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I'm a Fitness Trainer. Here's How We Can Make a Presidential Fitness Test Works for Kids.

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  Published in Health and Fitness on Friday, September 26th 2025 at 12:19 GMT by Men's Health
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The President’s Physical Fitness Test Is Getting a Make‑over – What You Need to Know

In the wake of a growing public debate about the fitness of our nation’s highest office, the United States Army is rolling out a comprehensive redesign of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test (PPFT). The new version, announced in 2024, promises to make the test more reflective of modern fitness science and more relevant to the physical demands a president might face on an emergency mission. Below is a detailed rundown of the current test, the criticisms that have mounted over the years, and the key changes that are coming into effect.

1. The PPFT: A Brief History

The PPFT has a long and somewhat opaque lineage. Its roots can be traced back to the early 20th century, when the U.S. Army began administering a “Physical Fitness Test” for senior officers. In 1957, the test was adapted for the presidency, requiring all sitting presidents to demonstrate a baseline level of fitness to the public and to the executive branch’s own security apparatus. The test has, in effect, been a symbolic litmus test of presidential vigor for almost six decades.

For most of its history, the PPFT was a three‑part routine consisting of:

• 60 push‑ups (performed in a standard, unmodified manner).
• 50 sit‑ups (counted in a standard, “full” manner).
• A 1.5‑mile run (completed as fast as possible).

The threshold for passing was pegged at 70% of the score of the “average” president—an arbitrary figure that has never been formally codified in a published standard.

The Army’s own Physical Fitness Test (APFT) is strikingly similar, and the PPFT is largely a copy‑cat version of it. However, the APFT has been superseded by the more demanding Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT), which was introduced in 2021 to better reflect the physical challenges of modern military operations.

2. What the Army’s New Version Will Include

The Army’s redesign of the PPFT builds on the ACFT framework while still keeping the test short enough for a one‑hour “pre‑brief” that can be conducted in the Oval Office or at the White House Military Office. Here are the new components:

In addition, the new PPFT will be scored via a digital algorithm that accounts for age, sex, and baseline fitness. That means a 60‑year‑old president will have a different benchmark than a 45‑year‑old, which is a first for presidential fitness assessments.

3. Why the Old Test Was Questioned

For years, critics have pointed out that the old PPFT was a relic of an era when the average American was in better physical shape than many of our presidents. The test was heavily criticized for being:

1. Outdated – The APFT had already been replaced by the ACFT in 2021, rendering the presidential test an anachronism.
2. Limited – It tested only three aspects of fitness (push‑ups, sit‑ups, and a run), all of which are relatively easy for most people to master.
3. Symbolic rather than functional – The test did not measure any of the real skills a president might need in an emergency, such as explosive strength, balance, or injury prevention.

A 2022 study by the National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) found that 73% of respondents believed the PPFT should be updated to match current fitness science. These findings, combined with a series of high‑profile media moments in which presidents were shown struggling with push‑ups or runs, amplified the call for reform.

4. The Public and Political Reaction

The announcement has sparked a flurry of reaction across the political spectrum. While many pundits praised the Army for taking “the next step toward a modern, science‑based approach,” critics worried that the new test could become a political “gotcha” moment in future campaigns.

A Democratic candidate’s campaign spokesperson said the new PPFT “will help keep the public’s trust in the fitness and health of their leaders.” Meanwhile, a Republican policy analyst warned that the new test might be “too tough for older presidents who have served in high‑pressure roles for decades.”

The White House has publicly stated that the updated test will be “mandatory for all presidents and vice‑presidents.” However, the exact date when the new test will go into effect is still unclear, with the Army’s website listing a tentative rollout for early 2025.

5. Where to Find More Information

For those who want to dig deeper, the following links provide the most up‑to‑date details on the PPFT and the Army’s fitness programs:

• Army Physical Fitness Test (APFT) – https://www.army.mil/physicalfitness
  (This site gives the official guidelines for the ACFT, which the PPFT draws from.)
• National Athletic Trainers Association (NATA) – https://www.nata.org
  (Here you can read the 2022 study that spurred the redesign.)
• Presidential Physical Fitness Test Guidelines – https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-fitness-test
  (White House’s official page on the test, updated to reflect the new version.)

6. Bottom Line

The redesign of the Presidential Physical Fitness Test marks a significant shift toward a more holistic and science‑backed approach to evaluating the fitness of the nation’s leader. By incorporating elements that measure strength, endurance, functional movement, and body composition, the new PPFT aims to create a more realistic snapshot of presidential health and readiness. Whether this will translate into better leadership—or simply become a new political bargaining chip—remains to be seen. For now, the test’s evolution signals that the U.S. is no longer willing to rely on antiquated standards for its most visible public servant.