- President Trump announced the return of the Presidential Fitness Test to public schools.
- The test, discontinued in 2012, previously measured fitness levels of students ages 6-17.
- The challenge includes exercises like curl-ups, shuttle runs, 1-mile run, pull-ups, push-ups and flexed arm hang.
Remember how cringeworthy it was to play along with the TV show “Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader?”
Well, given President Donald Trump’s announcement July 31 that he is bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test to public schools, we thought it would be good to play off that educational show with a fitness challenge: Are you fitter than a fifth grader?
The Presidential Fitness Test was first introduced in 1956 to measure the fitness of boys and girls ages 6 to 17. It was discontinued in 2012 and replaced by the Presidential Youth Fitness Program.
Trump’s announcement did not include if the new fitness test would follow the core assessment exercises from the original testing.
The original test measured students’ performances against national standards and qualifying percentiles for recognition. Those who scored at or above the 85th percentile typically received the Presidential Physical Fitness Award.
Are you fitter than a fifth grader?
Fifth graders are usually ages 10 or 11. To make it easier, you will be competing against 10-year-old boys and girls.
Here are averages, or the 50th percentile, of 10-year-olds in 1985. See how you stack up.
Warning: Only try these if you are medically fit to take the challenge.
Males
- Curl-ups/sit-ups: 35 in one minute. For sit-ups, have someone hold your feet, cross your arms, contract your abdominal muscles and raise to touch elbows to knees, then shoulder blades back to the floor. No bouncing. To protect your lower back, you can do curl-ups. Lie on the floor on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle. Cross your arms over your chest, contract your abdominal muscles and raise your shoulder blades off the floor. Keep your head in line with your body and no pressing your chin to your chest.
- Shuttle run: 11.5 seconds. Place cones or lines 30 feet apart. Place two light objects, such as foam blocks, at the far line. From the starting line, run to the opposite line and pick up one object, then run back to the starting line and place the object, then run back and pick up the other object and return to the starting line and place the object. One complete shuttle run, including retrieving both objects, covers going back and forth twice.
- 1-mile run: 9 minutes, 48 seconds. Find a track.
- Pullups: 2. Goal is to see how many you can do until you can’t do any more. From a secure horizontal bar, hang from the bar with fully extended arms and feet free from the floor. You can use either palms facing away or toward your body. Raise your body, while keeping your legs straight, until your chin clears the bar, then lower yourself to the starting position.
- Pushups: 14. Goal is to see how many you can do until you can’t do any more. Correct starting position is hands slightly wider and under your shoulders, fingers pointing forward and straight line from head to heels. When lowering, keep your elbows close to your body until your elbows form a 90-degree angle, and your upper arms are parallel to the floor. A partner can hold their hand at the 90-degree angle to verify completion of pushup.
- Flexed arm hang: 12 seconds. Goal is to see how long you can hang in position. Using either palms facing or palms away from your body, hang from a horizontal bar with arms flexed and chin above the bar
Females
See descriptions above.
- Curl-ups: 30 in one minute
- Shuttle run: 12.1 seconds
- 1-mile run: 11 minutes, 22 seconds
- Pullups: 1
- Pushups: 13
- Flexed arm hang: 8 seconds
USA TODAY reporter Kayla Jimenez contributed to this report.
