lats — your strength is your tension.
5Train pistol and tactical pull-up concurrently with OAP using a heavy/light/medium micro-cycle so each lift gets a primary day without compounding fatigue.
6Build the handstand on the wall first (wall walks + back-to-wall kick-ups), find the hollow-body stack (ribs down, glutes on, ankles over hips over shoulders over wrists), then progress to wall-supported HSPUs with an abmat for depth.
7Rehearse the teaching demo on real people; SFB tests instruction, not just strength — being able to explain and cue the OAP, pistol, and pull-up to a novice is half the credential.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the StrongFirst SFB?

The StrongFirst SFB (Bodyweight Instructor) is StrongFirst's multi-day in-person certification for instructors teaching high-tension bodyweight strength. It is the bodyweight counterpart to the SFG (kettlebell) and SFL (barbell) credentials, built around Pavel Tsatsouline's Naked Warrior methodology.

What is the SFB strength test?

Non-masters men perform one one-arm/one-leg push-up to standard. Non-masters women perform one one-arm push-up (feet no wider than two shoulder widths). Masters women (50+) perform a 6-8 inch elevated one-arm push-up. Masters men (50+) perform one one-arm push-up. All variants require a one-second motionless pause before and after the rep, hips and shoulders parallel, distinct pause at bottom, and barefoot execution.

What is the SFB pistol test?

Non-masters candidates perform a below-parallel pistol (hip crease below the top of the working knee) on each leg. Masters candidates may use a box pistol to below parallel. Counterbalance with a kettlebell (held in both hands) or holding the free leg is permitted. The working foot must stay planted (no heel lift), the free leg must stay in front of the body and not touch the ground, and the pelvis cannot rise faster than the shoulders.

What is the SFB tactical pull-up test?

Non-masters men perform 5 dead-hang tactical pull-ups (overhand thumbless grip, locked elbows before each rep, jawline clears bar or upper chest touches bar, no kipping or swinging). Non-masters women perform 1 pull-up/chin-up or a 45-second flexed-arm hang. Masters men perform 1 pull-up. Masters women (50+) perform a 30-second flexed-arm hang with chin-up grip.

What are the two pillars of Pavel's Naked Warrior method?

The one-arm push-up and the pistol squat. Pavel calls them the 'powerlifts of bodyweight' because they demand maximal whole-body tension. SFB curriculum is built around these two pillars plus the tactical pull-up.

What is Grease the Groove (GTG)?

GTG is Pavel's sub-maximal frequent-practice protocol: multiple short sets (often 2-5 reps) per side at roughly 50-70% of max, spread across the day, every day, never to failure. Strength is treated as a skill that grooves with fresh, perfect repetitions; fatigue is the enemy of perfection.

What is step-loading and how often are deloads programmed?

Step-loading holds a working load for a few sessions, then steps up to the next load. Planned deload weeks (intensity and/or volume dropped to roughly 50-70% of working loads) are scheduled every 3-4 weeks to absorb training and avoid burnout.

What is anti-glycolytic training (A+A) at SFB?

Anti-glycolytic (Alactic + Aerobic) training uses short, alactic-power bursts of about 10-12 seconds followed by full aerobic recovery so glycolysis and lactate accumulation are avoided. The goal is power-endurance via repeated quality bursts, not fatigue-driven conditioning.

How long is the SFB credential valid?

The SFB credential is valid for two years. StrongFirst offers a dedicated recertification track to renew the credential before it expires.

What happens if I don't pass a standard at the event?

Candidates have a documented window (typically up to 6 months after the certification weekend) to submit a video demonstrating any standards they didn't pass live. The strength test specifically may be deferred to a video submission window after the certification weekend.

Are there exemptions from the strength or technique tests?

Yes — case-by-case exemption requests are reviewed for highly accomplished coaches/athletes and for veteran military, law enforcement, or first responders with documented chronic injury. Exemptions are not automatic; the candidate must request and document the basis.