If you were in an American public school between 1966 and 2012, you probably remember the dreaded Presidential Physical Fitness Test.
The test involved a one-mile run, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, and a shuttle run (which is similar to a sprint).
Children who placed in the top 15 percent received a Presidential Physical Fitness Award and were considered “athletically gifted.”
The test was introduced by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 amid Cold War-era concerns that young Americans were not fit enough for military service.
The original checklist also included a softball throw that was supposed to imitate the throwing of a grenade.
The test involved a one-mile run, sit-ups, pull-ups, squats, and a shuttle run (which is similar to a sprint).
President Barack Obama eliminated the test in 2012 and it was replaced by an assessment known as FitnessGram, which is more about improving people’s health.
But how would you do on the exam if you took it now?
First up is the one mile run. As the name suggests, it is about running a mile.
Runners are encouraged to cover the distance as quickly as possible, in a simple test of cardiovascular health and endurance.
According to data from a 1985 survey, if a 17-year-old girl completed the mile in less than approximately eight minutes, she was considered gifted for the sport.
Children were considered exceptional if they finished in less than six minutes and six seconds.
Anything less than 10 minutes for girls was above average, and seven minutes for boys.
For younger children, less than 8 or 9 minutes was considered elite.
Next are sit-ups or push-ups to test your core strength.
Lie on the floor with your knees bent while another person holds your feet on the floor. Your arms should be crossed over your chest.
The test was introduced by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966 amid Cold War-era concerns that young Americans were not fit enough for military service.
Do as many sit-ups as you can in one minute.
If you can do 44 to 55, your physical capacity is superior.
It is considered average between 30 and 40 years old.
Then switch to pull-ups, which measure upper body strength and endurance.
Using a pull-up bar, start in a fully hanging position and then pull up until your chin is higher than the bar.
There is no time limit, but you must perform as many pull-ups as possible.
If a woman makes three, she has athletic talent, according to the test. But for children, there are six.
If you don’t like pull-ups, you can do them instead. Schools had the option of either option, and the same threshold applied.
Again there is no time limit, so do as many as you can until you fail.
Pushups are believed to be a gold standard test, because they not only challenge upper body strength, but also require awareness of every part of the body, from your head to your toes.
Now let’s move on to the sprint, also known as the shuttle race, which tests speed and agility.
Mark two parallel lines, 30 feet apart. Place two blocks of wood (or something similar, whiteboard erasers were also used in those days) behind one of the lines.
Start behind the opposite line and run as fast as you can towards the pieces of wood, pick up one, run back to the starting line, place the block behind the line, run back and pick up the second block and run back across from the starting line.
If you can complete the task in less than ten seconds, you are athletically gifted, while less than 11 and a half seconds is above average.
Nowadays, schools often do the beep test, which requires you to speed up and slow down but does not require you to change direction as quickly.
Finally, there is the sit and reach, to test the flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings.
To do this, take off your shoes and sit with your legs stretched out against a sit-and-reach ruler box.
Lean forward as much as you can.
If you don’t have one of these on hand, you can sit with your feet eight to 12 inches wide and measure with a tape measure how far you can stretch.
The trick is to rotate from the hips and not round your back.
If you can reach eight inches, you are gifted for the sport. However, in women it is a little less.