A SCHOOL tradition that once had students running one mile and doing sit-ups is making a comeback.
President Trump is reinstating the old-school Presidential Fitness Test, once a dreaded fixture in schools across the country.
The program, first launched in 1966, had been phased out during the Obama administration and replaced with a less competitive version.
On Thursday, Trump announced the revival of a fitness initiative by signing an executive order in Washington, which aims to restart the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
“This is a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back,” Trump said during the event.
The classic test measures endurance, strength, and flexibility through a series of physical challenges.
Children will be expected to complete a 1-mile run, sit-ups, push-ups or pull-ups, and a sit-and-reach flexibility test.
1-MILE-RUN
Kids must complete a timed 1-mile run in a certain amount of time, which measures their cardiovascular endurance.
SIT-UPS
Timed sit-ups test core strength and muscular endurance.
In many schools, students are scored based on how many sit-ups they can complete in one minute.
PUSH-UPS OR PULL-UPS
Upper body strength is measured with push-ups or pull-ups, depending on what schools choose to administer.
Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and child development specialist, shared with The New York Times her less-than-positive memories of attempting chin-ups during similar fitness tests.
She added, “On the other hand, we need something.”
SIT-AND-REACH
This exercise tests flexibility, especially in the lower back and hamstrings.
Students sit with legs extended and try to reach forward as far as possible past their toes.
HOW IT STARTS
The test will be overseen by Trump’s health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
A new Presidential Fitness Award is also being developed for top-performing students.
According to Trump, kids in the United States should be encouraged to get active again.
“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports,” he said at the executive order signing on Thursday, July 31.
The executive order has also revived the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, which will include up to 30 members.
The council intends to evaluate various matters in college sports, such as athlete transfer regulations and the debate on whether student-athletes should be considered employees, according to Associated Press.
Presidential Fitness Explained
What is it?
A physical fitness exam for schoolchildren that tests endurance, strength, and flexibility.
What’s included?
• 1-mile run
• Sit-ups
• Pull-ups or push-ups
• Sit-and-reach flexibility test
When did it start?
Launched in 1966 under President Lyndon B. Johnson to gauge youth fitness levels.
Why was it scrapped?
Replaced in 2012 by the Youth Fitness Program, which emphasized personal health over performance.
What’s new under Trump?
The original test is back – plus a new Presidential Fitness Award and oversight by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Who’s on board?
A 30-member national council featuring athletes like Bryson DeChambeau, Triple H, and Annika Sorenstam.
What critics say:
Experts warn the test alone won’t boost kids’ health without supportive programs and long-term planning.
CONTROVERSIAL COUNCIL
Trump packed the council with stars from the sports world, including friends and controversial figures alike.
A notable assembly of athletes accompanied him at the signing event, including professional golfer Bryson DeChambeau, Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, WWE executive Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and Swedish golfer Annika Sorenstam.
Also on stage was ex-NFL star Lawrence Taylor, a registered sex offender who has appeared with Trump at past rallies.
“I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, but I’m here to serve,” Taylor said at the event.
Taylor pleaded guilty in 2011 to sexual misconduct and was later charged with failing to update his address.
He paid a fine, and the case was closed.
Last year, Harrison Butker from the Kansas City Chiefs stirred controversy when he told a graduating college class that women might prioritize marriage and family over careers.
He also criticized Pride Month and former President Joe Biden’s abortion policies, subsequently founding a political action committee to support “traditional values.”
Sorenstam faced heat for accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump the day after the January 6 Capitol riot.
Other council members who didn’t attend include NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Dallas Cowboys legend Tony Romo, hockey great Wayne Gretzky, and Eagles running back Saquon Barkley.
TRUMP SPORTS LOVER
The revival comes as the US gears up to host several major sports events, including the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 World Cup, and 2028 Olympics.
Trump, a longtime sports fan, often links political events with athletic appearances and travels frequently to sporting venues.
He has attended the Super Bowl, UFC fights, and the Daytona 500 – and says sports offer a break from the chaos.
“You get away for a couple of hours,” he said of playing golf.
“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports.
“When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else.”
REPLACING OLDER FITNESS TEST
The old fitness test was replaced in 2012 with the Youth Fitness Program, which focused more on health goals than competitive benchmarks.
It was aligned with then-First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” initiative to reduce childhood obesity.
Experts are split on the return of the test.
The Health and Human Services Department described the old program as one that “minimizes comparisons between children” and encourages personal progress.
“It’s not just, you get a score and you’re doomed,” said Laura Richardson, a kinesiology professor at the University of Michigan.
“But you get a score, and we can figure out a program that really helps the improvement.”
