What To Know About Trump's Presidential Fitness Test Award Revival
Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times,
In the coming academic year, old-fashioned calisthenics, timed runs, and the spirit of competition could return to many public schools.
President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed a proclamation restoring the Presidential Fitness Test Awards, which date to the mid-20th century but ended under President Barack Obama’s administration. The May 5 White House action is a follow-up to the July executive order re-establishing the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
This proclamation, which also recognizes May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, affirms the nation’s commitment to fitness and competition ahead of America’s 250th birthday and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is cohosting with Canada and Mexico.
“Working alongside world-class professional athletes, major league organizations, teams, schools, and communities across our country, we are ushering in a new Golden Age of physical fitness—expanding access to wellness for every American, promoting the many benefits of exercise and good nutrition, supporting youth sports, and celebrating a culture of strength, vitality, and excellence,” the proclamation reads.
“I call upon public officials, sports educators, athletes, and all the people of the United States to get involved in sports and physical activity, especially our nation’s youth.”
Here’s what to know.
Push-Ups and Pull-Ups
The Presidential Fitness program, which benefits students ages 10 to 17, has changed over the years. It has existed since 1956, beginning with President Dwight Eisenhower, according to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) website.
The test has timed runs to measure endurance, the sit-and-reach challenge to measure lower body flexibility, push-ups and pull-ups or curl-ups to measure upper body strength, and a timed shuttle run challenge that assesses quickness and agility as the participant sprints and pivots in different directions to pick up cones.
The benchmarks vary based on age and sex.
In the past, and with this re-implementation, high performers could be recognized by school district, state, and nationally.
The format of the program changed in recent years to emphasize participation and downplay the competitive aspect, but the test component remained in several states, including New York, for the purpose of assessing whether seventh- and eighth graders were fit enough to safely compete in high school sports.
The benchmarks, along with an image of a certificate of excellence signed by Trump that would be awarded to high performers, were recently posted on the White House website.
A 6-year-old girl, for example, could earn that certificate by remaining in a plank position for 71 seconds, performing two pull-ups or nine push-ups, and running one mile in 11 minutes and 20 seconds.
A 17-year-old boy would need to hold the plank position for 156 seconds, perform 13 pull-ups or 53 push-ups, and run one mile in six minutes and six seconds, according to the chart.
Competition Debate
Obama ended the fitness test in 2012, replacing the competitive elements with a national curriculum for health and the benefits of physical activity. He also called for the inclusion of disabled students and nutrition education and renamed the program the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.
Trump did not restore the test during his first term.
Biden also did not make any changes to Obama’s initiative. His only noted activity for the program was a “One Lacrosse Gathering Celebration” at the National Mall to recognize the Native American roots of lacrosse. Professional players provided a skills clinic to youth participants, who also learned about Native American culture and “indigenous foods and ingredients,” according to the Health and Human Services website.
The program had enjoyed significant growth through the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.
In 1985, President Ronald Regan initiated a data collection system to compare past results. Two decades later, President George W. Bush established the Fitness.gov website and launched the Presidential Active Lifestyle Award, which also recognized sports participation and the health benefits of physical activity.
“I think it’s very unfortunate that President Obama and President Biden abandoned it,” Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during the May 5 signing ceremony in the Oval Office.
“He said competition is not good for kids, which is not true. If we’re going to be competitive internationally, we need to be competitive with each other. We need to teach people how to win and how to lose, and how to process victory and defeat.”
Added Trump: “We’re bringing it back. My administration is working very hard to defend America’s cherished athletic traditions and pass our values of excellence and competitiveness to the next generation.”
Michigan State University researchers criticized Trump’s initiative, calling the fitness test “demoralizing for many.”
“Kids don’t want to be embarrassed or have negative memories," Spyridoula Vazou, an associate professor in MSU’s kinesiology department, said in a January report on the school’s website. “They don’t want to feel that they’re the worst.”
Obesity in Children
More than 21 percent of American youngsters ages 2 to 19 are obese, a nearly 500 percent increase since the 1970s. Severe obesity rates, meanwhile, have increased sevenfold in the past half century, with 7 percent of children now falling in that category, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
An April 28 report from that agency indicated that only five states have mandated federal recommendations for 150 minutes of weekly physical education for students in grades K-5, and 37 states require less than 60 minutes per week.
As for fitness testing, 24 states have no requirements. Eleven states recommend it, but only three require fitness tests annually. Only 16 states require some district oversight for fitness testing, but most don’t provide any enforcement measures, according to the report.
“For the Presidential Fitness Test to provide a meaningful lever for youth public health promotion and surveillance, systematic state policy reform and resulting school-level physical education infrastructure changes are necessary,” the report concludes.
What’s Next
U.S. public schools begin the 2026–2027 academic year in August or September.
Trump’s proclamation and prior executive order on the fitness test strongly encourage state and district participation but stop short of mandating it.
Many states and school districts are still awaiting federal guidance on implementation. Still, some leaders embraced the concept and took their own initiative to bolster fitness in schools.
Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, issued an Oct. 30 executive order re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test in schools ahead of the 2026–2027 academic year.
“Students across the country are spending far too much time sitting around looking at screens and eating too much highly processed junk food,” Reeves said in a news release. “We know that obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and poor nutrition lead to more negative health outcomes.
“If we want more healthy adults in our society, it’s important that we encourage students to be physically active and educate them on healthy eating habits. Mississippi will do its part to build a healthier America.”
The Tennessee Legislature and Gov. Bill Lee ratified a similar law earlier this spring. It supplements previous legislation that increased recess time from 15 minutes to 40 minutes per day. More physical activity in schools is needed, lawmakers said, considering that about 40 percent of children in the Volunteer State are overweight.
“Tennessee is setting the standard by helping students become healthier and more successful,” said Rep. Scott Cepicky, a Republican.
“This proposal is a critical component of our continued efforts to improve academic outcomes by promoting active lifestyles and a balanced diet.”