NEED TO KNOW

• On July 31, President Donald Trump signed an executive order bringing back the Presidential Fitness Test

• The set of physical challenges was formally introduced in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson

• It was discontinued in 2012 under the Obama administration and replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program

The Presidential Fitness Test is returning to schools.

On July 31, President Donald Trump signed an executive order reviving the physical test that was first formally initiated in 1966 by President Lyndon B. Johnson, per The New York Times.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower formed the President’s Council on Youth Fitness in 1956. During President John F. Kennedy‘s time in office, he encouraged citizens to complete a 50-mile hike typically done by Marine officers, Secret Service agent Clint Hill recalled in February 2017. But it was Johnson who established the test and the Presidential Physical Fitness Award in 1966.

“I’m pleased to announce that we’re officially restoring the Presidential Fitness Test and the Presidential Fitness Award. And it’s going to be a very big thing,” Trump said at the executive order signing on July 31, per ABC News.

So what is the Presidential Fitness Test, and why is it being revived? Here’s what to know about the set of physical exercises coming back to schools.

What is the Presidential Fitness Test?

The Presidential Fitness Test was originally introduced in public schools in 1966. It consisted of a series of exercises that would measure a student’s fitness.

The Presidential Physical Fitness Award would be given to children who scored in the highest 15 percent of students nationwide.

According to NBC News, at the executive order signing, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the award was “a huge item of pride when I was growing up.”

What are the requirements of the Presidential Fitness Test?

The Presidential Fitness Test required students to do a series of physical challenges which would measure their athletic abilities. The original test consisted of a one-mile run, one minute of sit-ups and a choice between push-ups or pull-ups, according to Harvard Health.

The set of exercises also included a shuttle run and a sit-and-reach move that would be used to measure flexibility. The test underwent several iterations in the decades to come.

Per Trump’s executive order, the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition will be in charge of choosing the criteria for the new version of the test. Professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau is chair of the council and attended the signing of the executive order on July 31.

Several other professional athletes also attended the signing, including Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker.

When was the Presidential Fitness Test previously discontinued?

The Presidential Fitness Test was phased out during the Obama administration. In 2012, it was replaced with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which focused on students’ individual health over athleticism.

The test faced criticism at the time for potentially fueling a culture of body shaming in schools, according to TIME.

When will the Presidential Fitness Test return to schools?

It has not been announced when the Presidential Fitness Test will return to schools. However, 2026 marks 60 years since the test was first implemented and 70 years since the forming of the President’s Council on Youth Fitness.

At the executive order signing, DeChambeau said, “We have an opportunity in being [on] the 70th anniversary of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness & Nutrition to literally change the fabric of kids’ lives. And our first initiative is to bring back and reignite the President’s Fitness Test.”

Read the original article on People