Trump Signs Order to Reinstate Presidential Fitness Test

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to reinstate the Presidential Fitness Test in public schools, aiming to “restore urgency in improving the health of all Americans,” according to a White House statement.

The test, first introduced in 1966, has taken several forms over the years. Its most recent version included a one-mile run, modified sit-ups, a 30-foot shuttle run, the sit-and-reach flexibility test, and a choice between push-ups and pull-ups.

In the previous iteration, children who scored in the top 15 percent nationwide earned a Presidential Physical Fitness Award. The Trump administration has not yet announced which exercises will be included in the updated test.

The Obama administration replaced the program in 2012 with the Presidential Youth Fitness Program, which focused less on standardized benchmarks. Some fitness and child development experts have criticized the original test as too rigid, citing concerns that differences in children’s sizes and developmental stages could lead to discouragement or exercise avoidance.