Donald Trump revives the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools: What is it and how does it work?

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools, after it had been shelved for more than a decade. He declared the move part of a broader push to Make America Fit Again and combat what officials called a health crisis among youth.

The Presidential Fitness Test dates back to the 1950s and officially launched in 1966 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. It was part of the President’s Council on Youth Fitness, created by President Eisenhower, inspired by concerns over declining child fitness in the US.

The test is a series of physical tasks designed to measure core fitness skills: a timed one-mile run, sit-ups, pull-ups or push-ups, the sit-and-reach flexibility test, and often a shuttle run. Students who scored in the top percentiles, often above the 85th, could earn the Presidential Physical Fitness Award, like a patch or certificate with the presidential seal.

How it worked then and how it could work now
Back then, students took the test at least twice a year (fall and spring), and it was woven into gym class. It was all about performance, competition, and pushing physical limits.

But in 2012, the Obama administration phased it out and replaced it with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which focused more on individual health markers like BMI, aerobic capacity, and personalized goals rather than standardized competition.


So what’s different this time?
Trump’s new executive order reinstates the original Presidential Fitness Test, with its old-school events and competitive format. He also revived the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition staffed with notable athletes like Bryson DeChambeau, Annika Sorenstam, Harrison Butker, Lawrence Taylor, and Triple H (WWE exec) tasked with developing the criteria for the revamped test and awards.

“For me, it was a huge item of pride when I was growing up," Kenneday said at the signing ceremony. The Council’s scope extends into broader youth fitness, college athletics, and nutrition strategies.

The administration argues this move is timely, especially after a recent report by Health and Human Services indicating crisis levels of inactivity and obesity among kids. Trump and officials say that the Fitness Test will reintroduce competition and accountability, potentially motivating students to be more active. Back in May, the Department of Health and Human Services, now under Kennedy’s leadership, dropped a pretty alarming report: American kids are dealing with more chronic health problems than ever, and a lot of it comes down to not moving enough and eating junk. Kennedy even called it a “health emergency,” and honestly, he’s not wrong.

The report pointed out how today’s youth just aren’t as active or fit as they used to be. It mentioned a study from the Physical Activity Alliance that showed over 70% of kids aged 6 to 17, and a shocking 85% of teens, didn’t hit the 2024 federal guideline for daily exercise (that’s moderate-to-vigorous movement, every day).


If rolled out correctly, the program would likely include these events:

• Timed one-mile run (aerobic endurance)
• Sit-ups and push‑ups/pull‑ups (core and upper-body strength)
• Shuttle run or agility drill (speed and coordination)
• Sit‑and‑reach flexibility test (hamstring/lower back flexibility)