{"id":598077,"date":"2026-05-08T00:05:00","date_gmt":"2026-05-08T00:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=598077"},"modified":"2026-05-08T00:05:00","modified_gmt":"2026-05-08T00:05:00","slug":"what-to-know-about-trumps-presidential-fitness-test-award-revival-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/?p=598077","title":{"rendered":"What To Know About Trump’s Presidential Fitness Test Award Revival"},"content":{"rendered":"

What To Know About Trump’s Presidential Fitness Test Award Revival<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Authored by Aaron Gifford via The Epoch Times,<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

In the coming academic year, old-fashioned calisthenics, timed runs, and the spirit of competition could return to many public schools.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

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\u2019s administration. The May 5 White House action is a follow-up to the July executive order re-establishing the President\u2019s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.<\/p>\n

This proclamation, which also recognizes May as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, affirms the nation\u2019s commitment to fitness and competition ahead of America\u2019s 250th birthday and the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which the United States is cohosting with Canada and Mexico.<\/p>\n

\u201cWorking 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\u2014expanding 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,\u201d the proclamation reads.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cI 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\u2019s youth.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what to know.<\/p>\n

Push-Ups and Pull-Ups<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The benchmarks vary based on age and sex.<\/p>\n

In the past, and with this re-implementation, high performers could be recognized by school district, state, and nationally.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Competition Debate<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Obama ended the fitness test in 2012, replacing the competitive elements with a national curriculum for health and the benefits of physical activity. <\/strong>He also called for the inclusion of disabled students and nutrition education and renamed the program the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.<\/p>\n

Trump did not restore the test during his first term.<\/p>\n

Biden also did not make any changes to Obama\u2019s initiative. His only noted activity for the program was a \u201cOne Lacrosse Gathering Celebration\u201d 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 \u201cindigenous foods and ingredients,\u201d according to the Health and Human Services website.<\/p>\n

The program had enjoyed significant growth through the 1980s, 1990s, and early 2000s.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it\u2019s very unfortunate that President Obama and President Biden abandoned it,\u201d <\/strong>Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said during the May 5 signing ceremony in the Oval Office.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe said competition is not good for kids, which is not true. If we\u2019re 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.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

Added Trump: \u201cWe\u2019re bringing it back. My administration is working very hard to defend America\u2019s cherished athletic traditions and pass our values of excellence and competitiveness to the next generation.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Michigan State University researchers criticized Trump\u2019s initiative, calling the fitness test \u201cdemoralizing for many.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cKids don\u2019t want to be embarrassed or have negative memories,”\u00a0<\/strong>Spyridoula Vazou, an associate professor in MSU\u2019s kinesiology department, said in a January report on the school\u2019s website. \u201cThey don\u2019t want to feel that they\u2019re the worst.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Obesity in Children<\/strong><\/h2>\n

More than 21 percent of American youngsters ages 2 to 19 are obese, a nearly 500 percent increase since the 1970s. <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t provide any enforcement measures, according to the report.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor 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,\u201d <\/strong><\/em>the report concludes.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next<\/strong><\/h2>\n

U.S. public schools begin the 2026\u20132027 academic year in August or September.<\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s proclamation and prior executive order on the fitness test strongly encourage state and district participation but stop short of mandating it.<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, for example, issued an Oct. 30 executive order re-establishing the Presidential Fitness Test in schools ahead of the 2026\u20132027 academic year.<\/p>\n

\u201cStudents across the country are spending far too much time sitting around looking at screens and eating too much highly processed junk food,\u201d Reeves said in a news release. \u201cWe know that obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and poor nutrition lead to more negative health outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we want more healthy adults in our society, it\u2019s 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.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\u201cTennessee is setting the standard by helping students become healthier and more successful,\u201d<\/strong> said Rep. Scott Cepicky, a Republican.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cThis proposal is a critical component of our continued efforts to improve academic outcomes by promoting active lifestyles and a balanced diet.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Tyler Durden<\/a><\/span>
\nThu, 05\/07\/2026 – 20:05<\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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… Continue reading What To Know About Trump’s Presidential Fitness Test Award Revival<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":598061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[20,23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-598077","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-economic-empowerment","category-national-security","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598077","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=598077"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/598077\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/598061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=598077"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=598077"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buglecall.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=598077"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}