Can you pass the presidential physical fitness test today?

If you went to an American public school between 1966 and 2012, you probably have memories of sweating during the Presidential Physical Fitness Test – a gym class that involved running a mile, sit-upspull-ups (or push-ups), a sit-and-reach and a shuttle run.

For those who were athletically inclined, it was a chance to shine: kids who scored in the top 15 percent were honored with a Presidential Physical Fitness Award. (At my elementary school, those kids got their names painted on the gym wall.) For those who weren't, it could be a source of anxiety: proof that you just weren't cut out for exercise. Does anyone remember hanging from a pull-up bar to no avail?

Born of the Cold War era, America fears became 'soft' the test was first introduced by President Lyndon Johnson in 1966. The goal was to improve the fitness of the nation's youth for military service, said Dawn Coe, associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. The original test also included a softball throw, which simulated throwing a grenade.

President Barack Obama scrapped the test in 2012 and replaced it with an assessment called the FitnessGram that's less about beating your classmates and more about improving individual health. “It's no longer a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Dr. Coe.

Some of us who struggled with the test later found ways to appreciate exercise—and made peace with the fact that some body parts blatantly favor certain body types.

But if you've ever wondered how your older, wiser (and perhaps buffer) self would fare on the presidential physical fitness test, I asked experts how each of the events holds up today as a measure of fitness. With a few updates and adjustments, it can provide useful insights into your cardiovascular fitness, strength and flexibility, all of which are critical to quality of life and longevity.

Most importantly, as you test yourself today, focus on your own fitness level and progress, experts said, and remember that health is not a competition. It's not about how many pull-ups you can do, it's about feeling stronger over time – and maybe even being able to take on new challenges.

1. Running the mile

The test: Run or walk a mile at a challenging pace and take your time.

What is correct: This is a simple measure of cardiovascular health and endurance. If you're in excellent aerobic shape or are an experienced runner, it can also be a fun way to find your upper speed limit, says Rick Richey, a personal trainer in New York. (If you're curious, compare your time to others your age.)

What's going wrong: The focus on speed is arbitrary and the test can be an exercise in pain and exhaustion that puts people off running. A more important question than speed, said Dr. Richey, is: “How much do you challenge your cardio-respiratory system?”

How to use it today: If you are a beginner, start by walking a mile, then gradually incorporate walking intervals. As you go, make a mental note of what the exercise feels like. If you can increase your speed over time or feel better and better while running at the same pace, then you are winning, said Dr. Richey.

2. Pulling up

The test: Using a pull-up bar, start in a full hanging position with your knuckles facing you or your face (children can choose, although the former is generally easier). Pull up until your chin is above the bar. Count how many you can do, no time limit.

What is correct: Pull up and pull up are a good measure of upper body strength – in theory.

What's going wrong: Many people simply don't have the strength or physiology to get all the way up without specific training.

How to use it today: If you're intrigued by the challenge, doing a pull-up is a worthwhile and achievable goal. The exercise develops your back, shoulder and arm muscles, as well as your grip strength, which is linked to a longer, healthier life.

If full pull-ups seem out of reach, first see how long you can hang from a bar, said Dr. Richey. Go to the bent arm hangsand then helped with pull-ups resistance bands, which makes it easier for you to get up. Gradually work your way up to an unassisted pull-up.

…or the push-up

The test: Schools had the option of giving children a pull-up or push-up test, although many opted for the former. Perform as many push-ups as possible until failure. No time limit.

What is correct: Exercise scientists agree that the push-up is a gold standard test not only of upper body strength, but also of whole-body strength and endurance, because it requires awareness of every part of your body, from top to bottom. to toe.

What's going wrong: Nothing, if done correctly. But it's important to do push-ups with proper form, starting with a plank positionMake sure your stomach doesn't drop and your back doesn't arch. It's better to do one well than five with bad form.

How to use it today: “I love learning push-ups because it's such a wonderful way for people to really rewrite their story about their abilities and their strength,” says Cadence Dubus, founder of the virtual training program Brooklyn Strength.

If you can do a push-up, see how much you can do before your form suffers, then stop immediately. Don't focus on a specific number, but on improvement. If you're a beginner, start with modified push-ups with your knees on the floor.

3. The sit up

The test: Technically a curl-up, this exercise is a partial sit-up, done with your back in a C-shape and your arms crossed over your chest. The presidential test required you to do as many as you could in 60 seconds – usually while another child sat on your feet to hold them.

What is correct: Not much.

What's going wrong: More than any other event, the curl-up test raises the eyebrows of modern sports scientists. Not only does it have the potential to worsen back pain by straining the lower back, but it only works on the front layers of the core muscles.

What you can do instead: A better way to train and test your core strength, which is important for long-term health, is to time how long you can hold a plank while maintaining proper form, says Mary Winfrey-Kovell, an exercise science teacher at Ball State University. .

If you're new to the exercise, start with a modified plank, keeping your knees on the floor, or do a standing shelf with your forearms against the wall. As your core strength increases, progress to classic planks and aim to reach a 60-second hold.

4. The shuttle run

The test: Run back and forth twice as quickly as possible between two lines, 30 feet apart. Each time you cross a line, take a block of wood (or chalkboard eraser) and drop it on the other line.

What is correct: The shuttle run test speed and agility.

What's going wrong: If you do not already do speed or agility training in your daily life, experts do not recommend taking this test.

“When I think about adult shuttle running, all I think about is injuries,” says Dr. Calvin Duffaut, sports medicine physician and team physician for UCLA Athletics. “The changes in direction – if someone doesn't have a background in it, I'm concerned.”

What you can do instead: Schools have replaced the commute with the beep testwhere you have to speed up and slow down, but you don't require you to change direction just as quickly. This makes the beep test safer than the shuttle run, said Dr. Duffaut.

That said, working on your agility—including your ability to change direction on the fly—can be useful in both recreational sports like pickleball and in everyday life. You can also test and improve your agility with exercises like lateral plyometric jumpsgradually increasing your speed each week.

5. Sit and reach

The test: Take off your shoes and sit with your legs straight against a sit-and-reach ruler. Lean forward as far as possible. (If your school didn't have a ruler box, you may have taken the next step V-seat rangewhich simply means sitting with your feet 8 to 12 inches apart and noticing how far you can reach.)

What is correct: This test measures how far you can reach, which can reflect the flexibility of the lower back and hamstrings.

What's going wrong: These tests aren't exactly fair: People with relatively short arms or long legs are at a disadvantage, Dr. Richey said. (He could do a three-way split, he said, but still scored poorly on the sit-and-reach.)

How to use it today: If you just compete with yourself and use proper form — hinging from your hips and not around your back — how far you can reach can be a decent measure of flexibility, said Dr. Richey.

“Being able to reach your own foot and ankle is something you can lose, and that can have consequences,” Ms Dubus added. The more you practice sitting and reaching, the easier it becomes, especially when combined with stretches that improve hip mobility, such as the 90/90 stretch.