Trump revives the Presidential Fitness Test, a rite of passage for schoolchildren for decades

July 31, 2025

President Donald Trump on Thursday reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children, a fixture of public schools for decades that gauged young people’s health and athleticism with 1-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises.

In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let’s Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise.

The Youth Fitness Test “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.” AP